If I could rewind the tape and go back to this scene, I would do it in a heartbeat. Picture this. I am having dinner with friends in a local restaurant. The wine list ended up in my hands so I stopped talking to take a mental note of the entrees ordered around the table – beef, pork, duck, fish and fish. Based on the protein and preparation of each dish, I decided to order a medium -bodied New Zealand Pinot Noir. Before doing so, I asked the fish eaters if they would like to try a couple glasses of white wine or stick with the red. They both opted to join us for a glass of Pinot Noir. Later that night, one of the fish eaters commented that the red wine tasted sour leaving a “metallic flavor” in his mouth.” To which the other fish eater quickly added “Yes I agree. It tastes like a copper penny.” I almost fell out of my chair. My food and wine pairing class had come to life! We all know that perfect pairings such as ice wine and peach cobbler or Sauvignon Blanc and a high acid cheese (think goat cheese) create memorable bites. Further, most wine drinkers are aware that a specific wine may taste better with a certain dish such as Chianti with pizza or Cabernet Sauvignon with steak. Yet, nothing compares to the education your palate recieves when you experience a bad food and wine marriage. My friends may not have appreciated the metallic sensation caused by tannins in the wine reacting with fish oil, but it is certainly one lesson they will never forget. I only wish that everyone would have such an unexpected food and wine pairing experience. How cool is wine, by the way? Cheers.