There are as many opinions about food and wine pairing as there are wines and people to drink them. Honing pairings to a perfect art is desired by some, especially at the top end of the culinary world. Anybody who has swooned over an incredible risotto with shaved truffles paired with a well aged Barolo can attest to the power of a perfect pairing.

And there are many that want to go the other direction: drink what you like and eat what you like and more often than not they will work together. The “Burger with Barbera” crowd is numerous, and often we find ourselves at The Wine Company discovering surprising new combinations through simply drinking and eating often, not searching for the holy grail.

Both opinions are valid, no doubt.

There are many ideal food and wine combinations out there, but one stands out far beyond the others. One has the perfect marriage of flavors and mouthfeel that we crave as human beings. One is the epitome of harmony.

That’s Champagne and potato chips.

Here’s the deal: Champagne is one of the most versatile wines out there. The perfect balance of acidity, minerality, and whispers of sweetness play well with an incredible variety of foods (Champagne and sushi is a dream). Because of the bubbles, Champagne has a palate-cleansing action that helps enormously when you’re having flavors that tend to build up on a palate, such as fat and salt.

And when you say “Fat and salt” what’s the first and greatest thing that comes to mind?

Potato chips!

Our love of potato chips at The Wine Company has been well documented on our Facebook Page. From oyster shell flavored chips from France, to beef flavored chips from Argentina, we go to great lengths to experience the terroir of fried slices of potatoes. But in the end, we want to stay local, and our beloved Old Dutch of Minnesota is our go-to chip. We recently stocked up on about a dozen flavors to enjoy for the first half of the 2013 chip eating season.

So we invite you to enjoy this marvelous combination, proving yet again that Champagne is best when being popped to simply enjoy. Far too often Champagne is only opened for special occasions, but time and time again we are reminded that Champagne is perfect for the middle of the week, with a bag of Old Dutch Salt and Cracked Pepper.

Coming tomorrow, Thursday March 14th — celebration of National Potato Chip Day with videos of local wine professionals enjoying the ultimate combination!