Did you know that the Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world? Not only is the cookie program delicious, but it also supports Girl Scout Troops across the country as they build their business skills. In celebration of the 2023 Girl Scout Cookie season and Women’s History Month, we are sharing the ultimate wine and cookie pairing guide. Earn your cookie and wine pairing badge with these Sommelier-approved combinations from Frank Family’s Director of Hospitality, Liam Gearity.
Carneros Chardonnay with Lemon-Ups
A bright and balanced wine with vibrant aromatics, Frank Family’s Carneros Chardonnay is the perfect pairing for the light and lively Lemon-Ups. The Carneros Chardonnay perfectly parallels the citrus cookie with its refined notes of rich lemon curd and brioche bread pudding. “Chardonnay’s ripe tropical fruit tones pair nicely with lemon, while the persistent acidy helps offset the buttery richness of the cookie,” says Liam.
Carneros Pinot Noir with Thin Mints
Layered with delightful acidity and soft tannins, Frank Family’s Carneros Pinot Noir can pair well with a wide variety of cookies. That is why we have paired it with a fan favorite, the classic Thin Mint cookie. Liam notes “Pinot from Carneros possesses a fresh and bright character, perfectly suited to the minty freshness of this girl scout classic.” Whether you prefer your Thin Mints frozen or at room temperature, the crisp chocolate wafer cookie will only be enhanced by the delicate notes of strawberry jam and toasted rosemary of the Pinot Noir.
Napa Valley Merlot with Toffee-tastic
Quite possibly the most unique pairing comes from both an underrated wine and cookie. Frank Family’s Napa Valley Merlot is the first vintage of this wine in nearly two decades. With an effortless mix of blackberries and baking spice, the Merlot balances the rich buttery notes of the gluten free Toffee-tastic cookie. The depth of dark chocolate that carries through the finish of the wine plays well with the lingering caramel notes and toffee flavor of the the cookie.
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with Do-se-dos
Perhaps the most elegant of the pairings, Frank Family’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with Do-se-dos is the perfect balance between dark fruit flavors and creamy peanut butter, almost like a gourmet PB&J sandwich. With flavors of black plums, nutmeg, dark chocolate, and a touch of espresso, the wine sets the tone for the rich peanut butter cookie and controls the finish with its elegant acidity. “Peanut butter Do-se-dos are my favorite Girls Scout cookie, and we all know the feeling when peanut butter clings to the surfaces of the mouth. Cabernet Sauvignon brings the energy of well-defined tannins to this pairing, which helps break those PB proteins down, and releasing more wonderful flavor,” notes Liam.
Napa Valley Zinfandel with Girl Scout S’mores
Frank Family’s Napa Valley Zinfandel is known amongst our fans as the quintessential barbecue wine. Rightfully, making it the perfect pairing combination with the crunchy graham cracker cookie sandwich, Girl Scout S’more. “When there’s a touch more sweetness in the wine, as Zinfandels sometimes have, a great way to pair that is with sweetness from the plate. a popular approach for pairing with dessert is to let the sweet components of a dessert envelop the palate, which mutes the sweet tones from the wine,” says Liam. The Zinfandel features a velvety texture of fine- grained tannins, ripe fruit flavors of plum compote, violet, and black pepper. The spices enable the wine to mellow out the sweetness of the marshmallow-filled cookie.
