Why Wine Is A Perfect Pairing With Cigars

[El Presidente]

Great to see a real wine writer in play. 

Nice work Liz. Others could learn. 

 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizthach/2024/08/16/why-wine-is-a-perfect-pairing-with-cigars/

Why Wine Is A Perfect Pairing With Cigars

Liz Thach, MW

 

Aug 16, 2024,07:00am EDT

 

Enjoying the Taste of Wine with Cigars 

getty

Many people have heard that the best beverage to pair with a cigar is whiskey, but in Sonoma County there is a group of people who believe that wine makes the perfect pairing. At a recent dinner called ‘Summer Smoke’ at Rodney Strong Winery, I was able to catch up with some of these wine and cigar advocates and learn why.

 

 

For the event, Rodney Strong partnered with Squire Cigars, a Santa Rosa, California company that is celebrating their 50^th year of selling fine cigars. General Manager, Kim Squire, daughter of founders, Barney and Linda Squire, had very clear views on the subject.

 

“Historically everyone thinks whiskey and cigars, or rum and cigars, is the best pairing, but there’s so many different strengths of cigars that you’re almost taking away from the blend if you’re not drinking something a little lighter with it,” she explained. “Wine in my opinion pairs better with cigars than anything else.

To prove her point, Kim showcased four different types of cigars and paired them with four different Rodney Strong wines. Guests could experience the tasting with a tiny sample cigar and sip of wine, or enjoy a regular size cigar.

 

Given that Rodney Strong is most well-known for its award winning Alexander Valley cabernet sauvignon wines, and especially for their coveted Bordeaux blend called Symmetry (retail $70 per bottle), Kim showcased cigar pairings for these wines. However, since Rodney Strong also produces other delicious varietals, including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, and port, Kim matched two of these wines as well.

 

#1 – Rodney Strong Symmetry paired with Davidoff Winston Churchill Cigar – given that this cabernet blend is rich, concentrated and complex with dark berry, earth, and coffee notes, it pairs well with the more complex and robust Churchill cigar blend that has notes of pepper, cream, dark chocolate and coffee.

#2 – Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon with Aladino Corojo Cigar – oozing with black currants, plum, boysenberry, cedar and a hint of mocha, this more elegant cab pairs well with the more approachable old world style of the Aladino Corojo cigar blend with it sweet spice, cocoa, cedar, and floral notes.

#3 – Rodney Strong Pinot Noir with Arturo Fuente Hemingway Cigar – the smooth black cherry and spice notes of this elegant pinot noir was a good match for the lighter style of the Hemingway cigar blend that had notes of sweet cream, cashews, coconut and a hint of pepper at the end.

#4 – Rodney Strong Sauvignon Blanc with Avo XO Cigar – for those who prefer white wine, the fresh and zippy grapefruit, floral and pear notes of the sauvignon blanc made a perfect pairing with the smoother and more delicate flavors of the XO cigar blend that featured a hint of salty cashews, cream, cedar, sweet molasses, leather and spice.

Some of the Cigars Served at the Wine & Cigar Pairing Event at Rodney Strong

Thach

Positive Response From Guests at Cigar and Wine Dinner

The ‘Summer Smoke’ event at Rodney Strong winery, which included a family style dinner, was held outdoors on the vast green lawn overlooking their vineyards in Sonoma County. Though not all guests at the sold-out event participated in both the cigar and wine tasting (some only did wine-tasting), it was much appreciated by cigar afficionados.

“A cigar is a nice way to continue the wine-pairing experience. A young Cabernet with bold fruit and firm tannins can greatly complement an earthy Robusto, “ reported Palmer Emmitt, Owner and Winemaker of Emmitt-Scorsone Wines, as he sampled the different cigar and wine pairings.

Christopher O’Gorman, Senior Director of Communications at Rodney Strong Wine Estates, is also a fan of pairing wine and cigars. “Fine wine and great cigars are a match made in heaven. Both feature complex flavors that represent the places from which they are grown, and they both feature a wide spectrum of aromas and textures, from light and easy to bold and intense.”

Guests Relaxing on the Lawn at the Wine & Cigar Pairing Event at Rodney Strong Winery

Thach

But Rodney Strong winemaker, Olivia Wright, decided not to participate in the pairing, though she did an excellent job describing the wines to guests.

