It's a fact that food is a basic requirement for all life, but with the fast food habit that our society has developed over the last 50 years or so it seems that how and what we eat on an everyday basis is almost an afterthought. It was not always that way.

In the old world, meals were a much more important part of everyday life, and the person in charge of meals often spent hours preparing several meals daily. People took more time to share these meals. It was a time to nourish ourselves while sharing thoughts and bonding over the simple pleasures of the meal.  For centuries in cultures all over the world, the meal ritual continued and wine, ales, beers and soft drinks were developed to accompany and accent our food preparations. Over many years different beverages were consumed with the meal, but wine became a favorite in many parts of the world for several reasons. Its flavor elements were a natural pairing with different foods, and it was also used to aid digestion. Wine helped make simple food more palatable and good food taste even better. The alcohol in wine helped make the meal a relaxing event and in social situations it helped people loosen up and enjoy themselves.

Then came the 20th century. Things changed dramatically as the industrial age brought many developments that helped speed up our lives in the name of progress. Over many decades the patterns of life for most developed societies changed dramatically. Life had begun to revolve around the city, new processes brought about mass produced beverages and frozen foods, and partly because of these changes, the traditional family unit's lifestyle radically changed. In this busy society, where making a living meant long hours away from home, the meal preparer often took on a fulltime job outside of the home. This meant families were separated for much of the day, and for many there was not enough time to partake in a communal meal until work was over. Less and less time was spent on the preparation of the daily nourishment - fast food became a common term and dinners were much less though out, and often accompanied by inexpensive soft drinks. Wine consumption with meals became more associated with the upper class's formal meals or special occasions.

After many decades of this "progress", it became clear to many that this quality of life was lacking in many ways. In recent decades, more people have begun to notice the negative side effects of this lifestyle, including obesity, stress related disorders, and others that can be attributed to our hectic lifestyle.

In the United States, a country made up of people who came from many cultures throughout the world, we are now seeing a revisiting of the traditional meal with careful preparation of food using more time and fresh ingredients. Even for those with little time, what we eat and how we do it has become important again. With a plethora of food choices and the ability to experience all the cuisines of the world, we are in a unique place in history, a time where we have discovered how important the meal is to us, not just as a food source, but as a way to exercise our senses and improve our life experience.
 
This brings me back to my favorite subject, wine.  As food has become more of a sensual pleasure and the preparation of meals with different flavors, styles, and cuisines is reintroduced into our daily meals, wine in its many variations has once again resurfaced as a natural pairing for almost any meal. Whether red, white or pink, sweet or dry, fruity or savory, wine stimulates the senses and helps us enjoy our meal - often taking a simple meal to a higher level.

I've spoken to many people who enjoy wine but have a hard time deciding which wine goes with which type of food. A popular way to shop for wine is to ask your wine merchant to help complement a particular meal. We in the industry have a lot of standard pairings to help us answer these questions. To simplify the subject, basic guidelines were developed over the years the to help select the wine to pair with a meal, such as "pair red wines with beef or lamb, pair white wines with fish or chicken", but these are simplifications which should be used as general guidelines, and definitely not hard and fast rules.

There can be many different flavors in a meal, so no one set of rules apply. Do not be afraid to experiment! Take a little time to learn the general flavor profiles of the different varietals, then mix and match to your hearts content.  Yes, a nice full bodied Cabernet is great with a beef rib roast, crispy Sauvignon Blanc will be great with Trout Almondine, but there is no reason to limit yourself to "classic pairings".  Although there is definitely something to be said for pairing the wines of a particular region with the corresponding cuisine, there's no reason that you can't enjoy a German Spatlese (Riesling)  with Kung Pao Chicken or Mongolian beef or any number of spicy Asian or Mexican dishes for that matter. Or how about a spicy Shiraz with a ham sandwich? Enjoy a medium bodied red Pinot Noir or Chianti with your fried chicken picnic; enjoy your favorite Malbec wine with a savory pork loin. Use a little red wine in the sauce that you use in your chicken dish and enjoy the same wine with the meal. Specialized food requirements shouldn't limit your choices; a vegetarian should not have any problem enjoying a nice red wine with your vegetable lasagna.

