Food and Wine World

Wine isn’t simply a drink to get you drunk, it helps enhance your dining experience along with the food. There are a few things you’ll need to know so that you enjoy yourself to the fullest.

Wine Opener

Most people give little thought as to opening a bottle of wine. What they don’t realize is that if done incorrectly, you can damage the contents. Although a good wine opener will do most of the work for you, it still requires a bit of technique.

You can buy wine openers that are cheap and wine openers that are expensive. If you are really passionate about wine you can buy one which is “professional” quality. It’s doesn’t really matter as long as you use the correct technique.

You’ll need to open the foil that goes over the top and round the neck and wipe the mouth clean. Remember that many bottles of wine have being lying about for some years and so can be a little dirty.

• When inserting the point of the bottle opener, make sure that it’s absolutely in the middle of the cork. Give it a firm push before turning.
• Turn the opener so that it goes right through the cork or at least most of the cork.
• Prop the wine opener lever on the mouth of the bottle and lift it steadily yet firmly. Don’t pull at the cork as you may break it.
• If you find it difficult to muster the strength to open the cork, there are corkscrews which do all the hard work for you. However for the most ardent enthusiast an ordinary waiters friend or corkscrew is all that’s require and is part of the whole ritual.

If you are opening a red bottle of wine, it’s advisable to leave it open for a few hours in order to let it breath. The breathing process allows the aromas, or rather bouquet, to be released, which gives the wine the best possible taste.

Sometimes a bottle of red wine can taste foul at first, however once it’s been allowed to breath for some time, the true flavours are released. Some say you don’t need to do this with new wines but the truth is that all red wines could do with a bit of breathing.

Presentation is almost as important as the wine itself. And wine glasses are an integral part of this process. I mean, you would never think of serving Moet Chandon in a polystyrene cup would you! No, you use the best quality glass that you can buy. There are some basic rules you can follow when it comes to buying wine glasses.

Hosting your own wine party is a great excuse for socialising with friends, family and neighbours. So learning how to be a good host with an understanding of how things should be do will go a long way to impress them.

When it comes down to it, wine is all about personal taste. There is no actual right and wrong, just a matter of opinion. This is why you should provide your guests with different varieties of wine which would be red, white, rose and sparkling.

You might even request guests bring their own bottle of wine from places around the world. Just invite half a dozen friends over and get them to bring one reasonably priced bottle of plonk. It won’t cost much and it allows you to be a little more adventurous.

You might want to specify that the bottle should cost no more that $15 and come from a specific part of the world like France or Australia. Or maybe limit the grape type to just a few.

When it comes to preparing the wine glasses you should know that a typical wine bottle requires four or five glasses. However with champagne or other white sparkling wines will need about eight flute glasses. A bottle of port will carry in the region of ten glasses. Knowing how many glasses to buy will be made easier if you know this info.

Serving it Right

When serving wine it’s important to have an understanding of what foods will compliment. Normally this information is provided on the label however if it doesn’t, a general rule of thumb is that wines from Italy go great with Italian food.

The color of the wine can tell you a lot too. Red wines will tend to go with red sauces. If your food comes with no wine then you can have white wine with vegetables and white meat.

If you still have no idea about this, ask an experienced vintner or buy a book on the subject. You’ll be able to pick up loads of tips on serving wine, food and wine combinations plus the type of glass to serve.

There are numerous different options to go with in terms of wine consumption, never be afraid to experiment with combinations and realize new tastes through trial and error. An excellent idea would probably be to save the experimentation until after the wine party, though.

In order to enjoy your dining experience to the fullest, it’s important that you understand the guidelines to food and wine pairing. If you want to have a better understanding of this, simply follow some of these guidelines;-

Red Wine

How does red wine get its colour? Wine is produced from grapes which undergo a process to extract the juice. The color comes from the tannins which are in the skin of the grape. The longer the skin stays in the juice, the more tannic the end product becomes.

