Wine Choice: How to Cater to Good Taste

If you have ever tried wine tasting you will have found its
quite easy. You don't need to be an expert and can even
begin without any recognized training. Etiquette come first
so always serve the ladies before the gentlemen. Water at
room temperature is normally served at any good wine tasting
parties. The waster is used to clean your taste buds ready
for the next and most probably completely different type of
wine. The water is not to be very cold as this can shock
your palate which can change the taste of the wine
dramatically.

Holding the wine glass by the stem and not the bowl in the
palm of your hand is very important when it comes to wine
tasting. Your hand can warm up the glass to an extent where
it changes the taste of the wine so try to avoid this.

Most individuals think that wine tasting is just a matter of
rolling the wine around your mouth before you either spit it
out or swallow.

The first step in tasting wine is by taking a look at its
color. The glasses served should always be clean and clear
in order for you take a good look at the wine. Use a white
background when checking the color of the wine, this will
enable you to see the true color and clarity of the wine.
White wines are not always pure white, sometimes they are a
shade of green, yellow and even brown. Again red isn't
always a pure red, you can have lots of different shaded but
older red wine tend to be a little lighter.

Try doing a rim test and look at the color of the wine, this
can give you some indication as to the age or flavor. Just
tilt the glass and look at the wine, if it is purplish in
color, it indicates that the wine is young, if it is
brownish, it means that it is an older wine.

Testing the scent is the next step and this is done by
swirling the wine around the glass to mix in the air and
then breath fully through the nose after placing the glass
just above your top lip. The wine could have been in the
bottle for a little as six months to many years so by
swirling the wine you will be releasing the flavors. It's
like cooking at home where you stir the food in order for
you to blend the flavor.

If you have ever tried wine tasting you will have found its
quite easy. You don't need to be an expert and can even
begin without any recognized training. Etiquette come first
so always serve the ladies before the gentlemen. Water at
room temperature is normally served at any good wine tasting
parties. The waster is used to clean your taste buds ready
for the next and most probably completely different type of
wine. The water is not to be very cold as this can shock
your palate which can change the taste of the wine
dramatically.

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Giving Clever Personalized House Warming Gifts

Buying your first home is a huge occasion in the life of any
individual, couple, or family, especially given the
escalating housing prices that are evident throughout the
country. So, when those special people in your life take the
house buying plunge, then you should respond with a unique
gift that they will treasure for years to come.

House warming gifts can be much more than kitchen towels,
door wreaths, or artificial centerpieces for the dining room
table. One on the most creative ways to honor the new home
owners in your life is by presenting them with a
personalized gift emblazoned with their name or names and
the date of their new home purchase.

Indeed, personalized gifts for the house warming occasion
can be quite unique and may include items that not only fit
the home owner's needs, but also their style and
personality. For example, those whose homes boast a cozy den
or bar area might enjoy a whimsical wall plaque or pub sign
proclaiming that the home is indeed their property. These
types of personalized signs can come in a variety of designs
and feature the last name of the home owner as well as the
year the gift is given.

Other popular personalized house warming gifts may include
bar ware, such as engraved tumblers, stemware, steins, beer
mugs, coasters, or wine-related accessories including
stoppers, corkscrews, and beautiful wooden wine boxes.

A house becomes a home when good friends take the time to
commemorate this special event. Congratulate your friends or
family on the purchase of their new home by presenting them
with one of many useful personalized gifts, which include
engraved glassware, classic wine, and cigar accessories, or
even a fun poker set.

These days, more and more ordinary people are tuned into the
joy of good wine, especially, with wine tours and visits to
prolific wine-growing regions growing in popularity. More
individuals are now taking time to carefully select what
wines go on their table. Since these wine buffs appreciate
all things wine-related, choosing a gift for them and their
new home is easy. Personalized gifts including a variety of
wine accessories are all the rage for lovers of a good
vintage.

