Pairing wine with foods that contain marked sweetness — here, several dried apricots and a couple of dollops of honey — is like playing telephone with cans and string. (Apologies to anyone under 50.) The further apart the wine and the food are in level of sweetness, the worse the connection. Bring them closer together and they taste delicious when paired. That is, a little sweet in the food means a wee sweet in the wine. Dry wines may be tasty by themselves, but they’re rough going next to the “-ose” family of fructose, sucrose and glucose.
The food
Apricot chicken with rice: Cover 1 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots with boiling water in a small bowl; set aside to plump. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 onion, minced; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into medium chunks; cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the apricots with their liquid, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and pepper to taste. Cook until chicken is cooked through. Serve over brown rice, sprinkled with chopped mint. Makes: 4 servings
The wines
• NV Helfrich Cremant d'Alsace, Alsace, France: All pinot blanc (flavors of applesauce, with a soft texture) aged in the classic method (hints of yeast); 8.8 grams/liter residual sugar. $22
• 2011 Dr. H. Thanisch Muller-Burggraef Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany: Spot-on Mosel riesling (orange water, green apple, stone fruit) with razor's-edge acidity and balancing sweetness; 60 grams/liter residual sugar. $20
• 2012 The Other Guys Moobuzz Pinot Noir, Monterey, Calif.: With 12 percent barbera for good color and extra fruit; effulgent red fruit aromas; supersmooth feel; 5.8 grams/liter residual sugar. $15
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