Taste: Spirits: What to Drink: September 2008
With: The complex Thai flavors at Manayunk BYOB Chabaa Thai Bistro.
Drink: Crisp, young white wines are the perfect foil for Thai herbs like cilantro, and the unusually low alcohol level of Portuguese vinho verde matches with the cuisine’s spice. Whisper-light Gazela vinho verde ($7.99) is as refreshing as a Granny Smith and ridiculously cheap.
With: Real barbecue — hickory-smoked and pink in the middle — at Northeast BYOB Sweet Lucy’s Smokehouse.
Drink: Thierry & Guy Fat Bastard shiraz ($11.99) from the South of France, because you need a wine with serious flavor. Packed with jammy blackberry accented with smoky oak, this wine is rich and luscious.
With: The seafood-centric menu at BYOB Blackfish Avalon.
Drink: A plump white, like Luna Vineyards pinot grigio (Chairman’s Selection, $10.99) from Napa, will match everything from simple surf-and-turf to saffron-scented bouillabaisse. This dry white is as fresh and juicy as a nectarine, with a honeyed fragrance and mild spiciness.