Personalized gifts for the wine aficionado that has just
purchased a home may include a number of options. One of the
most common engraved gifts for wine-loving friends and
family members is a simple wine glass or set of wine
glasses, emblazoned with the name or initials of the
recipient or the date of a special event in his or her life.
Such glasses come in all shapes and sizes according to taste
and can be classic or contemporary.

In addition to glasses, a number of other wine accessories
are available, including beautiful silver-toned wine bottle
stoppers, engraved with a message, the recipient's name,
and/or the date of an event. Other personalized gifts for
wine lovers might include a coaster set, a classy solid wood
wine gift box, a cork screw, or a gift set that includes a
few different wine-related tools.

Personalized gifts such as this can be used for a variety of
occasions including retirement, birthday, anniversary,
graduation, or even as a house warming gift.

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Let It Breathe - How to Aerate Your Wine

The world of wine can often seem like an alien one. From
etiquette to tasting technique, the common functions of wine
drinking can be mystifying. One such area that confuses many
has to do with letting a wine breathe.

What are we talking about when letting wine breathe is
mentioned? It is the simple act of exposing wine to the
surrounding air. This is better known as aeration. The
aeration process smoothes out the sharp edges of a wine. It
can be the difference between drinking a wine that
overpowers the palette and one that simply has strong,
distinct flavors you can parcel out and enjoy.

The first step in the process of letting a wine breathe is
making sure you have a wine that actually needs to breathe.
Most white wines, for instance, do not need exposure to the
air to fortify the taste. Red wines, on the other hand,
almost always should be aerated before being poured. The
tend to come out of the bottle a bit overpowering, which
makes the softening effect of the aeration process
especially beneficial.

You see it all the time. People pop the cork on a bottle of
wine and then let the bottle sit exposed to the air. Is this
aeration? Not really. The wine is not really effected
because there simply isn?t enough wine actually exposed to
the air. That small gap at the top of the wine bottle is
just not going to cut it. If someone suggests to you that
this is the proper way to let wine breathe, you can smile
and know they really do not have a clue.

In most scenarios, the best way to aerate a wine is to pour
it into your wine glass and let it sit. Make sure the pour
covers six inches or more from the tip of the bottle to the
glass. Unlike beer, you also want to make sure the wine hits
the middle of the bottom of the glass. With beer, this will
give you a huge head, which is bad. With wine, however, it
gets plenty of air into the wine, which is good. Depending
on the glass, more wine should be exposed to the air.
Swirling it every thirty seconds or so will further this
exposure.

If possible, an even better way to let a wine breathe is to
use a decanter. A decanter is usually a glass container that
is leaning to one side or another for the purpose of
creating the largest possible surface where wine and air can
interact. In a pinch, any old juice pitcher will even work.
Just pour the wine back into the bottle to create the right
look!

If you are drinking red wine, letting it breathe is a
critical step. To do it right, make sure to go beyond just
popping the cork.

The world of wine can often seem like an alien one. From
etiquette to tasting technique, the common functions of wine
drinking can be mystifying. One such area that confuses many
has to do with letting a wine breathe.

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An ISO Wine Tasting Glass Is The Best Choice

There are many subtleties to wine tasting that need to be
addressed and one such subtlety is choosing the right wine
tasting glass. One feature that you need to be very careful
about in this regard is the shape of the wine tasting glass
which if it is not right will make a difference on the taste
of the wine. It is this aspect to wine tasting glasses that
requires that you choose different wine glasses for
different types of wines.

Putting Your Nose Into The Glass

To get the most out of wine tasting you will need to choose
a pair of clear wine tasting glasses. What?s more, if you
taste different wines you will need to, in between each
change of wine, rinse out the wine tasting glasses so that
flavors are not masked. The more advanced among wine tasters
even go as far as to choose their own special wine tasting
glasses and the main difference between these glasses and
the ones used by less accomplished wine tasters is that the
former have to be large enough to allow for the taster?s
nose to enter the glass.