“I don't smoke cigars, but our proprietor, Tom Klein, greatly enjoys them - especially with wine, and so do many of our winery customers," stated Olivia Wright, Winemaker with Rodney Strong Wine Estates.

"Also, I know that we all have different palates, and so if people enjoy pairing wine with cigars, I think that is wonderful. The world of wine will be a better place if we get rid of rules about what people should and shouldn't like about wine pairing," she added.

Interestingly both Squire Cigars and Rodney Strong winery are family owned businesses, with Squire Cigars first opening their doors in 1974 and Rodney Strong established in 1959. And recently Squire Cigars added wine lockers to their cigar shop, so customers could come to the shop and get help deciding which of the wines they stored in their locker would pair best with cigars.

“Wine and cigars just go together,” said Kim Squires, “so why not offer wine lockers at our cigar shop? Truly, people are missing out if they don’t pair their wine with cigars.”

Actor George Hamilton Portrays the Sophistication of Pairing Different Types of Wine and Cigars

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Liz Thach, MW

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Dr. Liz Thach, MW, is a Professor, Wine Writer and Consultant based in Napa and Sonoma, California. 

[BrightonCorgi]

Solid list of cigars.

[samsam1937]

A mon humble avis et d'après mes expériences personnelles je trouve que les alliances entre cigares et vins sont extrêmement compliquées, en ce qui concerne les vins rouges j'élimine déjà tout les vins jeunes et tanniques qui prennent le dessus sur le cigare , un vin vieilli avec des tannins bien fondus pourrait convenir éventuellement pour certains mais pas pour mon palais  ... 

- Pour le vin blanc idem je m'orienterai plutôt vers un vin floral et léger de type viognier et élimine tous les blancs oxydés ou boisés.

- Pour le rosé idem étant fan des Rosés vineux et puissants comme certains bandol ou tavel forcément ceux la prendront le dessus sur le cigare .

Donc pour résumer : En tant qu'amoureux et puriste de ces 2 merveilleux produits de la terre que sont le vin et le cigare et avec tout le respect que je leur dois je les déguste chacun son tour afin de capter leur plein potentiel.

 

[vinnyvega]

That's some of the craziest stuff I've read in a while.  

[BoliDan]

4 hours ago, samsam1937 said:

A mon humble avis et d'après mes expériences personnelles je trouve que les alliances entre cigares et vins sont extrêmement compliquées, en ce qui concerne les vins rouges j'élimine déjà tout les vins jeunes et tanniques qui prennent le dessus sur le cigare , un vin vieilli avec des tannins bien fondus pourrait convenir éventuellement pour certains mais pas pour mon palais  ... 

- Pour le vin blanc idem je m'orienterai plutôt vers un vin floral et léger de type viognier et élimine tous les blancs oxydés ou boisés.

- Pour le rosé idem étant fan des Rosés vineux et puissants comme certains bandol ou tavel forcément ceux la prendront le dessus sur le cigare .

Donc pour résumer : En tant qu'amoureux et puriste de ces 2 merveilleux produits de la terre que sont le vin et le cigare et avec tout le respect que je leur dois je les déguste chacun son tour afin de capter leur plein potentiel.

 

passer à l'anglais pour plus de visibilité. 

Rosé is a fan favorite on this site and has been proven a fantastic pairing on multiple accounts. I think there's video on it too. I really like a fresh beaujolais as well. 

[loose_axle]

Personally I've not had much luck pairing wines with cigars but I still give it a whirl once in a while. 

[samsam1937]

12 minutes ago, BoliDan said:

passer à l'anglais pour plus de visibilité. 

Le rosé est  un favori des fans sur ce site et s'est avéré être un accord fantastique sur plusieurs comptes. Je pense qu'il y a aussi une vidéo dessus. J'aime aussi beaucoup le beaujolais frais. 

C'est pour cela que je précise " d'après mes expériences personnelles" mes propos n'engagent que ma propre personne et je comprends que d'autres ont un avis différent du mien, je pense réellement que les rosés de gastronomie vineux, et puissants ( leur couleur tend vers le grenat ) prennent le dessus sur le cigare , je pense que les tannins présents dans le vin sont incompatibles avec le cigare , par exemple l'accord avec un jeune vin de Bordeaux . 

