Serving Temperatures for White Wine

The catch phrase is “serve whites chilled”, right? On a hot day, that’s a great idea! But, when you have a special bottle you want to be sure to get what you paid for. If it’s too cold that’s not going to happen. Think about it: when you make a pot of soup you can smell it all over the house. The left-over soup, straight out of the fridge doesn’t seem to have any aroma at all. It’s because it’s too cold. So – for that high-quality white, cool, not cold, is our suggestion. Somewhere in the low to mid 50s works well. But, this is only a suggestion! The wine is yours to enjoy as you see fit. We just can’t afford to waste our money… And, when it’s a hot day and you want ice-cold wine or you want to plunk an ice cube in just buy something simple and inexpensive and plunk away! Cheers! More on wine service at home

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5 Tips for Pairing Wine with Chocolate

‘Tis the season to be decadent! And what could be more decadent than pairing wine with your chocolate?

Warning! It’s not a slam dunk. Most of the time pairing with and food is really easy  because wine’s structure makes it a natural partner. But, serving dry wine with sweet food takes a little thought because the sweetness of the food can make the dry wine seem sour. Think chocolate cake with lemonade – yuk!

But, the pairing is definitely do-able and when it comes together right, it’s really quite wonderful! So, here are some tips:

1.Chocolate and dry wine: If you want to pair chocolate with dry table wine, like a good Cab, Merlot or Zin your best bet it to go with dark, bitter and bittersweet chocolate with a high cacao content. Bitter nuts, like walnuts and hazelnuts help. So does espresso or coffee. And, berry fillings if they aren’t too sweet. And, in this day of chocolates with unorthodox fillings, I’ll recommend black pepper — maybe it’s out there, and its bitterness is a great bridge builder.

2. Chocolate and sweet wine: Now, this is MUCH easier! Because chocolate is a strong flavor, red dessert wines like late-harvest Zinfandel, Port and Banyuls wine are a good way to go but you won’t have any sourness problems with other choices like Sauternes, sweet Madeira (Malmsey) or Tokaji. Or, even a sweet Muscat, like our Muscat Canelli.

3. Nuts are a great thing! Nutty fillings are delicious with nutty, sweet Sherry (Pedro Ximenez), tawny Port and Madeira.

4. When caramel is in the mix: Keep in mind caramel is very sweet, but it also presents a luscious opportunity: Vin Santo, tawny Port and Madeira have wonderfully caramelized flavors and will be yummy partners!

5. Have you ever seen a whole bottle of wine, dipped in a 1/2 pound of chocolate??? Talk about decadent! Great Christmas gift! We have them! Cheers!

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2 Reasons to Decant Your Wine

Most of the time when you decant, it’s for red wine but there’s nothing wrong with decanting white. Reason #1: Because the wine is young. If you splash it into a decanter or pitcher for an hour or so before serving it will make it more expressive – the wine “opens up” and starts talking! Reason #2: Because the wine is old. Wine forms sediment with age, which is kind of gritty. If you have a nice old bottle, stand it up for a good 1/2 day to get the sediment settled. Then, right at serving time, decant the clear wine off of the sediment. You’ll need good light to do this or, for old-time’s sake, use a candle. Cheers! More on wine service at home

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Ca’ Momi Enoteca in Napa

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Fun Fact by Sherry Page, Culinary Getaways: Ca’ Momi Enoteca in Napa

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Screw Caps

Quick facts: They’ve popped up like mushrooms, mainly because of some problems associated with natural cork (problems that are fading). Of course, they’re also cheap, compared to cork. For wines that don’t improve with age (most whites, rosés and an awful lot of reds) they’re the best seal to keep the wine fresh. The jury is still out on long-term aging. Environmentally, and for cellaring, the natural cork is still the best choice. But, when you’re on a picnic and your forgot your cork screw… How do you feel about them? More on corks and alternatives. More on aging and cellaring.

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Swirling the Wine

As a visitor once asked, when he noticed me swirling the wine, “Are you just showing off?” Well, no, actually. Of the hundreds of compounds in a glass of wine, some are particularly fragrant. Before swirling, they’re contained in the liquid (bound in solution). When you swirl, they’re released as vapor and up comes the “nose”. Experiment: Smell the wine. Swirl vigorously for several seconds. Smell it again. You’ll become a believer! More on wine tasting.

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The Perfect Wine Glass

Shopping for wine glasses? The reason the glasses at wine bars and wineries all look about the same is they’re functional! The ideas is to have a bowl that gives the wine some room to “breathe” with a narrowed opening to capture the lovely aromas that are released so that when you pop your nose in, you get the full impact! And, keep in mind that you only fill the glass about a generous 1/3 full, so the glass should be at least 10 ounces. Beyond that, the other distinctions are niceties, not necessities. More info

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Rose, Blush Wine & White Zinfandel

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Fun Fact by Nancy Hawks Miller, Goosecross: Rose, Blush Wine & White Zinfandel

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3 Ways to Save Left-Over Wine

While it’s hard for us to imagine having any left over wine, EVER, there’s always a first time! Three suggestions: #1: Move the wine to a smaller bottle (the bottle needs to be full to the top). #2: Gas it! Private Preserve is the best-known brand. We sell it – most wine shops do. #3: Go get a vacuum pump at your local wine shop. What do they all have in common? They eliminate the enemy in the headspace: air.

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Red Wine Stains

Tomorrow’s the big day! So, what if Uncle Ralph spills his Syrah on your heirloom lace tablecloth? Or your lovely white carpet? Recommendation #1: Whatever you do, do it immediately! #2: Dab, don’t rub! #3: Two words: Wine Away. Fabulous, effective product. We sell it – everybody sells it (or should)! #4: A little dish soap and hydrogen peroxide works great! Happy Thanksgiving!

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