More ideas? By looking at the varied flavors in the different wines which are readily available to us in many parts of the country, you can find many new and exciting ways to pair food and wine. Try taking cues from the different flavor combinations used in the world's cuisines, and pair a light sweet wine like an Italian Moscato di Asti with a hot spicy dish for contrast, or complement a creamy Alfredo sauced pasta dish with a creamy Chardonnay. A fruity Zinfandel works well with a Mexican posole and when in doubt you can always open a bottle of Champagne - a wine that I believe complements virtually any meal, especially salty or savory foods.

We are so fortunate in these times, especially here in the United States, to be able to experience an unprecedented variety of both food and wine at reasonable prices, so use your imagination, try new pairings and open your horizons to the simple pleasures of food and wine.

About the Vintner 

The Wine Club has been offering fine wines and accessories at discounted prices since 1985. Today there are 3 stores in California: Santa Ana, San Francisco, and Santa Clara, and www.thewineclub.com, a web store that has a constantly changing inventory of over 1200 different wines and accessory items for you to choose from, you can pick them up or we can ship to most of the USA. Stores are open 7 days a week and each has wine tasting events scheduled on most weekends, so come on by and visit.

After the holiday season is over and the New Year begins, we are often looking forward to the lighter fare and the accompanying white wines that are soon to come in spring, but its still late winter, ski season, where there is still a fair amount of cold crisp weather in many areas of the world. I’m still not done with my comfort foods, and with these, certain wines seem to come to mind when I am choosing a red wine to accompany meals.

For many wine lovers, the Sangiovese based wines of the more Mediterranean climate of Tuscany, such as Chianti or Brunello, first come to mind when thinking of great Italian wine, but some of the greatest wines in the world are produced in the northeast of Italy in the region of Piedmont. This region, sharing borders with France and Switzerland, is an alpine area sandwiched between the mountain ranges of the Alps and the Apennines. It is in this cool northerly climate that the noble dark grape varietal called Nebbiolo is made into some of the finest red wine in the world. The name of the grape is a derivation of nebbia which means fog, and it comes from the frequently foggy conditions common in October when the grapes are harvested. Nebbiolo is a late ripening varietal and it produces medium bodied wines of high acidity with powerful tannins. They often require extensive aging to soften the tannins and enhance their elegance.  It should be noted that Nebbiolo can be grown and vinified in other parts of the world including California and other New World wine producing areas, but because this grape is so distinctively shaped by the local growing conditions in Piedmont, in my experience, they are distinctly different than the classic Italian versions.

Within Piedmont, Nebbiolo is primarily harvested in the region of Alba, and the most famous versions of these are called Barolo and Barbaresco, after the respective towns where they are produced. Barolo traditionally produces wines that are austere and tannic in their youth but which evolve into beautifully balanced wines over a decade or more. Barbaresco wines are typically a little more forward and approachable in their youth, and have slightly less alcohol; both wines spend at least 3 years in the barrel before they are released to the market. In recent years there has been a trend to produce a more modern version of the traditional Barolo that is aged in new oak barrels rather than old, this adds a new world touch to the wines that sets off the natural tannic structure. It’s a good idea to ask when shopping whether the wine is newer styled or traditional Barolo, both are good, but the traditional versions will generally need several more years of cellar time to mellow the tannins.. There are also many Nebbiolo wines produced outside of these towns as well. Producers in towns like Ghemme, Gattinarra  and Alba make blends made primarily from Nebbiolo, these wines are notable for their early approachability, often coming into their own within 5 or 6 years of barrel and bottle aging; their relative affordability make them an excellent choice for an everyday meal accompaniment.

Nebbiolo wines are notable for their highly recognizable aromas of violets and tar and they often have hints of wild strawberries, mint, licorice, roses, chocolate, truffles, eucalyptus or camphor as well. Now, while you may think that tar and camphor may not be your favorite food accompaniments, these wines are wonderfully balanced and delicious with many of those meals that we love to prepare in cool weather. I serve them with tomato-based pasta dishes and roasted meats like beef, pork and lamb, venison, game birds and aged hard cheeses.

