Wine Situation Final Five

The Wine Situation hosts everyone from winemakers to writers to find out what a person’s situation is…with wine. At the end of each episode, host Ellen Clifford wants to know the basics of her guests’ final thoughts on wine, drink and food. This month Ellen talks with Jermaine Stone of the Wine and Hip Hop podcast. QUESTION ONE Ellen: Question number one, whatcha drinking? Jermaine: I definitely drink a decent amount of white Burgundy . However, I have recently been—and this is not something I would suspect—getting into California Cabs and Super Tuscans . I did this wine and food pairing with spicy chicken with a red blend which was Cabernet Sauvignon, and it went amazing. The tannins in the Cab turned up the pepper in the chicken, but at the same time, the wine was juicy and fruity. It’s like the fruit gave your palate the perception of sweetness which went with the spice. QUESTION TWO Ellen: You literally just answered my second question of “What is an unusual or favorite pairing”, but any other favorites you want to name? Jermaine: Jamaican beef patties with coco bread and Spätburgunder , a nice German Pinot Noir . It’s an ode to my childhood where that acidity and cranberry notes clean your palate. As a kid when I ate those palates, I would buy cranberry juice. Another pairing I love is Riesling and... don’t judge me…Top Ramen noodles. Amazing pairing. That saltiness creates a whole new element with the wine. QUESTION THREE Ellen: Question number three: favorite non-alcoholic beverage? Jermaine: Apple juice. I love apple juice. And cranberry juice. I have a five-year-old daughter so whatever I can siphon off from her… QUESTION FOUR Ellen: Question number four: what’s your favorite snack? Jermaine: Smoked mozzarella cheese. I will just cut that up and eat that by the block. Smoke mozz. That’s my jam. QUESTION FIVE Ellen: Question number five, what’s bringing you joy? Jermaine: I really love playing with my kids. I mentioned I have a five-year-old daughter, she’s the cutest, and she’s a lot of fun. I have a sixteen-year-old son—we play basketball—that’s definitely bringing me a lot of joy. Interestingly enough, I’ve gotten back into writing a lot of music. I never stopped writing; it’s just been a hobby—writing raps. It’s been good stress relief. It just does something. *** You can find Jermaine: on Instagram at @wineandhiphopshow and @realwolfofwine. Check out the previous Wine Situation podcast with Kristie Tacey here .