Pair It Up! Quidni's Wines with Bourdain's Appetites

Quidni Estate Winery is one of the newest faces on Naramata Bench, launching in 2014. Quidni, which means 'why not' in Latin, is the maxim the new owners adopted before taking the plunge into the world of wine. A beautiful property on Naramata Road, also home to their popular B & B, Quidni was previously 3 Mile Estate Winery. The new owners brought on Robert Thielicke, a winemaker who has valuable history with the Naramata Bench—he spent years working with Kettle Valley Winery and Joie Farm Winery. This week Quidni is offering free shipping on 12+ bottles or 50% off shipping on 6 bottles, and you can mix it up however you would like.

In the last couple weeks we've seen the most buzz from a cookbook launch in years after Appetites by Anthony Bourdain was released. This book is packed with personal favourites and comfort dishes of Bourdain's—many are simple enough that the average home cook will have no problem pulling them off.

In celebration of these two wine and food events coinciding, I thought it would be fun to pair Quidni's wines up with recipes from Appetites. Because... why not?

Sparkling Rosé 2015 and Lobster Catalan - lobster tossed with tomatoes and onions and served alongside bubbly rosé. Enjoy this delicious pairing and pretend summer never ended. ($26.45).

Riesling Aromatic 2015 and Kuching-Style Laksa - this Riesling is made with fruit from 39-year-old vines on the Naramata Bench. You don't see vines with this kind of age very often in the Okanagan. This is a perfect match for Malaysian Laksa, a spicy noodle soup with chicken and shrimp. The fruitiness of the riesling is going to soften some of the spice, while the crisp acid will match the acidity of the dish and keep cleansing your palate before you go back for another bite.

WhyNot Red and Italian Sausage & Pepper Heroes - Quidni's entry-level WhyNot Red is a soft medium-bodied blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It has the spice notes and weight to match Italian-seasoned sausages and sautéed peppers. This is one of those unfussy pairings perfect for comfort food. ($18.40).

Get free shipping on Quidni's wine this week only! Click on the bottles below to get started.

Jake Skakun is a writer and sommelier from Vancouver, currently living in Toronto. He can be found most days pulling corks and twisting caps at the Black Hoof. He Tweets and Instagrams @jakeskakun.