Two of the best wine tasting glasses are the SADE red wine
glass and the MILANO balloon goblets and these two varieties
go a long way in making it easier to make comparisons of
different types of aromas as well as of the flavors.
Essentially, the wine tasting glass should be made from
clear glass and it should be held against a white colored
background so that it is possible to closely examine the
wine?s color.

Since the color of wine says a lot about the wine you need
to be sure that you do not make a mistake in checking out
the color of the wine. To be safe, it is advisable to select
an ISO wine tasting glass as this will ensure that you can
do the tasting of the wine in an impersonal as well as
objective manner.

The right wine tasting glass can help you decide on
characteristics of the wine being tasted and it will also
allow you to decide whether or not the wine in question is
ripe or balanced as well as whether or not it is typical of
the wine?s origin. Wine tasting is a demanding activity and
this can be judged from the fact that there are more than
six thousand wineries in the US alone which means that there
are more than enough opportunities to enjoy some exciting
wine tasting experiences. In this regard, it might come as a
big surprise for most Americans to learn that in the US,
each state has a minimum of one winery.

There are many subtleties to wine tasting that need to be
addressed and one such subtlety is choosing the right wine
tasting glass. One feature that you need to be very careful
about in this regard is the shape of the wine tasting glass
which if it is not right will make a difference on the taste
of the wine.

Technorati Tags : tasting glass glasses right

Sangiovese ? A Fine Italian Wine

The name Sangiovese comes from an Italian phrase meaning
?the blood of Jove?. This red wine is best known as the
blend used in Chianti wines from Tuscany. As a young wine,
it has very fruity tastes of strawberries and spices, but
when left to age in oak barrels, it takes on the flavor of
oak. There are actually 14 different clones of this wine,
the best known of which is Brunello.

Although these grapes originated in Tuscany, they have since
spread to all the winemaking regions of Italy. In addition
to being one of the main components of Chianti, Tignanello
and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, there are several versions
of this wine on its own. These include Brunello di
Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino and Sangiovese di Romagna.
In fact it is the only other wine permitted in Brunello di
Montalcino.

Sangiovese grapes are also grown outside of Italy and the
wine has become very popular in Australia. It is also used
to make rose wines and a dessert style wine called Dolce
Nero. One of these wines produced in Australia by the Chalk
Hill Winery has an alcohol content of 16%PRCTG%, the highest of
any wine. In the United States, Italian immigrants brought
the seeds of this grape with them in the 1800?s, but it
wasn?t until the wine became successful as one of the Super
Tuscans that it was grown in any amount for wine production.

Even though the vines of the Sangiovese grape are quite
hardy and are resistant to most of the diseases that affect
grape vines, the berries rot very easily. They are small in
size and blue black in color and need hot dry climates in
order to grow well. They ripen slowly, but the vines do
produce a high yield of grapes. This is a difficult grape to
grow because it is very sensitive to the soil conditions.
Due to the slow ripening process, it is very tannic and does
not have a lot of depth.

Winemakers are always experimenting with Sangiovese and have
come up with an extensive list of different types of wine.
The list continues to grow, especially in Australia, where
there are over 200 varieties alone. There is always
something different to discover about making wine from these
grapes.

Pairing food with this wine is also easy to do. It works
well with any Italian or Mediterranean cuisine, especially
pastas. It is the perfect choice of wine to serve at a
barbeque or even with different types of cheese. They do not
work well when paired with fish dishes because they
overpower the taste of the fish.

You will notice the difference between Sangiovese wines and
other red wines as soon as you take the first sip. These are
medium bodied wines with a fruity taste and scent along with
a moderate to high level of acidity. The finish is usually
bitter, similar to a Mourvedre, especially if it is a young
wine. The taste improves with age. Some of the unique
flavors you will experience in these wines include:

? blueberry

? orange peel

? plum

? strawberry

? smoke

? tar

? toast

? vanilla

? sweetwood

? cinnamon

? cloves

? thyme

? violets

If you do not like bitter tasting wines, then you probably
won?t like the taste of Sangiovese. However, it is a wine
that will grow on you, so you shouldn?t dismiss it too
quickly!

