Choosing and Pairing the Best Wine with your Food

Whether its a festive holiday, or a simple dinner with friends, when you are hosting an event, it is always special. Entertaining can be really fun and satisfying when you know what you are serving, and that you have done your best to make great food and serve the best drinks! Holidays are a time to be a bit more extravagant and indulge yourself in a few luxuries. So naturally, there is bound to be some Wine and Champagne at the table. A meal will always be more enjoyable if paired with a great tasting wine. You can go and pick out a good-looking affordable wine for your guests, but unless you are a vintner, how do you choose what wine will go best with the food that you are serving? And what should be the criteria for choosing your wines, besides the price, of course?? Luckily for all of us, here are some simple points to consider that would make your food and wine pairing process, a bit less intimidating.

Wines are characterized by different wine grades, and come in three basic forms: red, white and sparkling. Sparkling white wine that comes from a particular region of France is called Champagne. Generally, Red wine is considered appropriate with red meat and hearty pasta dishes, while White wine is preferred with fish and many chicken dishes. Red wines are benefited by aging, while white ones can served immediately after they are produced, with the exception of some sweet wines and champagne. Without getting too technical, the general idea is to serve lighter wine with lighter food and hearty wine with richer food. Here are some excellent tips that I could gather from here and here to help you in the wine-selection process.

A few obvious questions to ask yourself are these:

1. How much do I want to spend? Keep a budget in mind so you don't get distracted.
2. Do any of my guests prefer red or white wine?
3. Are there some favorite brands you'd like to stick to?
4. What kind of food am I going to be serving it with?

With answers to these questions ready in your head, you can relate to the guidelines given below which show how food and wine can be paired together. These two when combined together, have the ability to alter each others flavors. And usually, the spices, seasonings, sauces, herbs or the style in which the dish is prepared will determine the best-suited wine.

Salty/Spicy or Grilled Foods go best with lightly-sweet or mild fruity red wines. Chardonnay harmonizes with poultry and cheese. There are many variations of this white wine that can run from sweet and fruity to sour. It can even be paired with seafood quite well. Chenin Blanc is also a white sparkling wine and goes well with fish and chicken. A general rule is that wines that blend well with fish and other white meat contain high acidic flavor. The sharp, crisp hint of acid enhances the flavor of fish like a drop of tangerine juice would.

Meat and Seafood are difficult to pair with, especially as it depends on the type of cuisine and the spices. Most oriental food and white meat dishes won't go wrong when matched with a Riesling. Spicy Mexican foods on the other hand are best eaten with Shiraz, which is a versatile wine; it complements many popular meat dishes such as chicken, pork, beef and duck. A medium bodied wine such as Red Zinfandel will always taste better with red meat while White Zinfandel which is a newly-developed wine in the market goes in tune with pasta with light sauce, fish and most light dishes.

Acidic or Bitter Foods have a highly pronounced taste, so these are best paired with light reds or whites with medium-to-high acidic levels. Recommended choices are Merlot or Pinot Grigio.

Rich and Creamy Foods, like meat gravies and cheese sauces should definitely be served with full-bodies high-tannin wines so they can balance the greasiness in cheese or meat. Good choices would be Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah and Bordeaux.

Sweet Foods definitely have to go with mildly-sweet or highly-sweet wines to grasp the flavor. Desserts are best paired with Rieslings, Port wines, or Madeira.

There, a nice and short summary of what I have learned till now. You can also find several wine reviews around the web.With a little bit of preparation, you can surely entertain yourself and your guests in a much better way! There's nothing like the "best" or "perfect" wine; the key is to find the one that will highlight the taste of your meal best. As you try more wines and learn more, your confidence will grow, and you'll develop the knack to mix and match.

Hope this article proves to be a starting point in your "spirit-ual" journey. It's time for celebration, and there's nothing more fun than entertaining with style!!

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What is Port Wine & Why is it Special?

Port Wine, the famous sweet fortified wine of the Douro River Valley in Portugal, has long been the classic way to end a meal and celebrate an evening. Port is a sweet red wine with about 20% alcohol (as opposed to table wine which is usually about 13%) and rather low acidity and tannin, yet a rich spicy flavor and smooth taste! Port wine range from very sweet, semi-sweet to semi-dry, dry, and extra dry. The wine maker will determine its sweetness based on when and how he interrupts the fermentation process. Often served as the perfect Dessert Wine, here's an attempt to understand what makes Port such an exquisite wine, that draws people by its taste and aroma.

