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5:46 PM

01/07/09 - Franklin Refrigerator

Another Great Franklin Refrigerator Article

The Harmony between Food and Wine


Wine is a social drink which should be enjoyed in the company of friends and .. food.

The right combination between food and wine is a source of ultimate bliss for every connoisseur. Both wine and food can benefit from the right pairing. The right wine can accentuate unexpected gastronomical aspects of food and vice versa, wine can shine in a new light when accompanied by the right dish. In order to savor the splendor of such combinations, one does not need to frequent expensive restaurants and buy overpriced wines. Rather, when combining food and wine it is ones intuition and curiosity that are of paramount importance.

Most rules for agreeable food - wine combinations date back to the 19th century and are made by French cooks who travel around Europe showing other nations the French savoir-vivre. It is since then that we know that champagne goes well with oysters, white wine with seafood, and red wine with game and red meats. Those rules, however, have been broken many times throughout the years because the nature of certain dishes and the rich wine variety available allow for a much freer interpretation. For example, some red meats could be made more enjoyable by stronger white wines.

A more practical approach for combining wine with food is to avoid any possible dissonance between them. For example, an exceptional wine stands out much better when accompanied by a not so sophisticated dish that will bring out the wines superb qualities instead of fighting with it. Certain wines and foods have found each other over the years and represent especially suitable combinations. Generally those are the regional wines and foods. Almost all local dishes go best with the wines from their regions.

Some tips for making good food wine choices:

Try to balance the weight of both, i.e. heavy dishes and those with a strong taste, such as game and red meat should be enjoyed with an equally heavy wine. In most cases those are red wines but some full-bodied whites could be an equally suitable alternative.

Dry wines could develop a very unpleasant sour or even bitter taste if served with desserts. Generally deserts are served with wines that are at least comparably sweet, if not sweeter.

Wines with high acidity go best with heavy, rich in fat dishes. This is because the high fat content negates the impact of the acid.

High-tannin wines should be combined with foods rich in proteins. The proteins combine with the tannins, thus diminishing the tannin taste. Wines made from grape varieties that contain a lot of tannins, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are an excellent match for red meats and other protein-rich foods. On the other hand, high-tannin wines acquire an unpleasant metallic taste if combined with fish and other seafood. Or they could have an extremely bitter taste when combined with salty dishes.
So finally which wine? You could have in mind the rules above when making your selection but dont be blinded by them and never take things for granted. Even when you are convinced that you have found the perfect wine for a certain dish, a small change, such as a bad yield, a change in the production technology, or other, could disappoint you. So have an open mind and be ready to experiment. Needless to say, a lot of times the results would be a bit strange but thats what will make the whole experience interesting!!

The right combination between food and wine is a source of ultimate bliss for every connoisseur. Both wine and food can benefit from the right pairing. The right wine can accentuate unexpected gastronomical aspects of food and vice versa, wine can shine in a new light when accompanied by the right dish. In order to savor the splendor of such combinations, one does not need to frequent expensive restaurants and buy overpriced wines. Rather, when combining food and wine it is ones intuition and curiosity that are of paramount importance.

Most rules for agreeable food - wine combinations date back to the 19th century and are made by French cooks who travel around Europe showing other nations the French savoir-vivre. It is since then that we know that champagne goes well with oysters, white wine with seafood, and red wine with game and red meats. Those rules, however, have been broken many times throughout the years because the nature of certain dishes and the rich wine variety available allow for a much freer interpretation. For example, some red meats could be made more enjoyable by stronger white wines.

A more practical approach for combining wine with food is to avoid any possible dissonance between them. For example, an exceptional wine stands out much better when accompanied by a not so sophisticated dish that will bring out the wines superb qualities instead of fighting with it. Certain wines and foods have found each other over the years and represent especially suitable combinations. Generally those are the regional wines and foods. Almost all local dishes go best with the wines from their regions.

Some tips for making good food wine choices:

Try to balance the weight of both, i.e. heavy dishes and those with a strong taste, such as game and red meat should be enjoyed with an equally heavy wine. In most cases those are red wines but some full-bodied whites could be an equally suitable alternative.