Winemakers are always experimenting with Sangiovese and have
come up with an extensive list of different types of wine.
The list continues to grow, especially in Australia, where
there are over 200 varieties alone. There is always
something different to discover about making wine from these
grapes.

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The Captivating Legend of Wine Production - it all Started
in Ancient Egypt

According to the tale, the woman lost to the King and wished
to end her life by eating spoiled table grapes stored in a
jar. The suicide attempt did not go as she planned; instead
she got drunk and eventually passed out. When she woke up,
she felt as if all her troubles had vanished and this event
encouraged her to continue taking the spoiled grapes. So
going by this pleasant story, one can say that wine is not
an invention of man but was, rather found by chance.

The history of wine is as old as civilization, the
agriculture and the man himself. Archeologists suggest that
wine was discovered accidentally during 6000 and 5000 BC. in
the Fertile Crescent area, an area in between the Nile and
the Persian Gulf. Archeological evidence has uncovered the
earliest European wine production from crushed grapes in
Macedonia 6500 years ago.

From the time of discovery of wine to today, wine has played
animportant role in many rituals and customs of modern
society . In the ancient Egyptian period, wine became an
integral part of life, mainly funerary ceremonies. Only the
richest Egyptians like the Pharaohs were able to enjoy wine.
Wine was also common in ancient Greece and Rome and in many
other European countries.

The Egyptian Times

Though scientists have identified a wine jar from Hajji
Firuz Tepe in the Northern Zagros Mountains of Iran, the
widespread knowledge of wine cultivation is believed to have
come from Egypt. The wine making method was represented on
tomb walls dating back to 2600 BC. Maria Rosa, a master in
Egyptology states that wine in ancient Egypt was of great
importance and only the upper class people and kings had
access to wine. Rosa further points out that the ancient
Egyptians labeled the wine jars with product, year, growning
area and the vine grower's name, but there is no mention
about the color of the wines. A recent discovery has shown
that the wines in ancient Egypt were usually red.

The Ancient Greeks

Arrival of wine making process in ancient Greece is not well
documented; many believe that wine manufacturing tradition
was introduced to Crete by the Phoenician traders. Strong
evidence of wine growing have also been collected from
Minoan Mycenaean cultures.

Wine was a very important trading article in Greece
business. The Greeks were able to set up their colonies
throughout the Mediterranean and this in turn eased the
export of Greek wines in the region. The Greeks learned how
to prevent wines from rotting by adding different herbs and
spices. Wine in ancient Greece was stirred in a glass before
drinking.

Apart from trading, the Greeks used wine in the field of
medicine. One of the well known medicine practitioners,
Hippocrates, also known as the Father of Medicine studied
wine extensively for its use in medicine, specially to
reduce fever, convalescence and as an antiseptic. It must be
mentioned here that the Greeks were equally aware about the
negative health effects produced by the excessive drinking
of wine.

The Romans

The Romans discovered the viticulture (cultivation and study
of grape growing) and oenology (the science of wine and
winemaking). In the Roman Empire, wine formed a important
part of their daily meals as water could not always be
trusted to be safe and clean. During this period, wine
making technology became more established with a significant
impact on the Roman business. The Romans developed barrels
to store and ship wine, while bottles were used for the
first time in the history of the wine world. The Romans are
also known to have dissolved pearls in wine for their better
health.

With the expansion of Roman Empire, wine production expanded
to all of its provinces. During the Dark Ages when Roman
Empire fell and when Europe passed through social and
political unrest, wine production was kept alive by the
efforts of religious monks. Churches are known to have
developed some of the finest vineyards in Europe.

Ancient China and Wine

Although wine was not much of a favorite of the ancient
asian people, its production and consumption was popular in
three different periods, mainly the Han Dynasty, Tang
Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty. In China rice wine was not as
popular as the grape wine.

