Each Thirsty Thursday we help you get ready for the weekend ahead with a round up of the best wine reviews and pairings from your fave winos, oenophiles and beyond . . .

Reviews

  • Amazing Champagne Pairings – yum! ::link::
  • Good Wine & Laughs for Girlfriend Get-Togethers ::link::
  • This bubbly cocktail is sure to be a hit at your Oscar party
  • Tuscan wines don’t have to be ‘super’ to be superior ::link::
  • Australia’s Best Reds Are Slow to Arrive ::link::

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A Curious Coupling … That Works

Eight-Legged Treats, and the Wines to Match

There’s a scorpion on the plate in my hand, tail curled over its body, stinger poised to attack. My instincts tell me to drop the plate and run. Instead, I grab the creature by the tail and drop it, head-first, into my mouth.

The exoskeleton is quite crunchy; bits of it stick to my tongue and to the roof of my mouth. I can feel that the tail and stinger are intact, so I chew carefully until they’re pulverized before I swallow. I take a sip–a big sip–of Sauvignon Blanc and wash down the remaining chunks of scorpion. Not bad.

Next there’s a palm-sized tarantula splayed on a skewer–an eight-legged lollipop of sorts. It’s less crunchy than the scorpion and has a more intense flavor, like eating a shrimp with the body and legs still intact. A buttery Chardonnay pairs nicely, as I try to forget that an hour ago this creature could have killed me.

Read more: Wine Spectator.