Dry wines could develop a very unpleasant sour or even bitter taste if served with desserts. Generally deserts are served with wines that are at least comparably sweet, if not sweeter.

Wines with high acidity go best with heavy, rich in fat dishes. This is because the high fat content negates the impact of the acid.

High-tannin wines should be combined with foods rich in proteins. The proteins combine with the tannins, thus diminishing the tannin taste. Wines made from grape varieties that contain a lot of tannins, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are an excellent match for red meats and other protein-rich foods. On the other hand, high-tannin wines acquire an unpleasant metallic taste if combined with fish and other seafood. Or they could have an extremely bitter taste when combined with salty dishes.
So finally which wine? You could have in mind the rules above when making your selection but dont be blinded by them and never take things for granted. Even when you are convinced that you have found the perfect wine for a certain dish, a small change, such as a bad yield, a change in the production technology, or other, could disappoint you. So have an open mind and be ready to experiment. Needless to say, a lot of times the results would be a bit strange but thats what will make the whole experience interesting!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


www.wines-resource.com



Thoughts about Franklin Refrigerator

The Harmony between Food and Wine


Wine is a social drink which should be enjoyed in the company of friends and .. food. The right combination between food and wine is a source of ultim...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Franklin Refrigerator Products we recommend

The FTD Many Thanks Bouquet - Deluxe


Make a lasting impression with this beautiful bouquet of roses, lilies, daisies and more. Approx. 25.5H x 19W C4-3085D


Price: 129.99 USD



Headlines on Franklin Refrigerator

The Best Grenache in California: Tasting Rhone Rangers 2008

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:57:39 -0700
In total, this little experiment yielded about 120 wines, which was an easily manageable number for three hours worth of tasting, while simultaneously providing an interesting window into the way California winemakers approach this grape variety.

Pairing Food With White Wine (Crisp Whites)

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:28:34 -0700
Crisp white wines are pleasantly acidic and thirst quenching with a light body and a refreshing finish. Most have little or no oak aging and pair well with a variety of foods. They are grown world wide with the best in the U.S. being made from sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio grapes.

Food Industry Tests Techno-Tasters to Judge Flavor

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:42:15 -0700
The expert taster sat silently in the brightly lighted room, surrounded by 53 samples of ruby-red wine. Fifty-three sniffs and 53 sips later, the judgment was in: a hint of black cherry . . .some acid . . .a floral nose. Every one of the wines, the taster reported, was an Italian Barbera, and all were made from exactly the same variety of grape.

Grape Vine Social Brings Wine Dating to Scotland

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:01 -0800
Glasgow, UK (PRWEB) March 6, 2008 -- Described as the perfect alternative to speed dating, Grape Vine Social's wine tasting dating events blend together the best social aspects of dating, while...

Pomegranate Juice's Antioxidant Benefits

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:41:10 -0800
A new study has shown that pomegranate juice derived from the California-grown Wonderful variety of pomegranate is the most healthy beverage, as it has superior antioxidant power as compared to other beverages like red wine, grape and acai juices, and is the only pomegranate juice guaranteed to contain 100% pomegranate juice.

Rosemount Estate

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:13:51 -0800
Rosemount Estate today owns vineyards in seven geographically diverse viticultural regions throughout New South Wales and South Australia. Each has been developed with the aim of matching the physical make-up of the site - its 'terroir' - with the best of the world's premium grape varieties.

Australian Alternative Varieties Index

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:48:52 -0800
List (with links) of over 100 wine grape varieties used to make wine in Australia.


Wine Vintages
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5:46 PM

2009 - Wine Attributes

Another Great Wine Attributes Article

Which is for You - Blended or Varietal Wines?Darby Higgs




Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does it matter?

At the basic level, the difference is quite simple. Varietal wines are made from a single grape variety, while blended wines are made using two or more. The most obvious example is the difference between the two great red wine styles of France. Burgundy red wine is composed of the single variety Pinot noir. Bordeaux red wines are most often blends of up to five varieties, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit verdot. There are a few Bordeaux wines made from a single variety, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.