Wine in the Middle Ages and Modern Life

Wine became popular in the Middle Ages, it was considered as
a social drink for all occasions. In the northern regions of
the Europe where no grapes were grown, beer and ale were
dominant and in the Eastern part Vodka made from potatoes
was the preferred drink.

America, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia and New
Zealand that manufacture wide varieties of wines are
considered as the New World Wine Producers. The products of
these countries were not well known to the wine drinkers
until late in the 20th Century.

The industrial revolution in the 20th century has provided
wine growers with new technology and innovation that has
made production much more efficient. Considerable R&D
advances in viticulture and oenology have helped the modern
manufacturers to produce more varieties of wines of much
lower cost.

This historical overview examines the development of wine.

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Enjoying Dessert Wine

If you want to spoil your sweet tooth right after every
meal, you can opt to enjoy the whole meal and end it with a
delectable dessert wine.

Dessert wines refer to wines that are generally served after
meals together with the desert. However, this particular
kind of wine can also be gulped on its own - that is even
without those sugary desserts. Examples of popular dessert
wines are "trockenbeerenauslese," "Sauternes,"
beerenauslese," and "Tokaji Asz?."

To learn more about dessert wines, here is a list of some
facts about these delightful and extremely sweet wines:

1. Dessert wines are mainly produced from special fruits
that were left to ripen on the vine. The main purpose of
this is to make the flavor stronger. The kinds of fruits
used in making dessert wines are the ones that define the
overall taste or flavor of the wine.

2. In the United States, dessert wines generally contains
14%PRCTG% alcohol, though, it may contain than 14%PRCTG%.

During the ancient times, dessert wines were primarily used
as "table wines." For this reason, ancient dessert wines
only contain 12.5%PRCTG% alcohol or less. This means that the
alcohol content is so mild that you can almost drink it as a
substitute for water or any beverages during meal.

3. The more ripened the fruit is, the more alcohol is
generated when produced into dessert wine. Most of these
wines are classified as "dry" and "unfortified" or those
that were not combined with spirits like brandy. The
inclusion of spirits during the fermentation of the wine is
the process of fortifying the wine.

Adding spirits at the early stage of fermentation results to
a sweeter wine. However, its alcohol content is raised to as
much as 15%PRCTG% to 20%PRCTG% upon the swift concoction of alcohol.

However, there are unfortified wines that can still reach up
to 15%PRCTG% alcohol content. These kinds of wines, like the
"Zinfandels," are charged with higher tax rates.

4. Not all dessert wines are alcoholic beverages. Many
dessert wines contain lower amount of alcohol content. Most
of these non-alcoholics or with low alcohol content wines
are those from Germany. These kinds of dessert wines contain
the slightest amount of alcohol or only goes to as much as
8%PRCTG%.

Given all these facts, dessert wines aren't just wines
suited for desserts, as its name suggests. With their
remarkable features, the possibilities of enjoying dessert
wines are definitely endless.

If you want to spoil your sweet tooth right after every
meal, you can opt to enjoy the whole meal and end it with a
delectable dessert wine.

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How To Start Collecting Wine

Wine collecting can be fun and exciting especially when you
travel searching for the wine of you choice. If you are
planning to collect wines, you may need to spend more money
on wines that have high category brands and those that are
vintage. Here are some tips to help you in collecting wines.

1. You may start finding a storage place for your wine
collections. You may create a place for cooling and storing
at home for all the wines you collect.

2. You should determine what type and brands you would like
to collect. You may have the option of buying only the red
or white wines. You should have a plan on where you want to
start buying wines with good refinery and quality.

3. You may participate in trade shows where there are wine
exhibits. This is a chance for you to get to know the
members of the wine clubs and get to know the local wine
traders.

4. You should educate yourself on wines. You may purchase
wine magazines and wine newsletters for more information
about wines. They will also be able to provide you tips
about buying, storing and cooling wines.

