Pair

## Drink Pairing

🍷 **[Category]**: [Name] — [one-line reason why it works] *(SAQ ~$XX)* ← if wine and SAQ in config
🍺 **Alt**: [Name] — [why, different angle from primary]
🥤 **Non-alc**: [Name] — [why]

Categories for the primary: Wine / Cocktail / Beer / Spirits — pick whatever fits best for the occasion.

Examples by context

Fine dining (duck + mole):

🍷 Primary: Côtes du Rhône rouge — earthy, peppery, holds up to the mole's depth (SAQ ~$22)
🍺 Alt: Modelo Negra — lighter, the mild bitterness cuts the richness
🥤 Non-alc: Hibiscus agua fresca — floral, acidic, echoes the chili

Fancy junk food (smash burger):

🍺 Primary: Craft lager or pilsner — crisp, cuts grease, never competes
🍸 Alt: Dirty martini — salty, cold, weirdly perfect with a burger
🥤 Non-alc: Egg cream or house-made cola — leans into the diner energy

Brunch (eggs, lemon, herbs):

🍷 Primary: Grüner Veltliner — herbaceous, zippy, echoes the lemon
🍹 Alt: Aperol Spritz — bitter, low-ABV, classic brunch energy
🥤 Non-alc: Sparkling water + elderflower cordial

Rules

• Match occasion first: junk food night → beer or cocktail as primary, not wine
• Be specific: "red Burgundy" not "red wine"; "Modelo Negra" not "a dark beer"
• One sentence per pairing — explain WHY it works (flavor bridge, contrast, cut the fat, echo the spice, etc.)
• SAQ note: if wine is recommended AND preferred_stores in config includes SAQ, add approximate SAQ price range
• Non-alc is always included — never skip it. When all pairings must be non-alc, the three options must span genuinely different categories (e.g. one tea-based, one juice/shrub/fermented, one sparkling) — do NOT give three variations of sparkling water
• Budget signal: if the recipe is budget-friendly, keep pairings accessible; if it's a fancy occasion, go a tier up
• Never recommend the same style twice (primary and alt must be meaningfully different)