WASHINGTON — It’s that time of year again. Young women in familiar uniforms have descended upon the front doors of homes, apartment buildings and storefronts in an effort to coax a few dollars from patrons in exchange for a box of cookies.
Yes, Girl Scout cookie season is in full swing, and evidently, pairing wines with the ubiquitous treats is now “a thing.” While I don’t take any personal responsibility for this interesting, if not slightly misguided, combination, I have certainly participated in its dissemination.
You see, in a moment of weakness several years ago, I agreed to appear live on a local television program to see if I could get the two hosts of the show to play along while I paired various cookies with a specific wines. It was a lot of fun until the video went, as the kids say, viral. Even friends in my hometown — 3,000 miles away — saw it.
Today, I am known as “that guy who drinks wine with cookies.” So I have been relegated to the annual task of offering up wine suggestions to enjoy with an assortment of the famous baked goods. After all, in today’s grown-up world, wine consumers both young and old are looking for a way to pair wine with just about anything that can find its way onto a plate.
And good ol’ Girl Scout cookies are no exception.
The trick to finding the right wine to match with the right cookie is to consider flavor, sweetness and texture. And this year, I decided to share the task with some of my wine journalist friends from around the country by soliciting their thoughts on the matter.
After all, why should I have all of the fun?
Samoas are reminiscent of a coconut macaroon with a layer of chocolate and caramel. World-famous blogger, educator and life force Catherine Todd, also known as Dame Wine, recommends a Malmsey Madeira, such as the Blandy’s Malmsey 10-Year from Portugal, “because of the caramel in the cookie would go well with that burnt sugar of Madeira. But that’s me.” $30
Trefoils are delightful shortbread-esque cookies that have a rich, buttery taste, and my definite “go-to” for these biscuits is a sparkling wine. Caterer and bon vivant Philippe Demol thinks this cookie “must be served with a chilled Delamotte Blanc de Blanc, preferably late vintage.” Good call Philippe. The 2007 Delamontte Blanc de Blancs from the Champagne region of France offers a beautiful bouquet of lemons and limes on nose while notes of mineral, crisp apple, tangy citrus and candied ginger shine on the very fresh and elegant palate. $60
Tagalongs are a creamy peanut butter and chocolate-coated cookie. They may seem tricky to pair with wine, but Texas-based, award-winning blog contributor Michelle Williams insists that Tawny Port is a perfect match. I have a feeling that my fiery red-headed friend has a sweet tooth, so I am going with something a little sweet and a little soft, like caramel-centric notes found in Dow’s 10-Year-Old Tawny from Portugal. The rich chocolatey complexity and nutty undertones, followed by a mellow caramel finish, will be a great instinctive match. $30
When it comes to the classic — and my personal favorite — Thin Mints, even my former editor, Jeff Dufour, weighed in. These wafer thin, mint-centric cookies are covered in rich chocolate. Such a classic combination of flavors needs to be paired with a wine that will complement the chocolate notes and play well with the minty characteristic.
Jeff’s recommendation is to pair Thin Mints with a Rutherford cabernet sauvignon. Evidently, he tried this pairing last year and, “It was great!” The 2014 BV Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford from Napa Valley, California, would be fun to sip while snacking on these minty morsels. Its massive brambly blackberry, cassis and black plum flavors intermingles with nuances of earthy forest loam, mocha, pipe tobacco, caramel and sweet oak spices. The structured “Rutherford dust” tannins give this wine its dense texture and expansive mouthfeel, while balanced acidity will complement the cookie’s rich texture. $42
Lastly, public relations maven Lee Hodo likes to smile with Savannah Smiles and Non-vintage Toad Hollow Risque — a sweet sparkling wine made with Mauzac Blanc grapes from the south of France. She likes how the delicately sweet sparkling wine from France is a nice juxtaposition with the zesty lemon wedge cookies dusted with powdered sugar. The wine has a crisp and fruity frame and features fresh green apple and pear flavors and just enough sweetness to play off of the cookie’s citrus notes. $16