Port is created in a unique way that captures the fruit and flavor of the ripe grapes in wines that possess extraordinary longevity. During fermentation, prior to reaching the point where all of the natural grape sugars have been converted into alcohol, high-proof brandy is added to the vats to stop the fermentation. This leaves a wine with great depth of color and a high natural sweetness. After fermentation is complete, the wines are transported to "lodges" where they rest in large oak casks called "pipes."

The alcohol in port wine is produced under very specific conditions that result from natural and human factors. While aging in wood, port wine's fruity aroma develops through oxidation to create a bouquet that is reminiscent of dried fruit, toasting, wood, and spices. The aging process also adds to its smoothness while making the bouquet more complex. Much older wines have a greenish tint.

The Ageing Method
There are several styles of port, but there are essentially two aging methods, reductive aging and oxidative aging. Ports that are aged using the reductive process are sealed in their container and have no exposure to oxygen. They are smoother and less tannic. The port wines that are aged using the oxidative process are matured in wooden barrels and are slightly exposed to oxygen. Oxidated ports are more viscous and intense.

Types of Port
Vintage Ports are to be held in the bottle for a long time, ten years considered being just a start while truly great vintages can require 20 years and more to reach optimum maturity. This gives them a distinct taste, often known as "grapey". Ruby Ports, on the other hand, are generally young wines that have not lost their youthful ruby-red color. Fruity on the nose, they tend to be very fresh in the mouth. Tawny Ports are aged a long time in wooden barrels, spending 3 or 4 years in casks. They tend to lose most of their fruit and the normal deep red color becomes more of an amber hue as the wine acquires a nutty character. White Ports have different degrees of sweetness due to the manner by which they are made. They have a very floral & fruity flavor, and a minimum alcohol content of 16.5%, comparatively lower than the other port wines.

So all in all, it's an affluence of flavors that makes Port Wine so special. While other wines get a lot of their flavor from fruits and other additives, these dessert wines are naturally sweet and fruity, making them an ideal choice for pairing with any kind of food. And with enough Port Wine choices available for an amateur to a connoiseur, you are sure to find one that suits your tastebuds! But beware of Port wine stains - they can be really hard to get off!:)

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Is Red Wine Good for Health?

Many of us have heard about red wine being good for our health, but do we know why? Here are some reasons which may help you appreciate your glass of wine more, knowing that it is actually doing you some good. It does not mean you can help yourself to a glass of wine every day! It only brings to your notice that Red Wine contains certain phytochemicals which have shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. But this is all true, only when you drink it in Moderation! The moment you go over the safe limit, the health benefits are overpowered by the harmful side effects of excessive drinking, leading to deteriorated health. So be educated about what you are drinking, and the next time you have to choose a single glass of alcohol, go for the Red Wine instead of anything else!

A Look at the Positive Side
To benefit from drinking red wine, it must be drunk in moderation. Studies have shown that it helps in the prevention of heart disease. In fact, these studies also show that for middle aged people, one glass of wine for women and two glasses for men will actually lower the risks involved with heart attacks by between 30 and 50 percent. Here are a few health benefits of red wine:

Lowers Blood Cholesterol
It’s been proved that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and thin your blood. This is true for red Wine too, which means that by drinking in moderation, the body's cholesterol level will be reduced, so reducing the risk of having blood clots due to fatty deposits in the blood vessels.

Source of Antioxidants
Being a good source of antioxidants which cleanses the human system, red wine is indeed beneficial to the body. Other substances found in red wine include Resveratrol, which is a substance know to help increase the levels of HDL or good cholesterol, and various other antioxidant properties that assist in the prevention of blood clot and plaque formation within the arterial walls of the veins and arteries, as shown by medical studies.

Prevent Deafness
I was surprised at this one too! But moderate amounts of red wine protects the delicate hair in the inner ear, according to Dr Jochen Schacht in America. He told New Scientist magazine that experiments found antioxidants in red wine neutralized chemical agents that attack these hair. Red wine has similar protective properties to green tea, which can help prevent deafness upto a certain limit.

A Look at the Negative Side
Wine, however, is not for everyone. Certain medical conditions are worsened by the consumption of wine, so it’s vital you seek the advice of your personal physician before making this a daily habit! Wine, is after all, a type of Alcohol, and comes with its own set of negatives:

High Triglycerides
One downside to wine consumption is that it can elevate triglyceride levels, which is associated with health problems such as diabetes. Those who already have high triglycerides should, therefore, avoid or dramatically limit their wine (and alcohol) consumption.

