When it comes to enjoying a nice glass of wine with a meal, not much beats a perfect pairing. However, pairing your wines to your food can be quite a difficult task, particularly if you've never done it before. The following article has some great information about wine pairings that will surely help you out when planning your next meal.
Do not spend your money on full cases of wine if you are not sure you like it. It is best to purchase an experimental bottle, or even better, taste the wine before you purchase it. You should consider buying full cases of win if you know you will easily be able to serve it when you have company.
Wine can make great sauces for beef dishes. All you need to do is pull out a red wine you love and pop some into a saucepan with a little butter. Allow sauce to simmer a bit to thicken up and cook out some of the alcohol. Finish by drizzling the mixture over the cooked beef right on the plate.
A good tip if you're interested in learning more about wines is to simply do your homework on them. Do as much reading as you can about wines and the industry, and before you know it, you'll be the most knowledgeable person about wines among all of your friends.
If you are in the market for champagne for a wedding or other festive event, consider a sparkling wine instead. Sparkling wines are typically from California, and they taste similar to a Champagne. They are almost always less expensive, making it easier to afford a large quantity for big events.
Some wines do not age well, and it is important to know this before you decide to store it. It would be a wise idea to learn about the particular type of wine you plan to store to learn just how long that particular type will store. An example of a wine that ages wonderfully is Bordeaux.
When serving wine for parties, open the Merlot and Cabernet a half hour before the party starts. This will allow the wine to make contact with the air and start "opening up." As reds are exposed to the air, oxygen allows the tannin and flavors to activate and become more robust.
Have a good time with wine and the variety it brings. There is much to learn about wine, from how it is made to how it is paired with certain foods. Have fun with combining flavors and trying new wines regularly.
The lightness of a wine is not related to its color. Red and white wines contain the same alcohol content. That being said, the whiter wines are more smooth and go down easier. The lightest alternatives are Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc, so those may be good choices for your table.
Keep a journal just for wine. The easiest way to keep track of the wines that you enjoy and the ones that you do not like is to keep a list of them. You can also include the foods that you drank them with so that you can repeat the experience if you like.
Have an idea of how much you want to spend on your wine in mind before you enter the store. A wine store can be a very confusing space with lots of shelves filled with various varieties. By having a price point in mind before you shop, you can narrow down what you are looking for and walk out of the store without spending too much.
Try having some merlot with your steak. The fat and umami flavors found in steak, especially medium-rare or rarer, need acidity to cut through their flavor profile. Red wine is already a popular pairing for meat. The heavier acidity and fruit of merlot can really liven up your steak dish.
Remember that rules were made to be broken, even when it comes to selecting wine. Just because the "norm" indicates you should pair red wine with red meat and white with fish, chicken or salad, doesn't mean it's set in stone. Enjoy your meal with your favorite wine, no matter who says they go together!
If you enjoy a glass of fruity wine, why not try out a blackberry Merlot. Merlot wines are the most popular red wines on the market today. Merlot wines offer hints of fruit flavors along with hints of cedar. If you are looking for a delicious fruity wine, give Merlot a try today!
Don't turn away from wines that have screw-on caps. A lot of good quality varieties are being made with screw caps. These can actually improve the purity of the beverage. There is no chance of ending up with pieces of cork in the bottle, and it is more difficult for air to enter the bottle as well. Many wineries have entirely switched today.
If you have decided to serve white wine at your next gathering, make sure you only store it in the fridge a few hours before serving time. Storing the white wine in the fridge too long (a few days) can affect the way your wine tastes as well as the aroma.
When ordering a wine in a restaurant, let the type of restaurant be your guide. If you are eating in a French restaurant, it is best to order a French wine. If you are dining in a Spanish restaurant, choose a wine from Chile or other parts of South America. This will help you to order the best-quality wine the restaurant has to offer and also a wine that pairs well with your food.
If you need to save wine for another day, cork it and stick it in your refrigerator. The coolness in your fridge will help slow down all of the chemical changes happening in your wine. It's best if you can finish that wine off within a day, otherwise you may find it tastes quite different than when you uncorked it.
As was stated in the beginning of this article, pairing a bottle of wine to a meal can be a arduous task if you've never done it before. Just make sure you use the information mentioned above and you are sure to make a great selection. An as always, remember to drink responsibly!