Old Rare Wine

I often get asked about the value of old, rare, high-end wine, and more importantly, if it’s still drinkable. If purchasing wines like these, one of the key aspects is its provenance. In other words knowing the wine’s origin and source. What’s its history, how was it stored? If closed with a natural cork, was it ever recorked? Any of these issues, if improper, can compromise its stability and value. If purchasing from a producer, reliable retailer or a reputable auction house, this is not a worry. Buying from individuals is another story. Interesting too is the fact that most of these older, rare gems will never be opened to find out if they are still good. Many probably aren’t but they’re worth far more unopened. Rather silly when you think about it, but true!

Wine and Nuts

One of my favourite snacks in front of the TV is nuts. However matching wine to them can be tricky. Nuts, like other food, are very individual possessing unique tastes and characteristics. They’re packed with protein, carbohydrates and vitamins and are actually quite a substantial food product. Most importantly, they’re fairly fatty and require equally substantial wines. Light styles just don’t seem to cut it here. You’ll need fortified, sweet or powerful selections. Try sweeter sherries, Tokaji Aszu, Madeira, reciotto Amarone, dessert Muscat, tawny or vintage port for best results. If salty nuts are your downfall, pick drier variations of the aforementioned like Fino and Manzanillo sherry or white port. Get crackin’.

Rosé

Now that the warm weather is here, how about considering a rosé wine for a nice change of pace. Usually fresh, clean, infinitely quaffable and food-friendly, they’re just the thing to beat the heat. Their pinkish hue also adds as nice splash of colour to your table. Numerous samples from the U.S., Australia, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Canada are available at your local retailer. Usually made by removing the grape skins after the desired colour is achieved, most are made for early consumption, so don’t purchase any that are more than about 3 years past the vintage on the bottle. They may be tired. So the next time you find yourself pondering what wine to get, why not try rosé. I believe you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

Wine and Stinky Cheese

If you enjoy aggressive, full-flavoured, strong-smelling cheeses like Stilton, Blue, Gorgonzola and Roquefort, matching wines to these can be difficult. You’ll need equally full-bodied, full-flavoured reds like Nebbiolo, Shiraz, Zinfandel, and Pinotage or aromatic whites like Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Viognier. However, more interesting combos come from playing off the salty element in these cheeses. Sweet wines like port, Madeira, sauternes, Icewine and late harvest selections really work wonders here. Together, the wine tastes less sweet, the cheese less salty and a third ethereal flavour is created that’s this side of heaven. Try it and you’ll see what I mean.

Wine and Spicy/Exotic Food

If you’re a lover of spicy/exotic food like Indian, Thai and Cajun, here’s some advice on what wine to sip. Choose those with good acidity or sourness like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Fruitiness and sweetness in a wine also counterbalance heat. Medium-dry, off dry or late harvest selections work well. Pick wines lower in alcohol as this component fuels the fire. Avoid overly woody wines and tannic reds as this masks the fruit. Gamay, Beaujolais and lighter Merlots are great. Aromatic varietals like Gewürztraminer, Torrontes, Viognier and Muscat mesh superbly. Even rosé does a nice job. Finally, serve all vino a little cooler than normal as this helps douse the fire. If all else fails, there’s always beer. Cheers!

Wine and Aging

I often get asked whether people become better tasters with age. With age, there is general physical deterioration of sensitivity and perception. As we get older our sensitivity to components like sweetness, bitterness and saltiness decreases. With the exception of saltiness, these others are key components in wine, so they become harder to detect. There is a gradual reduction in colour vision which makes it harder to decipher wines tint or hue. Even our sense of smell gets worse. But wait, there is some hope. As one ages, hopefully one logs up more tasting experience so what is lost through aging can be somewhat balanced by experience. I’ll drink to that!

Winery-Hopping

There’s nothing quite like a day trip to wine country and tasting their product. The Wine Doctor’s golden rules for making the most out of this outing are as follows. Plan ahead. Choose 3 or 4 wineries that are relatively close together, a few smaller ones and a few larger ones. Make sure one of them has a restaurant on site so you can dine there without having to look around for somewhere to eat. Bring some bottled water with you. Avoid wearing strong smells. Wear dark clothes in case you spill something on yourself. Experiment with different wine styles and varieties. Ask questions. Take lots of breaks and nibble often. Most importantly, don’t swallow and know when to call it quits. Enjoy yourself.