Breast Cancer Risk
Studies have shown alcohol can increase estrogen levels and raise tumor progression in women with (or at high risk for) estrogen positive breast cancer.

Migraines
Wine is often a big trigger for people who suffer with migraine headaches. Although white wine contains more sulfites than red wine (sulfites are added to white wine to preserve its light color), red wine seems to be a much bigger migraine trigger. That’s probably due to the accumulation of histamines and tannins from prolonged contact with the skin.

Weight Gain
People who drink alcohol also consume empty calories, calories that lack nutrients and can lead to weight gain. One glass of wine is equivalent to 120 calories - so you can imagine how easy it is to load up on calories if you get to drinking at a party!

After all this, people will continue drinking wine as a habit. This article is not to pass a judgment whether Red Wine is good for health or not - rather, it should be treated as an insight into the composition of wine, which makes it beneficial and harmful at the same time. Enjoy a glass within the safety limits, and you'll relax your body and mind; but always know when to stop, even if it's red wine!

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Wine Basics - How To Choose & Buy Wine

Do you feel confused and intimated when you have to choose a wine as a gift or to serve one at dinner? Are you someone who loves entertaining, but lacks enough knowledge about wines? There is a plethora of information about how to choose and select wine, and how to pair wine with food, and as fine dining becomes global, it becomes imperative to have at least some basic knowledge about the types of wine, and how to judge a good one from a mediocre one. While most people just feel comfortable going with some chosen labels, this may not always be your best bet! There are several factors which determine how to select a wine, and this article focuses on the basic wine knowledge that would help enhance your understanding of different types of wine, thereby making it easier to choose!

Whether you're out to dinner at an upscale restaurant or preparing a meal at home, knowledge about wine pairing will always be useful. Certain wines go best with certain meals and deciding on the right food & wine pairing can be a lot easier if you know the basics of wine characteristics. After a recent trip to Napa Valley, where we saw the entire wine-making process at a famous vineyard, I know I am much better educated about wines than I ever was, and definitely in a position to share my findings with you!

The types of grapes used to make a wine, often known as "Varietal", are the most important factor in the taste of the wine. However, the flavors are also affected by factors such as soil, exposure to sunlight, climate, how the grapes are handled and fermented, types of yeast used, whether the wine is aged in wood or oak etc

Types of Wines
The two basic types of wines are "White wines" and "Red wines". All wines are manufactured with the help of grapes, however, different flavors are created by combining the basic wine with fruits, or other additives, and the actual manufacturing and ageing process. The main difference between red and white wine is that the juice used to make red wine includes the skins, stems and seeds of red or black grapes. White wines can be made from any color grape, but only the clear juice of the grapes is used. The general rule of thumb is that red wines tend to be heavier while white wines are usually sweeter. When the wine is prepared in a way that produces carbon dioxide, it is termed as a "Sparkling wines". The sparkling wine that specifically comes from the Champagne region of France, is what we all know as "Champagne". These wines can be further categorised as Sweet or Dry, which is usually scaled between 00 (very dry) to 6 (very sweet). So the first thing you do, is narrow down your choices so you know what characteristics to focus on next!

Tannin Content in Wine
Tannins are a vital ingredient in wines, especially red wines, and form the basis of wine reviews. It comes from the stalks, skins and pips of grapes. Tannins in a young wine produce a bitter, taste on the palate, while the aged wines are more subtle in flavor. Also, the "length" of a wine, which means the amount of time the sensations of taste and aroma persist after swallowing, is a good measure to consider. This can only be learnt after you've tasted a few wines, but recommendations work the best here.

Acidity of the Wine
Acids of various types are present in wine, and are essential to the wine's longevity and also to its taste. A higher acidity makes the wine more tart and sour tasting; whereas a low acidity results in flat tasting wine that has a higher chance of getting spoilt. Acidity, when present in the right quantities, makes all other flavours in the wine stand out, including the undertones of fruit, spice and herbs. The flavour in wine that you would describe as tangy, sharp, refreshing, bracing, bright, crisp or zingy is basically due to its Acidity.