So much for theory. The distinction between varietal and blended wines is less clear in practice. Many varietal wines are made from blends of wine grown in several regions. Australias iconic Grange is such an example. Each year hundreds of samples from many vineyards are tasted and evaluated before the final blend is decided upon. The result is a blend of regions, rather than varieties.

Many more modest Australian wines with to fame are also regional blends. The process of selecting the blend is similar but much more simplified. The clue on the label is often the words wine of South Eastern Australia. This is almost as general a statement that you can get about the origins of an Australian wine.

Some wines made from a single variety are blends of several different vintages, but this is quite rare for table wines.

While on the topic of labels, you should be aware that many wines bearing a single varietal name can legally contain up to fifteen percent of other varieties. If the wine is labelled as a blend, then the variety with the largest percentage composition should be named first, for example wine labelled Cabernet Merlot, should contain a greater percentage of Cabernet than Merlot.

Our second question is does it matter? Well, if you find a wine that you enjoy and it is a blend, then you should continue to drink it. However if you wish to extend your wine knowledge and thus enhance your wine experience you should try varietal wines whenever possible. There are hundreds of varietal wines available, each with a special subtle difference waiting for you to discover.

Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does it matter?

At the basic level, the difference is quite simple. Varietal wines are made from a single grape variety, while blended wines are made using two or more. The most obvious example is the difference between the two great red wine styles of France. Burgundy red wine is composed of the single variety Pinot noir. Bordeaux red wines are most often blends of up to five varieties, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit verdot. There are a few Bordeaux wines made from a single variety, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.

So much for theory. The distinction between varietal and blended wines is less clear in practice. Many varietal wines are made from blends of wine grown in several regions. Australias iconic Grange is such an example. Each year hundreds of samples from many vineyards are tasted and evaluated before the final blend is decided upon. The result is a blend of regions, rather than varieties.

Many more modest Australian wines with to fame are also regional blends. The process of selecting the blend is similar but much more simplified. The clue on the label is often the words wine of South Eastern Australia. This is almost as general a statement that you can get about the origins of an Australian wine.

Some wines made from a single variety are blends of several different vintages, but this is quite rare for table wines.

While on the topic of labels, you should be aware that many wines bearing a single varietal name can legally contain up to fifteen percent of other varieties. If the wine is labelled as a blend, then the variety with the largest percentage composition should be named first, for example wine labelled Cabernet Merlot, should contain a greater percentage of Cabernet than Merlot.

Our second question is does it matter? Well, if you find a wine that you enjoy and it is a blend, then you should continue to drink it. However if you wish to extend your wine knowledge and thus enhance your wine experience you should try varietal wines whenever possible. There are hundreds of varietal wines available, each with a special subtle difference waiting for you to discover.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Darby Higgs is an expert on Australian wines made from unusual and rare grape varieties. He is the manager of the Vinodiversity website at http://www.vinodiversity.com



Thoughts about Wine Attributes

Which is for You - Blended or Varietal Wines?Darby Higgs


Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does ...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Wine Attributes Items For Viewing

The FTD Many Thanks Bouquet - Standard


Make a lasting impression with this beautiful bouquet of roses, lilies, daisies and more. Approx. 25.5H x 19W C4-3085S


Price: 109.99 USD



Wine Attributes in the news

The best hot mulled wine recipe

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 08:55:49 -0800
fantastic recipe to make hot mulled wine (german gluhwein / gluvine)

Más Wine Company Keg - First Release

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:15:07 -0800
At a reception tonight, the most delicious red wine was tapped from a 3.85-gallon German-engineered, stainless steel *KEG*. Launched three and a half weeks ago, initial distribution is limited to Northern California, so I'm posting about Más Wine Company's 2004 Tuscan-style red, VINO, on this board.

Rudi Wiest German Dry Wine Tour in Chicago November 2007

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:56:29 -0800
Vinoverve attends tasting of German Dry Wines including Pinot Noir

Plans to ban sugar from wine a bitter pill for EU vintners

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:28:18 -0800
Plans to eliminate government subsidy's have the Germans stomping in the streets and not the kind of stomping that produces wine.


Marvel Wine
Pinot Noir

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