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Which Wine? The Choice is Yours

By Ed Masciana

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Published: 18Nov2011
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There has been far too much discussion regarding which wine to choose for a dish. The old adage "White wine with white meats and red wines with red meats" is simply a lazy man's way of not having to think. Instead of taking the easy way out and classify wines by color (a common problem in our society) you 'll find it much easier if you classify them by weight. In other words, light wines with light foods and heavy wines with heavy foods.

This takes a bit of getting used to, and requires a lot more time, but it's worth it in the long run. Consider light, thinly sliced beef tenderloin, served with a touch of lemon and butter and seasoned with capers and fresh thyme. Would you serve a big, heavy Cabernet, or coarse Barbaresco? The meat would get lost. But beef is red, and the "rule" says you should serve a red wine. Or, how about cioppino, a blend of shrimp, mussels, lobster and calamari in a rich tomato broth and served with crusty bread? Most Chardonnays and nearly all Chenin Blancs and Rieslings would disappear under the avalanche of flavors.

It's time to stop worrying about the wines you must choose and start thinking about enjoying the blending of good food, good wine and good company. There are two areas to concern yourself with regarding matching food and wine:

1) Pairing light foods with light wines.
2) Deciding whether you wish to complement or contrast the flavors.

The first one is easy. A light Beaujolais or even many lighter Pinot Noirs and Zinfandels are perfect matches for salmon, swordfish and even many shellfish dishes. Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs can easily stand up to many veal, turkey and even duck dishes. If you know what the dish tastes like but not the wine, ask someone. Any wine merchant or restaurateur worth his or her pay should know what it is that they are trying to sell you.

Contrast and complementing are a bit more interesting. Now we must get into the actual preparation of the dish. A heavily spiced dish like cioppino, curry or rich tomato sauces go well with big, oaky Chardonnays as well as a brawny Amador County Zinfandel or a full-bodied Petite Sirah. Lots of herbs and spices could be complemented by a spicy Chateauneuf du Pape or an herbal, melony Sauvignon Blanc. Or, you could contrast them with a rich, cherry/berry Zinfandel or Barbera.

If you 're still sufficiently confused, lets take a look at the different types of wines.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WINE ... their descriptions and flavors

APERITIF: FINO SHERRY (Feeno) or MANZANILLA (MAN-zahn-eeya) - Nutty, earthy, floral, tart. SERVE WITH Soups, appetizers, nuts, cheeses, smoked meats.

AMONTILLADO SHERRY (Ah-MAHN-tee-ahdo) - Caramel, smooth. SERVE WITH Soups, appetizers, cheeses, smoked meats, fish.

TABLE WINES: 1) LIGHT REDS

PINOT NOIR (PEA-no No-WAH) - Rose petal, raspberry, cotton candy, spicey, velvety, rich, cherries. The grape of the great red Burgundies of France. SERVE WITH Game, lamb, chicken, salmon, swordfish.

BEAUJOLAIS (Bo-jho-LAY) - Strawberry, fresh, soft, grapey. Popular red wine of Beaujolais region of France. SERVE WITH Soups, cold salmon, chicken salad.

2) MEDIUM TO HEAVY REDS MERLOT (MER-low) - Grapey, briary, herbal, elegant, soft, rich. Softer wine similar to Cabernet and often blended with it. Coming into its own as a varietal. SERVE WITH Game, roast beef, lamb, stews.

ZINFANDEL (ZIN-fan-dell) - Raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, spicey. Uniquely California. Not sure of origin. Experimental plantings in South America and Italy. SERVE WITH Sweetbreads, roast beef, pork, venison.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Cab-er-NAY Soo-veen-YOHN) - Green olive, herbal, minty, truffles, earthy, cedar. The king of red wines. Adds strength and longevity to Bordeaux. Grows best in Napa Valley and Dry Creek, Sonoma and Alexander Valleys. SERVE WITH Rich meats like Beef Wellington, duck, lamb.

BARBERA (Bar-BEHR-Rah) - Grapey, spicey, woody. Fruity, yet substantial wine of the Piedmont area in Italy. SERVE WITH Hearty veal dishes, calamari.

