Drinking on the Job

“Can I drink on the job right now?” Charlie Adler asks as we approach him for this interview. And before he even gets an answer, he has popped a bottle and started swirling a glass of red wine in Adams Morgan’s brand new District bar.

The bar is having one of many “grand opening” celebrations while Adler promotes his new book “I Drink on the Job.”

“What I think about all day long is eating and drinking,” he says. “I love exploring things that make beautiful music in your mouth.”

A job like this requires a distinguished palette — or not.

He likes to sniff corks at such local wine bars as Veritas, Cork and even CoCo Sala, places with small plates that Adler calls “a low commitment date.” But he also suggests that “sometimes inexpensive wines or inexpensive foods that may seem a funky pairing taste great together.”

“One of my favorites is to pair the Virginia Horton Cab Franc with sechuan beef. It’s hot, spicy and sweet, all combos which should not work with ared wine, but it does! Or try this – Chipotle‘s Niman Ranch Pork with a spicy rustic wine like an Argentinian Malbec or Spanish Tempranillo. “

Anything goes according to the man who admits that wine professionals always disagree.

“Like, bacon,” Adler says. “Bacon is a perfect thing. I’m Jewish, so of course I eat bacon,” he laughs. “But I’d say anything with bacon needs a Pinot Noir.”

*A version of this post is available on NBC’s Niteside.