Priest Ranch was established by a Priest! James Joshua Priest, that is. Priest was a gold prospector who saw the land’s potential to grow grapes in the 1870s. Today, Priest Ranch is a great destination for a pilgrimage, if vino is your religion. I’ve been lucky enough to taste a variety of the Priest Ranch wines and talk with their current winemaker, Cody Hurd, as well as chef Dan Solomon of The Kitchen at Priest Ranch. My fandom has built up over the last year or so, not the least because I’m mildly obsessed with pairings, conventional and not. More on that in a sec. Hurd is a Washingtonian turned Napa Valley vintner who started in wine at a precocious age of 19, in a tiny Washington winery owned by a then-girlfriend’s dad. I suppose in Europe that wouldn’t be precocious, but the US of A’s draconian alcohol management makes it unusual for folks to get their start in this business under the age of 21. Realizing he wanted to pursue winemaking, Hurd left for Napa—going after the big guns, right off the bat. He was hired at Priest Ranch in 2010, and worked his way up from Cellar Worker to Cellar Master, Cellar Master to Assistant Winemaker, and eventually being crowned Head Winemaker. Back to pairing fun: The first time I met with Hurd, a bit over a year ago, I learned of Priest Ranch’s bacon pairings—they run a delivery service that pairs different varieties of pork belly with their wines: the fat of the pork belly is friendly with the tannins and bridges flavors from toppings like mango salsa to the wines—a mini meal. I got nervous when I was presented with a gift box…as a vegetarian, I wasn’t sure what I would do if the box contained bacon. Fortunately, it was chocolate, and I now know there’s a vegan version of the bacon tasting that swaps in maitake mushrooms. As for the chocolate, they have a pairing called “Eat Dirt,” in which the chocolates resemble the property’s myriad soil types and have flavor profiles that go with the wines. Reader, I lapped that s@#t up. I still dream of that ‘shroom-wine pairing. And universal healthcare obvi. I dream a lot. More recently, the pairing fun has extended into the restaurant. Solomon and Hurd are conjuring up some off-script combinations. Inspired by the Petite Sirah breakfast at Napa Valley Vintners Premiere, Hurd mentioned kimchi with red wine or buttery Chardonnay as a worthy contender. Dan Solomon had a whole list of unexpected ideas: spicy tomato chutney with Cab, shishito peppers with Merlot, white miso congee and yes, more Cab. I was inspired to conjure some pairings of my own, so without further ado, here are four of my favorite Priest Ranch bottlings and what I would pair them with: 2021 Priest Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + pimiento cheese—okay! The Cab: Boysenberry, blackcurrant and violet-inflected tar on the nose, deep and velvety tannins with grip. Rich, juicy purple plum crumble. A real embrace of a wine. The pimiento cheese is spicy, and the richness of the wine offsets its verve. Brilliant and unexpected. 2023 Priest Ranch Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc + sage-y butternut squash ravioli—get it. The herbal grass of sage plays off the Sauvy B grass, obviously. But the Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blancs have this preternatural quality of sunshine, and butternut squash has an earthiness that tones down the sun. Together they are, I dunno, a wine equinox? Dawn + dusk. Grenache Blanc + autumn salad—I haven’t tested this, but in my mind it works. I was jazzed to try the Grenache Blanc because this is the first vintage since they replanted it some years ago. It gives white peach and linens, soft but structured. With pear and spice, this is alternately a soothing summer balm and a warming winter drink, which actually makes it the ultimate autumn libation. I’m picturing it with a pear and bibb lettuce salad topped with walnuts, pomegranate seeds and maybe a drizzle of honey. 2022 James Joshua + green pepper stir fry—the exact makeup of the James Joshua is always a secret. Has it always been 100% Cab? Maybe! Was there Petit Verdot in the 2022? I thought yes. But only Hurd knows. It does age in 100% new French oak with a mostly medium-plus toast, which it absorbs well. It went quite well with my stir fry of green pepper, mushroom, tofu and rice—the spice of the pepper and mushroom umami bridged the slight spice in the wine. I hope to continue watching these wines and pairings progress—and to try that mushroom pairing. A girl must have goals! Want to read more from Ellen? Check out her recent articles: Every Celeb and Their Inevitable Rosé Wine Situation Final Five: Alice Tétienne To the Occasion, Fit the Bubble You can also listen to Ellen's podcast The Wine Situation here.