[Boss Hog]

34 minutes ago, samsam1937 said:

…je pense que les tannins présents dans le vin sont incompatibles avec le cigare , par exemple l'accord avec un jeune vin de Bordeaux . 

Je suis entièrement d’accord avec tes propos.

Très bien résumé, en passant.

[Li Bai]

4 hours ago, Boss Hog said:

Je suis entièrement d’accord avec tes propos.

Très bien résumé, en passant.

Moi aussi je suis d'accord, à l'exception du champagne. Indeed 🥳

[RDB]

Apologies for my poor French, but I think I get the drift of @samsam1937 above and broadly agree (if I’m understanding correctly).

I enjoy a smoke with certain wines, especially sweet wines. German Riesling with residual sugar is a particular favourite. Obviously Port, Madeira, Sauternes etc. Simple dry whites and rose can be fine too. I can imagine some light, low-tannin and relatively acidic reds working ok. But I would never match either heavy dry red wines, or particularly fine, aged and delicate dry wines of either colour with a cigar. Much better to enjoy those pleasures apart. 

[BrightonCorgi]

Chardonnay, Champagne, and Madeira are best "pairings" for a cigar. The acidity and/or carbonation help freshen the taste of the cigar. I don't find wine or any beverage to pair with a cigar. Drink what you like is my recommendation. 

A beverage for a cigar is an afterthought or just convenience to me. Usually water.

[samsam1937]

Il y a 46 minutes, BrightonCorgi a dit :

Généralement de l'eau.

100% d'accord, l'eau aussi bien plate que gazeuse est pour moi le meilleur ami du cigare , elle rafraîchit le palais sans altérer les arômes du cigare .

 

[Boss Hog]

10 hours ago, Li Bai said:

Moi aussi je suis d'accord, à l'exception du champagne. Indeed 🥳

Effectivement. Le champagne avec un bon cigare, c’est tout simplement merveilleux.

[REesq]

In Los Angeles, wine and cigars is much more the norm and I think they are a fabulous pairing. I’m in multiple wine groups (Burgundy, Bordeaux, Italian, lunch) and a good-sized group of us end every dinner / lunch with cigars and yet more wine. Often, the after-dinner wines are your various stickies (Port, Madeira, Rivesaltes, Sauternes, German / Austrian Riesling, etc.), but just also often we go with dry wines, particularly, when we have our regular small group lunch / dinners at a venue that permits cigar smoking with your meal. Dining at its finest. 

[Fugu]

"Guests could experience the tasting with a tiny sample cigar and sip of wine, or enjoy a regular size cigar."

So, a 'tiny sample cigar' they had... yeah, of course...

[cigaraholic]

I can smell the tarmac two counties away🤮

[Fugu]

Wine as best pairing? Rarely do I pair wine with a cigar. Mostly only when smoking after a meal, and the wines accompanying the food are on the table. But not particularly seeking wine when I am having a cigar on its own. Concur with RDB’s Riesling suggestion, also sweet/fortified or bubbly, but to be honest, more often than not, if at all, the wine is serving the cigar, yet not vice versa.

[JohnS]

17 hours ago, Li Bai said:

Moi aussi je suis d'accord, à l'exception du champagne. Indeed 🥳

Tout à fait !

[VeguerosMAN]

I haven't pair cigars with wine yet but I would imagine bold red Argentinian wines would go nicely with San Andres Maduro cigars. 

[DonMiguel]

Drinking a Napa Cab - Nine Suns (I love this wine and vintage) right now while smoking a Trinidad Coloniales - works very well!

Was at a Vega Sicilia tasting recently and think the Viga Sicilia Unico 2013 (very young for this wine) but think it will be a great cigar wine!

[Habanoschris]

I grew to appreciate pairing mostly bourbon with cigars, but in the "wine family" I've really enjoyed port wines, dessert wines or Armagnac with a cigar and have had an occasional white wine (usually Italian by chance).

This article makes me want to explore further lol & I'd also like to explore pairing champagne with a cigar since I've heard a lot of good things too but rarely have tried.