Wine Lessons from The Bachelor: Episode 6

Each week GrapeFriend sums up each episode with what we've learned about wine from Ben's journey to find love.

Wine Bottles
(Image credit: Getty Images)

So there was a lot of Twitter chatter last night about how they go on all these dates and never eat the food. Ben and Date Girl sit there discussing bags of candy, how much of a connection they do/don't have, or how much the girls hate Courtney, but the food sits there gorgeously prepared and untouched. Being true grapefriends, Ben and Girl do drink the wine and we know it's not bad thanks to Ben's Bachelor contract. So it got me thinking - if they did eat on these dates, here's what wine might pair best:

Kacie B. date island date

Packing for the day on a private island, Kacie B. reveals that she's brought along a corkscrew – GAME ON Courtney, who's never wine-less in her masterful quest to position herself as Best Wine Wife. When Kacie and Ben catch a fish, they wash it down with a white wine that he brought. Smart man. You want something crisp with white fish, so I'd go for a Sauvignon Blanc, maybe some Albarino. For a fuller white fish, some Chablis or other unoaky Chardonnay.

Kacie B. dinner date

She was eating some sort of meat with mushrooms on top, he got a steak. This is tough, because you'd want a Pinot Noir for the shrooms but something heavier like a Cabernet for the steak. Grapefriend detected some condensation on the glass though, which means the hot weather reacted to something slightly cooler in the glass. Pinot Noir is ideally drunk a few degrees lower than Cab, so I'm guessing he got all chivalrous and ordered the wine that would go better with her meal. (Also, I tweeted him last night to ask what he was drinking while watching the show and he said Pinot Noir. Could it have been in remembrance? Perhaps).

Group nighttime date

After a day of dancing in the village (some toplessly), they all sat down to a table of unidentifiable hors d'oevres by the pool. They cheers'd with some sort of sparkling wine though, and I agree with this choice. Sparklers are a very versatile food match and a perfect way to kick off the night. Or the middle of the night. Or the end!

Rachel and Blakeley two-on-one dinner

This date was awkward and weird, but the wine choice was clear. They all had chicken and white rice, with some kind of light green veggie and julienned carrots. I'd go definitely go with a fuller-bodied Chardonnay, which I love with chicken. If you're second date has a problem with that (whose second date doesn't cause problems?), a grassy Gruner Veltliner would be good for the veggies but only if the chicken wasn't buttery.

Blakeley's Scrapbook

Where do I even start? I know the scrapbook presentation wasn't over a meal, but something this egregious must be addressed and paired with wine. I mean, she basically Pinterested him. Did she really think a guy would want to get it on after that? With all those little clippings thrown together, you'd have to go for a kitchen sink wine like Seven Daughters, a blend of seven different white grapes. It's a collage of grapes that shouldn't be put together, and neither should Blakeley and Ben. No rose for that girl.

For more wine fun, head to grapefriend.com!