PETITE SIRAH (Peh-TEE si-RAH) - Spicey, black pepper, blackberry, black currents Rich, full-bodied wine, very dark and tart. SERVE WITH Bouillabaisse, Pork, venison

3) LIGHT WHITES CHENIN BLANC (Chen-NEEN Blawn) - Melons, pears. Light, crisp wine. Can contain residual sugar. SERVE WITH Aperitif, chicken, light seafood dishes.

WHITE RIESLING (REES-ling) - Apricots, peaches, honey, green apples. Great noble grape of the Mosel and Rheingau areas of Germany. Good ones are tart. SERVE WITH Cream soups, saurbraten.

GEWURZTRAMINER (Geh-VERTZ-trah-meener) - Spice, honeydew, earthy. Can be very concentrated in spice, melon and pear flavors. Many have some sweetness. SERVE WITH Shellfish, red bell pepper soup.

4) MEDIUM TO HEAVY WHITES SAUVIGNON/FUME BLANC (Soo-veen-YOHN/FOO-may Blawn) - Herbal, earthy, grassy. Very dry and crisp with a slight herbal tinge. From the Loire and Bordeaux. Grows very well in the Central Coast, Alexander Valley and Napa. SERVE WITH Whitefish, monkfish, escargot.

SEMILLON (SEM-ee-yohn) - Figs, pineapple, soft. Richly flavored blending grape used in Bordeaux. Produced sparingly in California.

PINOT BLANC (Peano Blawn) - Bananas, melon, pineapple, buttery. Rich, concentrated flavors. Not grown in quantities because of difficulty in producing. SERVE WITH Chicken, veal, catfish.

CHARDONNAY (Shar-doe-NAY) - Green apples, butterscotch, vanilla, citrus, perfume. Great, noble grape of Burgundy. Most flavorful and versatile white grape. SERVE WITH Full flavored fish dishes like scallop mousse, lobster, salmon.

BEST BETS: Arrowood ($ 20), Matanzas Creek ($ 19), Freemark Abbey ($ 18), Rosemount Show

DESSERT WINES CREAM SHERRY-Vanilla, spice, cream. Smooth, rich "creamy" taste from a variety of Spanish grapes. SERVE WITH fruit souffle, cheesecake.

PORT-Black cherry, woody, tannic. Big, higher alcohol wine made in Portugal from five little-known varieties. SERVE WITH chocolate, raspberry desserts.

LATE HARVEST-Apricot, coconuts, raisins. Can be made from almost any grape, but primarily White Riesling, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. SERVE WITH fruit and nuts, cookies.

SPARKLING WINES BRUT - Dry, flinty, tart. Usually the driest of the bunch. Made with the least "dossage". SERVE WITH caviar, smoked salmon.

BLANC DE NOIR (Blawn de No-war) - Full-bodied, crisp, fruity, yeasty. Usually made from Pinot Noir with some skin contact to give it color and a sturdier, more obvious flavor. SERVE WITH full flavored hors d'ouvres.

EXTRA DRY-Smooth, creamy, rich. A touch of sweetness, though not a "sweet" wine. SERVE WITH cake, fruits, nuts cheeses.

Armed with the above information is just enough to make you dangerous in a crowded room. This is only a guideline. One way to further your food and wine parring knowledge is to join a wine of the month club, Here you can prepare a meal based on the recipe and taste the paired wine. For every rule there is an opposite rule when it comes to wine. Just remember than just when you think you know enough, along comes another whole part you didn't even know existed. The important thing to remember is to not get excited about it. Drink what you enjoy, with what you enjoy and with whom you enjoy. After all, it's only a bottle of wine.

Ed Masciana, author of Shortcut On Wine and newsletter editor to the Original Wine of the Month Club has engaged us with great articles on food and wine pairing. Ed has been the start-up Chef of many restaurants in Southern Califiornia. His approach to wine is "no-nonsense" and believes one of the best ways to acquaint oneself with wine and food is join a wine club

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