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Selecting The
Right Wine
Selecting the right wine really depends upon
personal tastes. You can do research on the
various vineyards, what was a good year for a
particular wine, etc. but the bottom line is
what do you like. We have listed a few things
to look for when selecting the right
wine to make your next purchase a
successful one.
White
Wines
A white wine is a great choice to serve with
hors d'oeuvres as your guests are arriving. A
white wine has a light, fresh flavor that won't
interfere with the main dish. The Chardonnays,
Sauvignon Blancs, and a good Chablis are all
good choices. Ask your local wine merchant what
he or should would suggest. They will let you
sample some upon request.
When toasting that special event in your
life or the life of a loved one the whites are
a perfect choice. The more common toasting wine
for weddings and anniversaries is of course the
more elegant choice of Champagne.
Red
Wines
A nice hearty red wine such as a Merlot or
Burgundy would be perfect with an Italian meal
or with grilled steak, pork or lamb. Serving a
good red with a meal can actually help to
enhance the dinner.
The Pinot Noir, while not as commonly served
as a Merlot or Cabernet, is a unique blend of
plum, vanilla and blackberry. Oregon produces
Pinot Noir where the blackberries grow wild and
are sweet and juicy. This wine will certainly
be a hit.
When hosting a spicy Mexican meal the Shiraz
is a perfect compliment with its peppery flavor
that brings out the spiciness of your enchilada
suiza or chili verde.
The perfect wine to complete an Italian meal
would be a Chianti. With its rich flavor and
deep red color it blends easily with ravioli
and pizza. When you finish the wine, the
beautiful raffia wrapped bottles make great
candle holders and set the mood for your
romantic Italian dinner.
If you are serving a tender rib roast,
tenderloin steak, Chateaubriand, filet mignon,
or tournedos of beef, a robust Burgundy would
be just the ticket.
As you can see from the suggestions above
selecting the right wine should include both a
white wine and a red wine on hand when hosting
a dinner. Some guests will most likely pick the
wine they prefer and stay with that choice for
the entire evening. Another may choose a white
for the start of the evening and finish with a
red. So always be prepared.
If wine is your hobby you may want to
consider producing your own wine at home. There
are several fruit wine recipes that are not
complicated turn out a great wined to serve
with desserts or chilled on a hot summer
afternoon. Look for some recipes at a fruit
wine making site online.
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