Next to the holiday season, Girl Scout Cookie season is my favorite time of year. And, thankfully, there are 12 different flavor profiles available now.
So what does a wine lover do with all those cookies staring at her? She invites her girlfriend over, who happens to be an uber wine expert, so they can get to pairing.
Now I am pretty indiscriminating. Good wine and good cookies go together no matter what. But Jessica Norris, wine director at New York City's Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse and one of Wine Enthusiast's Top 40 under 40 Tastemakers, insisted we take it up a notch.
So with cookies and wine in hand, we are pleased to present the ultimate Girl Scout Cookie and Wine Pairings Guide:
Thin Mints® are my all-time favorite Girl Scout cookie. These round, mint-flavored cookies with a chocolate coating scream for a good Brunello and since the 2010's are awesome and just hitting the shelves, we figured why not?
Brunello recommendations:
- Lisini Brunello di Montalcino 2003
- Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello Di Montalcino Pianrosso 2007
- Marchesi Antinori Pian delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino 2009
Caramel deLites® and Samoas® are the iconic caramel and toasted coconut-covered cookies that will taste even better (if you can imagine that) with an aged Rioja. Norris tells us she keeps a stash of these cookies in her freezer – for emergencies, of course.
Rioja recommendations:
- La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 2004
- CVNE Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva 2007
- Beronia Rioja Gran Reserva 2006
Peanut Butter Patties® and Tagalongs® are coated in chocolate and peanut butter and have a big taste, which means they need a big wine. Go get an Amarone.
Amarone recommendations:
- Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2009
- La Colombaia La Colombaia Amarone della Valpolicella 2011
- Allegrini Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2010
Trefoils® are shortbread cookies that will go great with an off-dry German Riesling. Clean and simple.
German Riesling recommendations:
- Schmitt Söhne Riesling Relax 2014
- Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett Blue Slate 2014
- Heinz Eifel Mosel Auslese Riesling 2012
Do-Si-Dos® are oatmeal peanut butter sandwiches that pair exceptionally well with a big California Zinfandel. The combo will taste like your favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
California Zinfandel recommendations:
- Michael David Rage Zinfandel 2012
- Robert Biale Vineyards Zinfandel Black Chicken 2013
- Turley Zinfandel Old Vines 2013
Cranberry Citrus Crisps have a zesty citrus flavor that made us reach straight for a complementary New Zealand Pinot Noir.
New Zealand Pinot Noir recommendations:
Lemonades™ are lemon-icing-topped shortbread cookies. Norris got adventurous here suggesting an Italian Roero Arneis. Arneis is a white wine grape that originated in Piedmont, Italy and is most commonly found in the hills of the Roero, which is northwest of Alba. Yum.
Roero Arneis recommendations:
- Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis 2014
- Vietti Arneis Roero 2013
- Monchiero Carbone Cecu D'la Biunda Roero Arneis 2012
Rah-Rah Raisins™ are oatmeal cookies with raisins and Greek yogurt-flavored chunks that need a heavily merlot based wine like a left bank Bordeaux.
Left Bank Bordeaux recommendations:
- Château du Tertre Margaux Grand Cru Classé 2005
- Château Haut-Marbuzet Saint-Estephe 2012
- Château Giscours Margaux Grand Cru Classé 2009
Savannah Smiles™ are lemon-flavored cookies dusted with powdered sugar. Pair them with a Sancerre and you will have a match made in heaven.
Sancerre recommendations:
- Henri Bourgeois Sancerre D'Antan 2012
- Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre 2014
- Patient Cottat Sancerre Anciennes Vignes 2013
Thanks-A-Lot™ cookies are made of shortbread with fudge on the bottom. “Try a Bandol Rouge," says Norris. Bandol is an appellation in Provence, in south-eastern France. Bandol's red wines are at least 50% Mourvedre, which is a spicy grape, so it'll work great with the chocolate.
Bandol recommendations:
Toffee-tastic™ cookies are buttery with toffee bits. While the toffee alone screams for a tawny port, accompanied with the cookie, a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a red blend from southern Rhone valley, would be a better choice.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape recommendations:
- Château Sixtine Châteauneuf-Du-Pape 2010
- Domaine Duclaux Châteauneuf-Du-Pape 2009
- Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2011
Trios are peanut butter oatmeal cookie chocolate chip cookies, which also happen to be gluten free. Pick a Washington State Syrah because the dark berry in the Syrah will work great with the peanut butter and chocolate chips.
Washington State Syrah recommendations:
- Novelty Hill Columbia Valley Syrah 2012
- Charles Smith K Vintners Milbrandt Syrah 2012
- L'Ecole No 41 Syrah 2011
So that's our list. No doubt yours will be different. But let us know — then we can eat more cookies and taste more wines.