Wine is a way to class up any meal. But for many of us, the subtleties of wine can be a bit perplexing. This article will clear up many confusing aspects of wine and make sure that you look classy while enjoying wine with your favorite foods.
How much Wine to Buy?
When planning a meal, you should always make sure you have enough wine. A simple guide to how much wine to buy is a 750ml bottle serves 5 glasses. Use this as a base, and buy enough depending on how many glasses you would like to enjoy with your meal. Remember, having an extra bottle never hurts.
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What to serve the Wine in.
There are all purpose wine glasses that will do in a pinch, but to show real class, you should use the proper glass for the proper wine.
Knowing What to Say
When talking about wine, there is a lingo that all wine connoisseurs use. Knowing the terms will not only help you appear more knowledgeable about wine, but it will also help you when choosing what wine to serve with what type of food.
Aroma / Bouquet
- Aroma is the fruity scent in a young wine.
- Bouquet is the complex scent of an aged wine.
Body
- Body is the substance of a wine in your mouth. It is usually described as light, medium or full.
Crisp / Soft
- Crispness refers to a wine with a sharp taste
- Soft is the taste of a smooth wine
Fruity
- A fruity wine has the flavors of ripe fruit.
Finish
- A wines finish is the impression left by the wine on your palate
Oaky
- An oaky wine is a characteristic flavor left by aging the wine in an oak barrel
Tannin
- Tannin is a natural preservative found in grape skins, stems, and seeds. High levels of tannin in wine will make you pucker
Choosing a Wine to go with your Food
I’ve heard it said that white wines are for fish and poultry, and red wines are for red meat. That oversimplifies things quite a bit. To know what type of wine best suits your dish, ask the sommelier. However, if you are not at a restaurant, you may want to try to pair your dish with a wine using this wine pairing infographic below. Just find the right type of wine (light, medium or full bodied) to go with your dish, and then pick a wine that has been reviewed to have those qualities.
Usually, Cabernets, Merlots and Malbecs are considered full bodied reds, whereas a Chardonnay would be a full bodied white.
Good examples of Medium bodied wines are Pinot Noirs, or Burgandy’s on the red side, and Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc on the white.
When looking for a light bodied wine, most people think of the white wines like Muscadet, Riesling, or Pinot Blanc. If looking for a light bodied red, try a Zinfandel, Lambrusco, or a Gamay..
Featured image by David DeFino
Model Monique Parent
