The best part of the pig meets its match with an Oregon-produced red wine.

This gastronomic geek secretly believes that when the world was created, God saved pork belly for last. Then, he kicked up his feet and rested on Day 7. This makes sense, since eating the delicacy is a divine, glorious act. Light beams down from the sky, encapsulating this moment you have to relish in its sumptuous entirety.

Vegetation was hammered out on Day 3, so grapevines were less of a worry. Of obvious necessity, pork belly required a gourmet equivalent and Pinot Noir was planted.

Many enology professionals argue that successful Pinot Noir vines can only be grown in a handful of spots on the planet. Burgundy, France tops the chart as arguably the most prestigious of the Old World producers, New Zealand is known for its forward and fruity style and California’s offerings range from coastal berries in Sonoma to fruit found in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Closest to home and cherished for its earthiness and dedication to the likeness of motherland Burgundy, Oregon’s Willamette Valley Pinots balance strength and sweetness with concentrated fruit and acidic fervor — a righteous companion for pork belly.

The Restaurant: From shadowing as sous chef to MistralKitchen’s WIlliam Belickis to a tenure as head chef for Ethan Stowell at Anchovies & Olives, Chef Charles Walpole opened the Blind Pig Bistro in an Eastlake location formerly home to now-defunct cafe Nettletown. This eatery is all about the bacon. Walpole’s menu offers all things hog — from the cheek to the belly and everything between — while daily rotating dishes showcase the various textures and flavors of the animal and the devoted chefs that work with them.

The Dish: Pork Belly, because fat is always better. One 3.5-ounce cut of boneless pig belly usually topples over the 500-calorie mark, and weighs out at approximately 92 percent fat and 8 percent protein. Pork belly is one of the kitchen’s thrills and frills, regarded as both richly opulent and good ol’ fatty fun. Prices range from a half-portion ($9) to full ($16) — and any size you order will be caramelized to perfection. Though Walpole’s chalkboard menu flexes its diverse pork muscles from time to time, the dish is usually plated with carrots and a tangy puree.

The Variety: French for “black pine” — the berries appear in dark purple, pine cone-shaped clusters — Pinot Noir is a fickle shrew. The grapes are intolerant of windy terrain, mildew, harsh climate and vineyard conditions, and typically require an easy breeze for acidity, the perfect soil for footing and sun-baking warmth for tanning and ripening of its fruits. According to seminal American enologist and winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff, the delicate grape was created by “the hand of the devil.”

Why It Works: At its core, pork is sweet and light at its core. As such, its paired wine should fit a similar description. Pinot Noir features alluring fruit, lower tannins and vibrant acidity that cuts through the sweet belly flavor.

The Recommended Match: Ken Wright Cellars 2009 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley ($25). Ken Wright hardly makes something under $50, so this is a steal, especially considering its top shelf vineyard sources (Carter, Freedom Hill and Meredith Mitchell, to name a few). Raspberry, cherry and coffee aromas are at the heart of this silky, pork-bodied red.

The Blind Pig Bistro | 2238 Eastlake Ave., Seattle | (206) 329-2744