Versatile Riesling

What’s the most versatile white grape variety in the world? That would be Riesling, of course. With its crisp, aromatic, peachy, floral, citrus character, it never sees oak so what you get out of the vineyard goes into the glass. From bone dry to sweet, still to sparkling, and even Icewine, there is no other grape variety that has so many faces and matches food superbly. Dry versions make great aperitifs and work well with fish, seafood, poultry and mild cheeses. Medium-dry styles compliment game birds, spicy dishes, soufflés and exotic fare. Medium-sweet offerings mesh with strong cheeses, paté and fruit-based desserts and Icewine, dessert by itself, is divine with most rich, decadent goodies. Check out Riesling for a nice change of pace. Enjoy!

Food-Friendly Wines

You often hear wine writers refer to certain wines as “food-friendly”. Let me explain. Simply put, a “food-friendly” wine is one that overall meshes nicely with food because of its structure and taste. However, certain wines when tasted without food are so easy-drinking and yummy, they don’t actually require it to work, but will do nicely when accompanying it. Then, there are others, straight up, that come across as aggressive, overblown, nondescript or not particularly fruity, with lots of earthy, leathery notes. Although not as enjoyable alone, these guys often come to life when matched to food and really show their stuff. Since the majority of us enjoy wine with food, it only makes sense that most wines be created to be food-friendly. Cheers!

Romance Factor

Ever taste a wine abroad in the place of origin and discover that wine back home, but somehow it just doesn’t come across the same? Well, you’re not alone. Part of the trip of tasting wine where it is made is seeing, first-hand, the vineyards and winery; meeting the winemaker; sampling the local food; inhaling the indigenous smells, experiencing the lifestyle of that region and the sheer excitement of just being there. No matter how hard you try, simulating that back home, even with the exact same vino, isn’t quite the same and as a result something in the tasting experience is missing. What’s missing is the “romance factor.” For most people, the “romance of wine” encompasses an ideal or fantasy that makes it more enjoyable.

Wine and Vegetables

If you’re a vegetarian, there are lots of wine choices to match your favourite dish. Generally, wines that have vegetal, earthy, herbaceous or leathery qualities work best. For white varieties, try Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio or styles like white Bordeaux and white Rhones. Red varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Carmenere, Pinot Noir, Barbera, Pinotage and styles like red Bordeaux, red Burgundy, red Rhones, Italian and Portuguese reds do an admirable job. You can always add some of the wine that you want to sip to the preparation of the dish to pull the flavours together. Either way, when it comes to matching wine to veggies, you certainly won’t go thirsty.