Wine country is undiscovered country for many people. Some people do not know what wine pairs nicely with what foods, or even what some good wines to try might be. This article is for those people to learn more about food wine. Here, you will get an overview about food-wine relations and what wines typically go with what foods. No longer do people have to be ignorant about their food and wine combinations.
First of all, the old, traditional rule that white wine goes with fish and poultry and red wine goes with red meats is still a good rule to follow. The basic rule for food wine is that the tastes of the food and wine should react well with each other. Each bite of food should cover any taste of wine and any taste of wine should cover the taste of the food. Drinking wine with food is designed to be more of a palate cleanser, so that each bite of food tastes as good as the first and it is the same for the wine. You will know that a wine is a bad match for the food if you can taste the one or the other, over the other item. Of course, with so many different styles of foods mixed together in one dish, it makes it harder to pair wine to food. Another good rule to follow when trying to match foods and wines is to pair heavier wines with heavier dishes.
The main determination for food wine combinations is the balance of sweetness, acidity and bitterness of both the food and wine. It is pretty easy to figure out what wine should go with what foods by considering the wine and food characteristics. If a sweet food is being served, pair it with a sweeter wine. For bitter foods, a more bitter wine is in order. The best way to determine the acidity of a food is to determine if it would go better with more acid added. For example, adding lemon to a fish means that a more acidic wine should be consumed. Some common white wines that are acidic are: Rieslings, most sparkling wines and white Bordeauxs. Acidic red wines include: Gamays, Pinot Noirs and Sangioveses. Sweet white wines include: White Zinfandels, other forms of Rieslings and Chenin Blancs. Sweet red wines can include: Port and Lambrusco. There are not many bitter white wines, but there are some bitter red wines. These can include, red Zinfandels, Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons.
So there you have it, an overview about the very basic elements to food wine parings and how to determine which wines should be paired with what foods. The world of wine is very broad, but these simple rules can definitely help keep newcomers to the world of wine on the right track. If you are interested in learning more, then join a wine club or check out some books that cover the subject. You will be glad you did.
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Having invested possibly hundreds of dollars in your latest bottle of vintage wine (ah well, we can but dream), the next important decision is region to store this prized possession? The main issue when it defining moment to storing wine is that it needs to be maintained at a cool temperature of between 12 and 16 degrees Celsius. Shoved under the bed won’t do.
Many modern wines do not need to be aged over a great period of time; therefore extensive cellars are often unnecessary. Having said this, if you have the time, space and resource to excavate a cellar, your wine will surely benefit. A purpose built cellar is not normally an option for most households and so suitable alternatives must be explored.
Ideal areas for storage include a corner of a garage, garden shed, an unused fireplace or a cupboard that is against an outside wall.
Wherever you choose to store your wine, a few basic criteria are worth keeping in mind.
Choose an area that is less likely to be subjected to fluctuating temperatures caused by household heating systems.
Wines benefit from being kept in dark conditions. Although this is not always practical, wine should certainly be stored in an area that is not exposed it to direct sunlight.
As a final point, always store your red wine bottles on their side. Corks are designed to be kept moist, so that they remain airtight and do not crumble when a corkscrew is inserted.
Bear in mind that some wines do not benefit from being stored at all. If you have poor or no storage facilities available, consider purchasing wine that matures quickly such as most white wines or new technology reds or, possibly, a new Beaujolais.
Move white wine as little as possible once it has been placed in storage, unless of course it is being moved into a glass!
If you have a particularly special wine collection, it may be worth engaging a specialist company to store your wine for you. Good storage has been recognized as vital for many wines and as such, many companies now provide storage facilities. Of course, this does not fall in cheap and is best reserved for those amply special bottles or for those experts who are considering selling their wine on, at a future date.
Decanting is a strange word to many people. Some do not even know story it means exactly. Taking the sophistication out of it, decanting literally means pouring the wine from the bottle to a special glass container. This is done in order to expose the wine to oxygen and enrich it.
What is the meaning of this process? Do all wines benefit from decanting or not? The wine experts are not in agreement. Some say wine should be decanted in order to allow it to “breathe” and develop fully before consumption. Others claim decanting does not contribute to the quality of the wine.
So who is right? Well, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Decanting does seem to benefit certain wines more captious others. Most red wines, except for the very aged and some white ones would definitely benefit from decanting 1-2 hours before serving. Young red wines, on the other hand, which are low in tannins, light and fruity, would not improve if allowed to oxidize. There are also wines specifically would actually suffer from decanting. Those are the aged reds. Their quality could worsen if allowed too much contact with air.
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If you’re serious about your wines you have probably joined a wine club. If you are a wine club member you can be assured you will have frequent wine spills, and the following information will be valuable for you
Nothing strikes fear and dread into the heart of any spot-fearing individual than a red wine stain. This classic spot has ruined more than one garment. It has been the cause of dread for homeowners who own light-colored carpeting and it has left many smiles dingy-purple.
Not every wine stain is red. You may find yourself wondering how to get rid of a white wine stain as well. The initial step is to pour cold water on the affected area. This needs to be completed as quickly as possible. These types of spills usually occur during a special occasion like a party and you may feel a bit rude, but it is crucial to get that cold water to the wine spot as soon as you possibly can in order to assure that it will be removed promptly.
If the white stain is on clothing or other material that can be turned inside out, pour the water from the back of the area instead of the front. Of course, this method can’t be used on most rugs so pouring from the top is the only option for these materials. However, a shirt should be turned inside out when addressing the area.
Step two in the white wine stain removal process is to rub the fabric with liquid laundry detergent. After utilizing the laundry detergent, let the fabric stand for about five to fifteen minutes. Dish detergent will work very well with this, too. If you are looking at a white wine stain on a rug, it is definately best to use a carpet spot cleaner. These can be found at your local grocery store in quite easily but it is always a good idea to keep some on hand for just such an emergency.
If the wine stain is still visible then let the fabric soak in cold water for at least thirty minutes. This can be quite inconvenient but it is a must if you want to save the garment. Wash the fabric as you normally would after the soak but be sure to look for the wine stain before putting the garment into the dryer. If the spot is still visible, try a commercial laundry stain remover and rewash the item.
Your rug may need to be professionally cleaned if the white wine stain is still prevalent after a few hours. This professional cleaning should be booked as soon as possible to assure that the white wine stain will be removed completely.
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