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How to Serve the Right Wine by Vince Spertone http://www.feelwine.com You may have a favorite wine that you order no matter what you're eating, and that's just fine if it is for you. When you entertain, or if you are out in a restaurant, you may want to know the right types of wine to complement each type of food. In a restaurant, you should be able to count on the waiter to assist in you in these decisions, but when entertaining at home, you'll want to know the basics of "what goes with what". Serving white wine with fish is the standard wisdom. If you plan to serve a fish that has been grilled, broiled, baked or saut~ed, the perfect choice is Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. But if you blacken your fish, that's a heavier meal, and a fuller bodied white should chosen: Johannisberg Riesling is a good choice. Serve White Zinfandel with Baked Sole, but shellfish calls for something like a Sauvignon Blanc or Johannisberg Riesling. With salmon, also try Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. A creamy dish like Lobster Thermidor needs Zinfandel or Beaujolais. A beef dishes would be accompanied by a strong red if we following the standard wisdom, for example a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Some great meats to enjoy these wines with are New York Strip Steak, Beef Wellington, Filet Mignon, Prime Rib and Tournedos of Beef. However, Beef Stroganoff, with its sour cream sauce, is best complemented by Merlot or Pinot Noir. Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon goes with a spicy dish as Pepper Steak and for hamburgers, Beaujolais. Poultry is also best accompanied by white wines, but light reds can also fit the bill. Roast Chicken tastes well with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, but when you are serving Barbecued Chicken, a light red such as Beaujolais should be served. Chicken with Brown Sauce should be served with either Chardonnay or Beaujolais, and Chicken with Cream Sauce with Chardonnay or Johannisberg Riesling. Try the fruitier White Zinfandel or Johanisberg Riesling with Sweet and Sour Chicken, but for the Famous "Canard a l'Orange" ( Roasted Duck with Orange Sauce), nothing will complement it better than a full bodied Zinfandel or Pinot Beaujolais. What do you do with pasta, now that we know what to do with fish, chicken and beef. Each pasta dish is differenct and needs its own particular wine. For example, Pasta Primavera is a light dish calling for a Soave or Sauvignon Blanc. Lasagna, however, other hand, with its heavy red sauce,goes better with a heavier Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon. When you serve Cannelloni, you should serve a chilled Chardonnay and if you serve a creamy dish like Fettuccini Alfredo, you need to contrast it with a lively Frascati or Sauvignon Blanc. Fettuccini Marinara, is accompanied best by a red wine (for the red sauce) that is light (for the pasta). The perfect choice here would be the classic light red wine, Beaujolais. Pesto dishes call for either Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio; Soave goes best with Linguine al Clam Sauce. White wines should be chilled and gull-bodied red wines served at room temperature, but light red wines should also be slightly chilled. Refrigerate for up to two hours, or until just chilled, not overchilled. No wine should be served too cold whether it is white or light red. Serving the appropriate wine with each dish isn~t difficult once you get used to it and use common sense, (or, just commit them to memory). After a few memorial meals with the perfect wine, you'll be happy you remembered the right combinations. |