Selecting The Right Wine

Do you find it hard to choose the right wine for a special dinner or event?  We have a checklist of particular things to look for in a good wine.  This should help you make a great choice in your next wine purchase.

1. The White Wines:  Most commonly served as the first course, these wines do not have a really strong flavor, therefore leaving the taste buds relatively unaffected for the next course.  Do not be afraid to ask the wine salesman for his advice.  They will know exactly what year and which grape is best at this time.

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.

2. The Reds: Now you are ready to serve that special dish you have worked on all day and planned especially for your dearest friends you must choose just the right wine. This is when you go for the full bodied red. One of the most popular is a Merlot wine. Being a lighter red but still full bodied it is perfect for saute’ed chicken, grilled pork or roasted lamb.

A really nice red wine produced mostly in Oregon is the Pinot Noir.  With its blend of plum, vanilla and blackberry flavors it would be a nice addition to any meal.

The peppery flavor of the Shiraz would be a great accompaniment to spicy Mexican or Italian meal.  This is another wine that would also go well with a meal of beef or pork.

A Chianti is a perfect choice for a hearty lasagna or spaghetti dinner.  You do not have to spend a lot to get a good Chianti. Who can resist those cute little bottles wrapped in the basket weave?

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.

The main thing when hosting a dinner party is to have several choices in wines.  Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to wines.  We have offered a few guidelines of which wines would compliment a particular meal.  It is also fun to introduce your friends to a new and unusual wine they may not have tasted before.

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 it wine making site online.