Wine
Wine With Lamb
Last Updated: July 7, 2021The best wine with lamb truly depends on what you are serving it with or how you are serving. If serving the lamb as in a tagine with saffron and spices and raisins, try to pair the wine with a rust but full bodied Côte Roti (from the Northern Rhone valley). These wines are Syrah...
Wine with Pork
Last Updated: July 7, 2021When pairing wine and pork one must think about the accompaniments that will also be present. Pork is a “middle ground” protein. It’s not the heaviest, but not the lightest meat. Therefore, it can go well with full bodied whites as well as light bodied reds. Let the sauce and sides determine which side of...
Wine with Duck
Last Updated: July 7, 2021When pairing wine and duck one should consider the seasonings and type of duck. Is this is wild duck that you recently killed on a hunting spree (likely tough, gamey, and dry — wild animals do not keep as much fat as well as use their muscles much more so wild duck muscles are incredibly...
Curry and Wine: What Wines go well with Curry
Last Updated: September 21, 2021Wine and curry can be an excellent and exciting pairing. The things to keep in mind are the intensity of the curry, and the spice level of the curry. By intensity, I mean is it a mild, simple curry with just a few flavors, or is it bold and full of a variety of flavors....
Wine with Salmon
Last Updated: July 7, 2021Salmon can be a tricky fish to pair with wine – not because it’s a fish but because of the fatty oils it has. These oils (Omega 3 and 6’s primarily) can interact poorly with tannins found in wine causing a metallic taste to result in your mouth. Red wines have tannins, white wines don’t....
Wine with Steak
Last Updated: July 7, 2021Wine and Steak. The great combination of flavors and the vision of luxury (for some at least). What kind of steak are you eating? Ribeye/T-Bone/NY Strip that has been grilled to a perfect medium rare with a nice char and tons of black pepper? Go for a Syrah from Australia (Barossa Valley) or the Northern...
Wine with Roast Chicken
Last Updated: July 7, 2021Roast chicken is an excellent dish to pair with wine as the crispy skin allows for a wider range of pairings from Sauvignon Blanc to an oaked Chardonnay to even a light Pinot Noir. Sauvignon blanc from Sancerre, France would be a refreshing contrast to the rich chicken, alternatively oaked and Sauvignon Blanc from California...
Wine Structure: What is Tannin in Wine?
Last Updated: August 21, 2021Tannin is a characteristic found in red grape skins and seeds as well as oak. They cause an astringent or bitterness when either too much is extracted from grapes or when young. As a wine matures, either in a fermenting vessel such as oak or stainless steel, the tannins soften and meld into the wine....
Why Wine Contains Sulfites
Last Updated: August 5, 2021Why do wines have added sulfites? What do Sulfites do, anyways? SO2, Sulfur Dioxide is a naturally occurring part of the winemaking process. It is a byproduct of making alcohol. However, it can also be added at a few different winemaking points to preserve the freshness of the grapes and wine. When Grapes Arrive into...
Is Wine Vegan?
Last Updated: August 21, 2021Is wine vegan? Is it not? I think it depends on the vegan. Here’s the deal. Clarifying wine happens a few different ways. Some of these processes are vegan, and others may not be. Fining is one process of clarification. Fining occurs by adding a “fining agent” to a vat of ready-to-bottle wine to remove...
Wine Tasting: Why Do You Swirl Wine?
Last Updated: August 21, 2021In short we swirl wine because swirling helps release aromatics in young and older wines. However, it’s important that you don’t swirl too much! The Purpose of the Swirl The purpose of swirling is to release aromas. If a wine is “closed” it means that the wine’s aromatics are dulled. Exposure to oxygen releases these...