Tag Archives: wine
On Pairing
As a follow-up to the pre-thanksgiving day dinner planning post (say that five times fast), I wanted to expand a little more on pairing food and wine. Of course, you can always stick to your basic, red wine with red meat, white wine with seafood and poultry rule if you please, but there’s a lot more to it than that. In fact, those rules can certainly be broken depending on your taste and what the recipe for that particular dish includes. I know when you start learning about wine, the multitude of producers whose names you can’t pronounce and all of the different types of grapes and regions can be extremely overwhelming. You’ll reach a point where you consider saying, “Screw the whole damn thing, give me a Natty Light.” And I can’t even be mad at you for that, because it is a lot to take in. I promise you, though, once you get over the anxiety, you’ll find yourself with a door wide open to endless possibilities of good meals that can become unbelievable.
This chart on pairing is hugely helpful. Whip it out next time you’re stumped about which wine to choose for dinner.
Thanksgiving Struggles
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and I can’t help but be constantly distracted by thoughts of turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. More wine is sold for thanksgiving day dinner than any other meal of the year for very good reason. So many types of foods, so many types of flavors, so many types of wine to pair with.
Drink Great Wine
Wine Crosses Borders
It’s really quite simple.
In all the lectures I’ve listened to and books I’ve read about the culture of wine, nothing is as important as this. If the names you can’t pronounce and all the different shades overwhelm you, remember to keep it simple; just drink wine.
Don’t take this the wrong way…
But your shape is all wrong.
Here’s a chart illustrating the correct type of glassware for different types of wine.
America has a drinking problem.
“There are more fast-food restaurants in Nebraska than all of Italy. People there are more willing to spend more on food and wine, on quality products, because they appreciate what they put in their bodies. Wining and Dining is a communal experience. It’s meant to be done communally and slowly. The Europeans have that down.”
Where have you been all my life?
I have no desire to be a wine snob; I just want to know what I’m talking about.
I happened upon this gem of an info-graphic and wish I had sooner.
Here’s a very straight-forward and simple look at how the most common wines and their basic flavors compare.
Napa Valley
Speaking of domestic, check out former National Geographic photographer Charles O’Rear’s stunning shots of California wine county. His photos are primarily taken in Napa Valley, but he has documented wine culture across the globe.
photo by Charles O’Rear