Wines

peachexploration · Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 61 Location: Florida

I know the basics of wine like White (Chardonnay) with fish and Red (Merlot) with beef, etc. but since I rarely drink, I never really get into the specifics unless I have look up something when catering an event. Any wine connoiseurs here?

David · Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 32

I always have a glass of Red Zinfindel before bed. I actually rarely drink wine with food. One trend I've seen at restaurants lately is to place a recommended wine next to the entrees on the menu.

Jonathan · Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 104 Location: San Diego

As far as dessert wines, the key is to select a wine (white, red, or sparkling) that is sweeter than the dessert item it is accompanying.

Despite all such "rules," however, an important thing to remember is to drink whatever wine you enjoy. So what if it doesn't follow "the rules?"

squirrel · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 96 Location: Bucharest, Romania

I love dry wine, especially red wine!

we have home-made wine in Romania, which, if you know how to make it, can be pretty good... and it doesn't contain all the preservatives the bottled wines have... it's 100% natural!

Jonathan · Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 104 Location: San Diego

You're saving some for me, right Raluca? :wink:

squirrel · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 96 Location: Bucharest, Romania

Jonathan... you're not trying to suggest you're considering a trip to Bucharest, are you?!
'cause if you are, be sure I'll have the whole vineyard saved just for you... :lol: :lol: :lol: :oops: :oops: :roll:

cocodrilo · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 193 Location: Kurashiki, Japan

I collect wine and am a self-proffessed snob, big-time! I presently have 300 bottles in my closet cellar(which is low!) so I am about to make a new purchase! I am from the San Francisco area whcih means I have been imbibing some of the world's finest since I was knee-high. I look forward to trying new wines whenever I travel and was so pleased to have been offered a fabulous selection at the two restaurants which I dined at while in London last week- 3 stars in the Michelin- the wine was outstanding!!!

peachexploration · Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 61 Location: Florida

Nice article from FoodTV.com

Water is a fine thirst-quenching option when mealtime rolls around, but there's nothing quite like a crisp glass of Riesling with your grilled fish, or a fruity Beaujolais to complement your roast chicken. Wine is an ideal partner for nearly all foods because of its acidity. Acidic tastes make your mouth water, and that extra burst of saliva and its enzymes help bolster the flavor of food. But what is it that makes a classic wine and cheese pairing so magical?

It's all a matter of chemistry. Tannin is an astringent substance that roughens your tongue and palate when you drink a harsh young red, such as a Chianti. The reason some wines can be left in a cellar and aged for so long is that they have a high tannin content, which mellows over time and helps develop more complex flavors in the wine.

However, a protein can smooth mild tannins on the tongue, which is why wine and cheese, or red wine and a steak, are classic combinations. The protein and fats in the cheese or meat coat your tongue and prevent the tannin from tasting harsh, and the tannin keeps the steak or cheese from tasting greasy and heavy. Eaten and drunk together, cheese and wine bring out the best in each other.

Even a mediocre wine will taste a little better with a bite of cheese, but there are some combinations that rise to new heights. Andrea Immer, beverage director of Starwood Hotels and author of Great Wines Made Simple (Broadway Books, October 2000), recommends a Parmigiano with Cabernet Sauvignon. A true Italian Parmigiano goes with nearly any wine, but a strong, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon is perfectly heightened by the cheese's sharp flavor.

Immer also recommends a dessert wine, such as a Sauternes or Port, with a blue cheese such as Roquefort or Stilton. Instead of generic blues from the local supermarket, buy a true French Roquefort or an English Stilton to experience fully the pleasure of the strong salty cheese with the sweetness of the dessert wine, be it the white Sauternes or the red Port.

Sauternes also makes a perfect accompaniment to rich, fatty foie gras, but the ingredients don't have to be gourmet for you to appreciate the interplay of wine and food. One of the more unusual pairings Immer suggests is an off-dry white wine, such as a Riesling, with chips and salsa. The acidity of the wine with its hint of sweetness mellow the spiciness of the salsa.

Not all wine and cheese combinations work well, however. Immer recommends avoiding cheeses with rinds, such as Brie, with wine. The moldy flavor of the rind competes with the wine.

Start to explore the flavors of various wines with different cheeses, and you'll discover new pairings the most pleasurable way possible--one bottle and one wedge at a time.

Jonathan · Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 104 Location: San Diego

Random wine related fact I just came across in the June 15th issue of American Way (the in flight magazine of American Airlines)...

From Page 17, It Figures: Disneyland employes 85 sommeliers, 35 just for the Napa Rose resteraunt!

:shock: :shock: :shock:

No wonder its the "happiest place on earth" :wink: :lol:

peachexploration · Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 61 Location: Florida

:lol: :lol: