White wine with fish, red wine with beef? Those are the traditional recommendations, but today anything goes. The best wine for a given occasion, says wine expert Thad Cox, is one that suits your taste and style. There are four basic types of wine: - Aperitif wines -- such as champagne; sparkling wines; light, dry white or off-dry white wines -- are served before the meal. They stimulate the appetite and energize the palate.
These refreshing wines stand on their own and aren't meant to go with any particular food. They can also make good conversation pieces. Pinot grigio (an off-dry white wine) from Italy and German riesling are very popular. - Dry white wines are more full-bodied. Usually they've been aged or partly aged in wood and have thus gathered more complexion (more body and flavor). Such full-bodied wines need robust foods -- fish served with a cream sauce, full-flavored chicken dishes or pork. Chardonnay and sauvignon blanc are good examples.
- Red wine comes in several styles:
- Light-bodied, dry reds such as pinot noir. The most subtle of red wines, they're a good choice to accompany salmon or pasta.
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Medium-bodied wines such as merlot. These popular dry wines are a very safe bet and go with just about any food. -
Full-bodied wines such as cabernet from California or French Bordeaux. Aged in oak for one and a half to two years, these wines go well with full-flavored foods (for example, rich cheeses or steak off the grill). - Dessert wines may be whites (such as sauterne or late-harvest riesling from Germany or California) or full-flavored vintage port.
Serving wine means showing it to its best advantage. Use a stemmed glass that's clear (not colored) and preferably has a thin lip. To open the bottle, remove the foil and any wax cap on top. As you pour, keep the bottle off the glass. Pour a small amount for the host to taste. After the host approves, serve the guests. Serve white wine chilled, red at room temperature. Ordering a bottle of wine at a fine restaurant can be an intimidating experience. Let us help you with the basics: - When the wine you have chosen is brought to the table, be sure to check the label to make sure it's the wine you requested.
- Your server will know whether or not the wine needs to be decanted. The main reason to decant is to give the wine plenty of room to breathe, but another reason to decant an older wine is to rid the bottle of any sediment.
- When the server presents the cork, examine it for the following:
- Moistness, which indicates the bottle was stored properly (on its side).
- Condition -- not too dry or damaged.
- Also be sure to do the following:
- Look for information on the cork that should match the information on the bottle label (vineyard, vintage, year).
- Smell the cork to make sure there is no unpleasant odor, especially a vinegar smell. If you do have a hint of vinegar, it's a sure sign the wine has gone bad.
- Red wine should always be served in a glass with a large bowl, which serves a couple of purposes:
- The bowl provides lots of room to swirl the wine and let it breathe.
- The swirling-and-breathing process allows the wine's bouquet to unfold fully.
- Take a sip and let the server know whether it's satisfactory.
- The person who orders and tastes the wine is not the first served; in fact, his or her glass is the final one filled.
One of the most interesting aspects of the wine-tasting ritual is the fact that all five senses come into play. There's the sound of the wine going into the glass; the look (color and clarity); the smell as you swirl it in your glass; the taste, of course; and a certain feel that the wine has on your palate. Note: There's a difference between something being wrong with a wine and a wine not meeting your expectations. Before sending back a bottle, be sure to know the difference between the two.
RESOURCES :
Wine Spectator's Essentials of Wine: A Guide to the Basics
Model: 1881659615
Author: Harvey Steiman
Running Press 2000
The Oxford Companion to Wine
Model: 019860114X
Author: Jancis Robinson (Editor)
Oxford University Press, 2000
Wine for Dummies
Model: 0764551140
Author: Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan
IDG Books, 1998
Thad Cox Jr.
Ashe's Wine & Spirits
4534 Old Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: 865-584-3341
E-mail: ashes@asheswines.att.net
Web site: www.asheswines.com
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