Great Grape News

Ordering wine in a restaurant can be intimidating. We may not be familiar with the many available products on the wine list. We certainly have no idea how to pronounce the name of this German producer Weingut Petershof - Eitelsbacher Marienholz Riesling Spätlese, and God forgive if the waiter asks us a questions as to vintage or appellations.

The following are a few guidelines for you to consider the next time you are ready to “wine and dine”.

Number 1 priority, have an idea how much you want to spend on wine. This will usually narrow your choices and you can concentrate on the wines in your price range. Remember, more expensive does not always mean more better.

Decide whether you would like a red or white. This depends on your personal preferences and those of your companion(s) and your choice of food. At times, it may me preferable to order two different wines, especially if there is a wide discrepancy of wishes in your party.

Ask the waiter for advice. Heck that's one of the reasons you will be leaving this big tip. 

Particularly in more upscale restaurants with a good wine selection, your waiter is likely to be fairly knowledgeable about their wines on the list. Tell him/her your taste preferences, how much you are willing to spend, and what you are planing to eat. Ask for a suggestion.

If you don't want to ask the waiter or don't expect to get a recommendation, stick to familiar brands and varieties. Most restaurants will offer a few wines from well-known producers. As you become gutsier, branch out to try new brands and varieties.

Now you finished your dinner. You had a great eating experience, you liked the food and you liked the wine. Only one slide problem remains, there is still a bunch of wine left in the bottle. Do they have doggy bags for wine? No, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with sticking the cork back into the bottle, grab that baby and take it home. You paid for it, it's yours. Why would you have the restaurant throw away a perfectly good wine when you can enjoy the remainders at home?

Many restaurants offer wine by the glass. This is a good way of trying several different wines without having to pay bottle price. You could try a white with the first course and a red with the entrée.

Warning: stay away from the infamous “house -wines” unless it's a name brand you are familiar with. These house-wines, I call them mystery wines, usually come from a 5-gallon jug of cheap sweet wine at an astronomic markup. 

The Waiters Ritual
In some restaurants there is no ritual. The waitress disappears after you order and returns with a warm glass of what appears to be wine, plunks it in front of you and you wonder why you just didn't order a cold beer.
 

This is what should happen:
After you order your wine, the waitress will bring the bottle to your table to show it to you. You would want to make sure it is what you ordered (make sure it's the vintage you wanted). 

Then she  pulls the cork, present the cork to you and pour you a small taste. Once you approve the waitress continues to pour for everyone else on the table. 

The cork is presented to you for inspection. This ritual dates back to when there were no labels on bottles and unscrupulous restaurateurs often passed off ordinary wine as coming from famous wineries. To minimize corruption, wineries began to identify their wines by branding the cork with their names.

This practice caught on and waiters began presenting the cork to guests to verify the wine's identity. 

This custom continues today, but its purpose now these days is to allow the customer to smell the cork. Although smelling the cork is slowly abandoned by most wine connoisseurs because it certainly is no substitute for actually drinking the wine.

I would suggest to you to serve the wine you prefer, not what someone else told you to drink. This being said, there are some things you need to consider.

Here are some of them:
Wine should either compliment or a contrast should be considered.
 
 
 
 

Beef isn't always prepared the same way. A Spencer roast is similar to prime rib and would be complemented by a medium-framed Pinot Noir. However, if the roast is covered in herbs and garlic, perhaps a syrah is better
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When in doubt, California sparkling wine and quality rosé wines are classic all-purpose matches for a wide variety of cuisine's. 

With Asian foods, keep in mind the heat and the sweetens. If the main dish is either fairly sweet or hot, choose an off-dry wine, preferably with lower alcohol, such as a German Riesling.

With salty foods, pick an off-dry wine with flowery character, such as a Gewürztraminer.

Chilled dishes usually have less overt flavors and thus a delicate wine would work well. Try a Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc from Italy.

Don't try to match wine with foods containing noticeable amounts of vinegar, such as salads, though salads with cream dressing work well.

Finally, on days when the weather is hot and temperatures above 90 degrees, you may want to avoid wine with high alcohol contents when dining outdoors. How about just a cold beer?

In describing the characteristics of each you may keep in mind that I am generalizing. Obviously not all, say, Chardonnay’s are alike, or  Merlots, or Rieslings. 

Chardonnay – Probably the world's most popular dry white; it's medium to full-bodied, with apple and citrus flavors, sometimes accompanied by a buttery tone from fermentation and aging in oak. Goes well with seafood and poultry dishes. 

Pinot Noir - It is a great food wine, generally delicate while having fruity flavors, like strawberry and cherry. Goes well grilled salmon, roasted chicken and even tuna. 

Sauvignon Blanc – More delicate in nature than Chardonnay because its flavors do not overpower certain dishes. It is perfect with seafood, like shellfish, shrimp or scallops. Also enhances pasta dishes with pesto and Caesar salads. 

Cabernet Sauvignon – The king among all reds. Usually full-bodied with rich currant flavors, but can somewhat tannic when young. Best with meat dishes that are simple prepared.

Silvaner - A grape whose wines tend to have more body than Riesling or Muller-Thurgau and less intense flavors. Its acidity is moderate. As a result, Silvaner tends to pair well with savory foods, which are not too pronounced in flavor, for example: mildly flavored fish, chicken, veal, and pork dishes in light sauces.

Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) - German Pinot Noirs tend to be crisper and a bit lighter than their French counterparts. As a result, they tend to pair well with dishes that are savory and moderately intense in character, particularly those with mild sauces (e.g., veal in marsala sauce, grilled salmon, prime rib of beef, game sausages). 

Merlot - has emerged as a premium varietal grape. Somewhat similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, yet softer and warm on the palate. Rich and moderately tannic. Great young or aged. Merlot wines are dark, rich and strong. Aromas include scents of plums, black cherry, toffee, chocolate, violets, orange and tea.

Zinfandel – the world's most versatile grape, used to make everything from blush wine (White Zinfandel) to light, Beaujolais-style reds and even Ports. Goes well with full-flavored entrees like stews and casseroles, hearty Italian dishes such as Eggplant Parmesan or mushroom-based dishes. 

Riesling - Germany's greatest white wine grape. Riesling makes fragrant, elegant wines with refreshing acidity. Because of their crispness, Riesling wines are extremely flexible with a wide variety of foods.

Syrah – Also known as Shiraz in Australia. This is a ripe and full of blackberry flavored grape, with hints of pepper. Goes very well with game such as pheasant or meats that feature anise or fennel. Try adding a cup of Syrah to your cooked chicken. 

Wine and Food Pairing Link
For recommendations as to which wine to pair with your favorite food visit this link:
http://www.baycountryliquors.com/

Wine and Bar Accessories
Bay Country Liquors has now added wine and bar accessories to their inventory. The list of items include Riedel glasses, cellar cooling units, racks, decanters, corkscrews and other gadgets and gizmos. Items are currently available only through our Internet sales catalog. For a complete list and prices visit us at www.baycountryliquors.com