GoGoKitty’s Wine Secrets

Most people suggest that there are two main ways of pairing wine and food. First, wine can become a component in the preparation of a meal. And second, you can achieve it by drinking and enjoying wine with the food you eat. Of course, the first activity should always be followed by the second for maximum enjoyment! And, of course, there’s no reason not to enjoy both activities at the same time providing an ideal combination of wine and food.

Enjoy Wine With Dinner

Good wine will improve digestion, contribute to the flavor of the food and, in the case of red wine, assist in good health. There are several theories regarding which wine to match to a particular food. However, I’d like to suggest that if it tastes right, it is right. While some connoisseurs may argue with this, there seems to be little downside in pairing wine and food in this manner.

Cooking With Wine

The Italians and French are masters of combining food with wine. Both cuisines make extensive use of both red and white wines in meal preparation from appetizers to sauces to desserts.

Pairing wine and food in this way does not impart an alcoholic taste to the food as heating the wine or other liquor is designed to boil away the alcohol component.

Something important to consider when cooking with wine is never to cook with a wine that you wouldn’t want to drink. This can mean opening a bottle of wine just for the recipe you are planning but the flavor boost to your dinner is worth it. Do not be tempted to cook with a wine that has been sitting on the kitchen counter for the last week since it was opened. If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t try to cook with it. You’ll find lots of suggestions for cooking with wine, how to store wine and how to taste wine at www.WineCellarSecrets.com

It does not have to be a chore to learn about food wine. Although, there is a lot of different information out there about wine, it should not overwhelm the beginner. There are some basic rules that can be followed to make your food and wine experience an easy one. So read on to become familiar with the methods used to choose food-wine combinations.

The old rule that white wine is best with white meats and that red wine is best with red meats still stands today. Although things are a little more complicated now, it is still a good beginning rule. Another rule to follow in most cases for food wine is that each taste should be counteractive. What this means is that each taste of food or wine should completely mask the taste of the other. Food wines are supposed to enhance the food’s taste by acting as a palate cleanser, making each bite of food taste as good as the first. And of course, it is vice versa for the wine flavor. If you can taste the flavor of the wine or food over the other item, then you probably are working with a bad match. It is harder to match food and wine now because so many different flavors of food get worked into a single dish. The best rule for these cases is that the body of the wine should match the food. Heavier foods get heavier wines and vice versa.

The main determination for food wine combinations is the balance of sweetness, acidity and bitterness of both the food and wine. It is pretty easy to figure out what wine should go with what foods by considering the wine and food characteristics. If a sweet food is being served, pair it with a sweeter wine. For bitter foods, a more bitter wine is in order. The best way to determine the acidity of a food is to determine if it would go better with more acid added. For example, adding lemon to a fish means that a more acidic wine should be consumed. Some common white wines that are acidic are: Rieslings, most sparkling wines and white Bordeauxs. Acidic red wines include: Gamays, Pinot Noirs and Sangioveses. Sweet white wines include: White Zinfandels, other forms of Rieslings and Chenin Blancs. Sweet red wines can include: Port and Lambrusco. There are not many bitter white wines, but there are some bitter red wines. These can include, red Zinfandels, Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons.

So there you have it, an overview about the very basic elements to food wine parings and how to determine which wines should be paired with what foods. The world of wine is very broad, but these simple rules can definitely help keep newcomers to the world of wine on the right track. If you are interested in learning more, then join a wine club or check out some books that cover the subject. You will be glad you did.

Are you a devotee of great wines but are not aware of how to assess the wine for its economic value? Do not be discouraged. There are resources out in in retail stores and on the internet that can educate you on the ways to measure the value of wines as well as even show you how to make your own wines. You can even purchase books that educate you on the methods to grow your own grapes! Just imagine how pleasantly surprised your friends and family will be when you give them with a present of wines from your own garden. If you wish to find out more, click here: Making Blackberry Wine and more information at Making Wine From Grapes and at Yeast To Make Wine