5 (impossible) pairings that drive us wild

A lot has been said and written about pairing food and wine. One need not look much further than this very blog. So, before we go on, we should let you know that this post won't provide you with tips, techniques or any other type of objectively useful information.

We all have our star pairings, but just as many of us enjoy—almost secretly, “behind closed doors”—pairings that are, at the very least, somewhat unorthodox.

Given our innate curiosity, we asked five colleagues to confess their most unusual and impossible pairings. Read on to discover their “secrets”:

Top 5 (impossible) pairings that drive us wild

1. Cantabrian anchovies and Santa Digna Cabernet Rosé (Chile) (Lionel Vigneron, Communicator and Enologist)

“Quite possibly my wildest and most fun pairing ever...at first glance, it really doesn't look all that great, but it works... Why? No reason! I guess that's the appeal of food and wine pairings. Your tastes, your rules. Everything else is pretty unimportant.”

2. Salmos (DOC Priorat) and coffee. (Rafa Moreno, Marketing and Content Creation)

“A full-bodied red and a good, strong cup of coffee...it doesn't get much better than this. During a meal, it's become a tradition of mine to save the last glass of wine until coffee is served... (And yes, I often get weird looks.) Any voluptuous red could work, but Salmos adds a whole new dimension to the pairing. I highly recommend it.”

3. Tuna sashimi and Viña Sol. (Kati Jauhiainen. Tasting room coordinator )

“In theory, the intense flavor of the tuna along with the spiciness of the wasabi should overpower the freshness of Viña Sol, but our classic holds its own. This is an explosive combination that makes my mouth water instantly.”

4. Nutella on toast and Gran Coronas (Mark Palacio, Digital Marketing Manager)

“Definitely not apt for exacting palates or sensitive stomachs. This is my personal guilty pleasure and was, until right now, my best-kept secret. But if you try it, you'll be back for more.”

5. Salad with mustard vinaigrette and Viña Esmeralda. (Eva Sancho, Communicator and Enologist)

“The word that immediately comes to mind and defines this match perfectly is freshness. Objectively speaking, this pairing shouldn't work, but I've enjoyed it on multiple occasions. And I don't plan on giving it up!”

So forget your hang-ups, hone your palates and embrace adventure. Keep experimenting, try new and unusual things and you'll find a unique match that is wholly your own.

And if you already have one...pray tell! What are your secret, "unspeakable" pairings?