Drink the Issue: Sunset Wine Club’s Perfect Pairings from the 2023 Wellness Issue

The wines of the West are an integral part of the lifestyle that we celebrate in our pages—and the Sunset Wine Club is the essence of that mission in a glass. 

We’ve partnered with premier online wine retailer Wine Access to curate the perfect mix of reds and whites to drink this season, produced by top growers and vintners in California, Oregon, Washington, and beyond. Each quarterly shipment is $120.

Even better, the bottles have been selected to go with the recipes and menus in our magazine. Just look for the Sunset Wine Club “Perfect Pairing” sidebar when you’re paging through an issue of Sunset. For our 2023 wellness issue we created pairings that are greater than the sum of their parts, ranging from classic mussels with Chardonnay to the potential odd couple of a Syrah-heavy red blend with split pea porridge. (Trust us: It works!)

Subscribe to the Sunset Wine Club and you’re not just getting wine shipments. You’re getting a taste of the magazine’s featured selections, and the captivating story behind each bottle. It’s an invitation to sit and sip at the Sunset table. Read on for the latest perfect pairings.

Recipes and Wine Pairings for the 2023 Wellness Issue

Thomas J. Story

2021 Vinum Cellars Chardonnay Monterey: This bottle pairs perfectly with Steamed Mussels with Fennel, Pancetta, Herbs, and Three Onions. Chardonnay’s splash of citrus brings forth the sweet minerality of the seafood, while the pancetta and herbs resonate with the toasty and fresh wine.

Recipe: Steamed Mussels with Fennel, Pancetta, Herbs, and Three Onions

Another love match is grilled corn and Chardonnay, as both have a natural sweetness. In addition, tangy flavors like goat cheese are softened by the richness of the wine. See for yourself by opening this Vinum Cellars bottle and making Donald Hawk’s Elote Spaghetti.

Recipe: Elote Spaghetti

Photo reprinted with permission from Penguin Random House

2019 Belse Red Blend California: Pair it with Vegan Winter Greens Stew, as found in the article “I Can’t Stop Making This Vegetable Dumpling Soup (And It’s Vegan!)”. This dish combines sweet, savory, spicy, and bitter. The Zinfandel element of the blend has all that with ripe sweet black fruit, cardamom, clove, turned earth, and espresso flavors, all brought forth in a silky body.

Recipe: Vegan Winter Greens Stew

Reprinted with permission from Tanya Holland’s California Soul: Recipes from a Culinary Journey West by Tanya Holland, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Text copyright © 2022 Tanya Holland. Photographs copyright © 2022 Aubrie Pick.

2019 La Pitchoune Chenin Blanc Merritt Island Clarksburg: This wine goes well with Pimento Cheese Popovers. Decadent popovers want a crisp and lean white wine. This Chenin Blanc has ripping acidity to cleanse the palate and cut through all the richness, while also bringing out the fresh floral notes of the jalapeño.

Recipe: Pimento Cheese Popovers

Thomas J. Story

2017 St. Finley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon California: This wine is a great match for Stuffed Collard Greens with Beet Merguez and Sunflower Seed Dukkah. The vintage is layered with black currant and dried herbs that perfectly meld with the flavors of the greens.

Recipe: Stuffed Collard Greens with Beet Merguez and Sunflower Seed Dukkah

Thomas J. Story

2021 Tortoise Creek Pinot Noir California: Not every wine can stand up to the range of powerful flavors that are in the Beet Salad with Mandarin, Achar, Pistachios, and Mint, but this Pinot can. Gorgeous hints of blood-orange peel and turned earth in the wine mirror the flavor profiles of the dishes. The lively acidity matches the refreshing lemon thyme.

Recipe: Beet Salad with Mandarin, Achar, Pistachios, and Mint

Thomas J. Story

2018 Top Source Red Wine Columbia Valley: What would you drink with an unusual dish such as Split Pea Porridge with Almonds, Sugar Snap Peas, and Lemon Basil? This Syrah-based wine adds a punch of cracked pepper to the sweet and savory preparation. The garlicky split peas are a great counterpoint to the wine’s ripe red fruit.

Recipe: Split Pea Porridge with Almonds, Sugar Snap Peas, and Lemon Basil

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