Alcohol Content of the Wine
You've probably heard of full-bodied wines, which is a direct measure of its alcohol content. The variations in the "body" of wine are like varying levels of fat-content in milk. On every wine label you’ll notice a percentage of alcohol by volume, which indicates its body as follows:

* 7.5% - 10.5% indicates light body
* 10.5% - 12.5% indicates medium body
* 12.5% and over indicates full body (very high alcohol)

Reading the Wine Label
This is perhaps the most important step for a novice person as reading a wine label carefull will often help you know the type, variety, flavor, region and vintage of the wine. It also pays to read the owner's notes on the bottle as it may guide you about the flavors, brand and sometimes, even food pairing suggestions. Plus, the wine labels will generally have Wine Grades printed on them; the higher the rating, the better the wine. Its recommended not to go below 80 points for a quality wine.

Vintage of the Wine
Vintage simply refers to the year the wine was made. Because weather cooperates better in some years than in others, certain years will produce better wines than others. The amount of rain that falls close to harvest time typically determines the amount of sugar in the grapes and thus, will affect the taste. It is beleived that 1990 was a great year for all wine, so if you are looking to impress, order a 1990 bottle and you are less likely to make a wrong choice! But remember, older wine does not necessarily mean better wine, especially if the older bottles were from a bad vintage.

Where to Buy
It is important to purchase wine from liquor outlets that take proper care of their wine, like buying directly from the winery. Extreme heat or cold, direct sunlight, and dramatic temperature fluctuations are not good for wine. Its is also important to buy wine from a vintner who uses quality Oak barrels for the ageing process, as this imparts a lovely flavor to the wine. Also, before you buy, make sure the wine is filled up to the neck of the bottle, the cork is not pushing out of the bottle, and there are no signs of leakage.

Wine has been a favorite topic among food and drink connoisseurs since long, and even if you are not into Wines, it can come in handy to learn the basics of wine. There are several factors to consider when selecting a bottle of wine, and those mentioned above are just a few of them. Understanding the basics of wine types, selections, storage and taste will surely add new dimensions to your wine experience. Hope this article serves to be an efficient introduction to help you choose and select the best wine, fit for your taste and your budget!

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Personalised Wine Boxes Make Excellent Gifts

Wines have served to be excellent gifts since ages, be it a house-warming, wedding, anniversary, a simple dinner or a holiday celebration. Lots of meals, occasions and gatherings are incomplete without a serving of wine. But in today's high-tech world, almost everything is personalised, from wardrobe to cell-phones, any gift you give or receive comes with a "personalised" message; so its no wonder then that Personalised Wine Gifts have become a new rage, and you'd be amazed to know how many options there are! But after my recent trip to Napa Valley, I am convinced that there's more to wine-gifting than I thought and a few tips to customize your next gift will surely go a long way!

We have a neighbor who is a 63-year old woman, and we often chat with each other over a cup of coffee. This Mother's Day, she received a personalised wine bottle from her daughter who stays in Missouri, and the package arrived when I was there. I was intrigued by the lovely gift box that housed a bottle of premium wine, along with some tinned goodies, all decked up with a lovely message from her daughter and grandkids and also a photo of the entire family, artistically printed as a personalised wine label on the bottle. One look at her face and I knew she was thrilled to have received it; even I would feel special if someone gifted that to me!

Lucky me, I not only got to share a glass of the exquisite wine with her, but also a look at the company that had provided the service. Connoisseur is a company specializing in organic wines like Domodimonti's Organic Wine. They have a large range of premium wines and champagnes that serve to be great gifts for friends, family or even clients and colleagues. From regional varieties to dessert wines, organic wines or sparkling ones, right upto other liquors and spirits, there's a lot of options to choose from. I really liked their packaging of rustic wooden boxes, which gave it that old-world charm. The gift boxes also include customised crystal stemware and gourmet food items like chocolates and cheese to go with your wine gift. You can create your own labels by providing your own text or verse, even choose fonts and style; for the less imaginative ones, they have some suggestions for all the major occasions. The cool part is that you can upload your photo so that it becomes a part of the message, as if you are there delivering the gift in person! They also add a personalized gift card made out for the recipient with a little story to suit the occasion! The prices are affordable to fit any budget, and if you are not a wine connoisseur, you can opt for gift certificates instead.

There's nothing like taking that extra step to personalise your gift. Wine is already a coveted gift, and with personalised wine labels you can make it even more fancier! Believe me, if you had seen my neighbor's face you wouldn't doubt it! Mother's Day is gone, but there's still plenty of time to buy a gift for Father's Day(June 15th)!! So if wine-gifting is on your agenda, make sure you personalise it to add that extra touch of sentiment and love, which is sure to bring a huge smile to the recipient's face!

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