5. You may purchase magnums for wine storage. It will make
the wine more processed because of the small cork that
covers the entire hole of the bottle. It protects the
content from air and sunlight as well.

6. You may consider purchasing "wine futures". This can
assure you of acquiring the best international wines.

7. You may try tasting varieties of wines to prepare them
for storage. You can identify which wine needs more aging.
You may learn more about wine when you master the art of
tasting and distinguishing which wine is the best.

8. Learn how to identify flavor quality. There is a
difference between the vintage wines and the instantly
processed wines.

9. Before purchasing wine in bulk, make sure that you are
sure about what kinds of wines you would like to collect.

10. You should also let the wine traders know that you are a
wine enthusiast. They can let you know if the wines you
collect are available in their stores. You could even ask
for their contact numbers with advice on what wine you
should get if you travel to a particular place.

Collecting wine doesn't just provide leisure and fun. It may
also be considered as a gateway to starting up your own
business. You may attend local wine festivals and tasting
events to discover new brands of wines and locally made ones
that could have high potential in the market.

Wine collecting can be fun and exciting especially when you
travel searching for the wine of you choice. If you are
planning to collect wines, you may need to spend more money
on wines that have high category brands and those that are
vintage. Here are some tips to help you in collecting wines.

Technorati Tags : wines grape collect collecting

Wine and Food: Wine Ordering Tips To Make Your Meal
Enjoyable

When it comes to wine and food there are some basic rules
that do apply, but the number one rule for pairing wine with
food is that your personal preference is always the right
choice. However, there are wine choices that can enhance
your meal when paired properly with the foods you have
selected for dining. A great wine pairing can make your
dinning experience unforgettable and a wrong choice of wine
can bring together a poor mixing of flavors that can spoil
the flavors of your meal.

These four questions will help you choose the right wine.

When you are thinking of which kind of wine to order, keep
in mind the following four questions. (1) What is the main
dish? Is it chicken, beef, or fish? (2) Will it be
grilled, oven-baked, fried, or pan-fried? (3) What kind of
sauce will it be served with and what are its flavors? (4)
What are the sides dishes and how will their flavors impact
the wine? Today there are so many different types of wine
that the old favorite rule of wine and food pairing may not
always apply. But until you feel comfortable in making the
right choice, stick to these basics: red wines with beef,
and white wines with fish and poultry.

When choosing your wines "think wine power."

Generally speaking, red wines will work best with dishes
that are rich, heavy and have a big flavor. When choosing a
beef dish, you should consider the powerful strength of beef
and choose a wine that has equal power. This rule also is
effective for dishes that are served in rich, thick, heavy,
full-of-herbs types of sauces. The reason why red wines and
beef goes well together is that red wines contains tannins
which mixes with proteins, allowing the flavors to blend
well together. As a rule, white wines and red meats do not
work well together, because white wine lacks tannins that
enables this flavorful combination to occur.

White wines are better suited for light foods, such as
grilled halibut (fish-type dishes) or chicken breast
(poultry-type dishes) grilled or pan-fried in a light sauce.
Color and aromatic flavors influence taste and lighter wines
will complement the meal and not overpower the flavors of
the food. Even in light types of foods, the type of sauce
that is paired with the dish can influence the taste of the
wine with the food. If the poultry was cooked in a heavy,
thick sauce, or a spicy flavored sauce like paprika or
full-of-herbs type of sauce, then it would be better served
with a more powerful fuller-bodied red wine or perhaps a
Rose or a spicy flavored wine.

A multiple choice meal, requires more than one wine choice.

You should choose more than one wine if you are eating a
multiple course dinner. Multiple course means many different
types of flavors and it would be difficult for one wine to
taste great throughout the entire meal. Consider ordering by
the glass with appetizers or for the first course and then
order a bottle of wine for the main dish, and then finish
off the meal with a glass of wine appropriate for your
desert choice.

