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100 / the tasting panel / january/february 2018 Savage White with OG Kush This wine, from South African winemaker Duncan Savage, blends Sauvignon Blanc with a little Semillon and some Chenin Blanc. It is medium- bodied on the palate with lemon peel, Makrut, and white peach. A little earth and lemon citrus from the OG Kush make this a marriage made in heaven. Retsina with Jack Herer Retsina is an herbaceous Greek wine that's been co-fermented with a little bit of pine. It's a great match with the super-savory Jack Herer, another classic. Saint-Joseph Syrah with Blue Dream Blue Dream transports me to Saint- Joseph in the Southern Rhône. This wine is all blue fruits—berries, cur- rants, plums—making it a solid pairing with Blue Dream. RYAN ARNOLD'S Perfect PAIRINGS Bubba Kush and California Cult Cabernet The powerful Bubba Kush indica strain has much in common with California Cult Cabernet. Although its genetic roots are likely of Afghani decent, its real home is in California. Similarly, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape may be from Bordeaux, but it's also made a name for itself in California. Both now thrive in their own respective categories in the Sunny State. Bubba Kush is beloved for its bold dark chocolate and coffee notes. These two flavors typically come with premium Napa Cabs, thanks mostly to extended barrel aging in expensive new French oak. The weighty body of the dense Cabernet will also pair perfectly with the heavy feeling often experienced with Bubba Kush. Now if only California Cult Cabernet was as easy to come by! Kosher Kush and Oatmeal Stout The nutty, earthy flavor of an oatmeal stout will mirror the earthy and sweet dark fruit flavors of the potent indica strain Kosher Kush. The silky mouthfeel of the beer will also complement the smooth, full-flavored smoke of the only commercial strain of cannabis blessed by a rabbi. Sour Diesel and German Kabinett Riesling When blind-tasting a Riesling from the Mosel region in Germany, there is often a reliable tell: the petrol note on the nose, which is sometimes even just slightly smoky. Sour Diesel is a sativa strain known for its racy, diesel-like aroma. Both sides of the pairing share this sometimes- polarizing quality, making for an excellent twosome (for the record, both Sour Diesel and Mosel Kabinett Riesling are two of my very favorites in each of their respective categories). The petrol adds to the high-acid apple and lemon, just-ripe white stone fruit, high mineral- ity, and all the other austere complexity that follows in a sip of Riesling from the Mosel. Similar sentiment will ensue from an invigorating pull of Sour Diesel: a piney, diesel upfront followed by a citrusy, fruity finish and a relaxed, clearheaded effect. It's as if you've taken a deep breath of cold air on a steep bank of the Mosel River. What are some of your favorite pairings? Email Rachel@TheCleverRoot.com to share your tasting notes with our readers! A TRIO OF PAIRINGS by JESSIE BIRSCHBACH PAIRING SUGGESTIONS with RYAN ARNOLD and JESSIE BIRSCHBACH Ryan Arnold is the Wine Director for national restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You. Jessie Birschbach, Senior Wine Editor for The Tasting Panel. While it's likely that many a hospitality industry professional has enjoyed the occasional end-of-shift joint for years, we've seen many of our more mainstream friends "come out of the closet" as can- nabis users, advocates, and adventurers since our sister magazine The Clever Root launched two years ago. As these chefs, somms, mixologists, and winemakers open up about their passion for the plant, discourse about its place in food and bev- erage continues to evolve. One sommelier who's recently jumped into the cannabis conversation is Ryan Arnold, Wine Director at the national restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You, which includes eateries like Mon Ami Gabi, Maggiano's, and Chicago's famed Café Ba-Ba-Reeba! While we're not seeing cannabis creeping into any of the company's menus just yet, Arnold sees an industry-wide trend on the horizon. Our magazine strives to be a part of this developing dialogue, so we tasked Arnold and our very own in-house Senior Wine Editor, Jessie Birschbach, to suggest a few of their favorite wine and cannabis pairings.