It’s not just the grape variety which gives the wine its taste. There is a lot more to winemaking than that. Other influences are at work including climate, region and soil of the vineyard. You may not realize this until you become a more experienced wine taster and have visited a number of vineyards. This is why some people inquire about the region the wine has been grown. It’s not because they want to show off as being a wine buff, but because the region really does have an effect on taste.

Normally red wines are fuller and heavier bodied than white, which means they should be served with red meats and pasta. The heavier the wine, the more suited it is to heavy foods including gravy and cheese.

An Introductory Guide to Red Wine and Food Pairing:

Pinot noir – This is the lightest of all the red grapes so can be enjoyed with game or duck depending on what gravy is served.

Merlot – This is medium to heavy and the most mellow of the reds. This is the ideal wine for those who have never had a glass of red before.

Cabernet Sauvignon – This is the most heavy of the red family and works with heavy cheese and red meats.

The above wines are of course the type of grape used and doesn’t refer to the region. This makes food and wine pairing much easier for a beginner.

White Wine

The funny thing is that white wines can actually be made from red grapes. Most people think that they’re made from white grapes but it’s the opposite which is normally true. The actual flesh of the grape is white, whilst the color is contained within the skins. So white wines made from red grapes have simply had the skins removed immediately before processing.

A Quick Guide to White Wine and Food Pairing:

Pinot grigio – A very pleasant light white wine that is ideal for vegetarian dishes and salads.

Sauvignon Blanc/Fume Blanc – Medium white which compliments light pasta, poultry and pizza.

Chardonnay – A heavy white which makes an ideal choice when eating heavy white meats and grills.

There are of course many more types of wine other the ones listed above so more experimenting can be done to find the perfect food and wine pairing. However these are good general rules for a beginner to follow.

Don’t just read what the books tell you, decide for yourself as you’ll learn better that way and develop a taste. You can only hope to become a professional wine taster by tasting, tasting and even more tasting.

Although Australian wine is considered part of the new world, they have actually been producing wine for over 200 years.

An Introduction to Australian Wine

It’s only been in relatively recent years that Australian wine has gathered popularity in other parts of the world. The grapes are grown in no less than 30 wine growing regions, however there are four main states which you should be aware of when selecting Australian wine.

South Australia – Southern Valley (MsLaren Vale), Barossa, Adelaide Hills, Padthaway, Valley, Clare, Coonawarra.

New South Wales - Hunter Valley, Mudgee

Victoria – Mornington Peninsula, Bendigo, Geelong, Great Western, Rutherglen, Yarra Valley, Goulburn Valley, Milawa, Moonambel.

Western Australia – Lower Great Southern, Frankland, Margaret River.

The majority of wines grown in Australia are red which include:-

Pinot Noir – This is one of the lighter reds you can buy and is so light you can enjoy it with white meats.

Cabernet Sauvignon – A full bodied wine with a rich earthy taste. Makes an ideal accompaniment to a red meat meal.

Shiraz – A popular grape for many, this is a robust wine with a mellow finish. There is also a berry and fruit after taste.

Australia, of course, also produce many varieties of white wine which may include:-

Riesling – A light and fruity grape which tastes great with salads and fish.

Semillion – Not one of the most popular grape varietals however it’s normally blended with Chardonnay to make it very drinkable indeed. It’s a medium dry wine and served with white meats and seafood.

Chardonnay – One of the most popular white wines the world over which gives a full body and butter taste. Great served with white meats and pasta.

Wine should always be selected to compliment what your are eating. Food and wine pairing is an art which some people have perfected better than others. You’ll only refine this art with practice. Australian wine is as good as anywhere in the world and should be appreciated as much as any wine produce from France.

Not only can you enjoy an Australian wine with most meals but also with snacks such as cheese. When you come to the end of a meal in a restaurant, instead of ordering a calorie-loaded desert, perhaps you should try a glass of Australian red with some cheese and crackers.

Although drinking in excess is very bad for your health, a glass per day is even recommended by doctors for reducing cholesterol and increasing metabolism.