Start off with a lighter wine (usually white, or light
tasting wines) and then move to the more full-bodied types
of wine (red wines and burgundy's) and then move to the
dessert wines (ports & muscats.) Keep in mind that wines
that are low in acid can often overwhelmed foods even those
foods that are deemed light in taste. Wines that are high in
acid works best with most foods, even though in some
occasions they may not work well as a sipping wine without
being accompanied by food. The following examples of going
from light to more full-bodied wines are: White Zinfandel,
Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewrztraminer and
Chardonnay. And among reds, from lighter to fuller: Pinot
Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

You are always right, when you chose a wine that you like.

The four questions guideline will help you to pair the right
wine with your meal selection. Until you feel comfortable in
making those wine choices for yourself, ask your server to
suggest a wine for you. Be sure and tell them the type of
wine you prefer, so they can keep that in mind before coming
up with their recommendations. They should provide you with
at least three to four great wine pairing choices in
different price ranges. If you get a bottle or a glass of
wine that you don't like, then feel comfortable in sending
it back and requesting a new bottle or a new wine pour. Of
all the wines rules to follow when it comes to wine and food
pairing, the number one rule to remember, is to always
choose the wine that you like.

When it comes to wine and food there are some basic rules
that do apply, but the number one rule for pairing wine with
food is that your personal preference is always the right
choice. However, there are wine choices that can enhance
your meal when paired properly with the foods you have
selected for dining. A great wine pairing can make your
dinning experience unforgettable and a wrong choice of wine
can bring together a poor mixing of flavors that can spoil
the flavors of your meal.

Technorati Tags : wines flavors choice white

The Right Food With The Right Wine

When it comes to food and wine, most people are brought up
with the rule stating "red goes with red, white goes with
white", which means red wine goes with red meat while white
wine goes with fish and poultry. Then came the "postmodern"
maxim which says that 'if you like the taste, the match is
perfect'.

Despite the presence of these simplistic guides, many people
still don't know how to match food and wine well. The truth
is, many really don't know what tastes good and what
doesn't. Fortunately, the art of food and wine matching
follows a simple logic that is quite easy to follow.

The bottom-line with food and wine matching is that the food
should have an equal fighting chance with the wine and vice
versa. Simply put, one shouldn't dominate the other. When
you bite into food, its tastes and pleasures should be
enjoyed. When it is the wine's turn to be sipped, it should
evoke an equally pleasurable sensation. Now, when it is time
to bite into the food again, it should be the star of that
moment. And finally, when it's time for the wine to draw, it
should rise up to prominence once more.

In short, the food should be able to replace the flavors of
the wine with every bite, and conversely, the wine should be
able to replace the taste of the food with every sip. When
the combination isn't good, one will overpower the other.

To achieve this, you have to take in consideration the
dominant tastes found in both the food and wine. Sweet food,
such as dessert, goes with sweet wine. Food with hints of
bitterness, such as charbroiled meat, would go better with a
bitter wine. Acidic foods or those foods that go great with
a dash of lemon or vinegar, go with acidic wines.

Here is a short overview of wine flavors:

Acidic wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, White
Bordeaux for whites and Pinot Noir, Red Burgundy,
Sangiovese, and Gamay for reds. Acidic white wines usually
go well with seafood because of their delicate flavor.
Acidic red wines go well with tomato based dishes and
grilled seafood.

Wines with bitterness include Cabernet Sauvignon, Red
Bordeaux, Red Zinfandel, and Merlot. These usually go well
with steaks and roasts.

Sweet wines include Vovray, Asti Spumante, Chenin Blanc, or
most German wines for whites and Lambrusco, Port, Sherry and
Vermouth for reds. These usually go well with dessert or by
themselves.

Matching wine with food is not that complicated with this
simple guide. Happy matchmaking!

When it comes to food and wine, most people are brought up
with the rule stating "red goes with red, white goes with
white", which means red wine goes with red meat while white
wine goes with fish and poultry. Then came the "postmodern"
maxim which says that 'if you like the taste, the match is
perfect'.

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