An apt comparison to Nebbiolo wines from Italy is France’s Burgundy from Pinot Noir as both are relatively high acid wines which lend themselves wonderfully to aging and although Nebbiolo is more tannic in its youth, as both of these wines age, they become more and more similar. Both are great with the cuisine of many different cultures as well as their own regional fare.

Although the more pricey versions of Barolo and Barbaresco may be out of reach except for special occasions and will require a fair amount of time in a wine cellar, you should be able to find more affordable and ready to drink versions from Piedmont with a quick search at your local wine merchants shop. I have seen several recently in the 15 to 35 dollar range, and they were ready to open today. Decant them for an hour more for the best result, and as with Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo tastes best when served in large, wide-mouthed glasses which allow its delicate aromas to expand fully.

About the Vintner 

The Wine Club has been offering fine wines and accessories at discounted prices since 1985. Today there are 3 stores in California: Santa Ana, San Francisco, and Santa Clara, and www.thewineclub.com, a web store that has a constantly changing inventory of over 1200 different wines and accessory items for you to choose from, you can pick them up or we can ship to most of the USA. Stores are open 7 days a week and each has wine tasting events scheduled on most weekends, so come on by and visit.

• Brut - the dryest or least sweet style
• Extra Dry - a fruitier style than Brut, it usually has a slight sweetness
• Demi Sec - a sweeter style apt to be used as a dessert wine.

With all these options, sparkling wine has an outstanding ability to complement many different cuisines and flavors, whether savory, spicy, sweet, rich, creamy or just plain exotic. It's natural acidity and effervescence can provide a wonderful lift and stimulate the palate in such a way that your food's flavors seem amplified. During these holidays when so many rich foods can grace our tables, a sparkling wine also helps to temper the richness of the fattiest foods on the table.

Did I mention they are affordable? Because of the wide price range available today, you can choose to serve the most elegant meals with a top-end NV Champagne, have a simple spread of seafood and crackers accompanied by an inexpensive cava from Spain, enjoy a ham and cheese sandwich with a sparkling Rose from California, or lift a simple everyday meal with a crispy prosecco from Italy. With all these choices available, every meal or party is a candidate for improvement by including a sparkler or two.

Here are a few suggestions to get your imagination working.

Brut sparklers work very well as a cocktail to go with caviar, smoked salmon, assorted canapés or almost any of the elegant appetizers that you might serve at a holiday party, but they are also great with fish dishes and seafood like lobster and crab, quiche, scrambled eggs, mushroom dishes, roast chicken and stuffing, pasta with rich cream sauces, assorted mellow cheeses and nuts like almonds and cashews. As a matter of fact, many salty snacks and deep fried foods like fried chicken are great with a brut sparkling wine.

Try a nice crisp Blanc de Blanc with goat cheese or maybe a spinach and feta dip. This lighter style also complements sushi or sashimi- but watch the wasabi, it is accented by the acidity.

A Rosé is the style of choice at the dinner table, especially for main courses such as ham, veal, lamb, salmon, or game birds like roast duck or goose.

Because of their fruity style an extra dry sparkling wine will do well with enchiladas, chile relleno and many other Mexican foods.

Demi Sec although sweet, does best when it is the sweetest part of dessert, so try to pair it with plain cheesecake, shortbread, almond biscotti, or angel food cake. As an alternative, a Moscato di Asti is also a good choice. If you are doing chocolate you may want to try a Brachetto from Italy, they do well with dark chocolate.

Hope you will join me in a toast as I wish Happy Holidays to all!

About the Vintner 

The Wine Club has been offering fine wines and accessories at discounted prices since 1985. Today there are 3 stores in California: Santa Ana, San Francisco, and Santa Clara, and www.thewineclub.com, a web store that has a constantly changing inventory of over 1200 different wines and accessory items for you to choose from, you can pick them up or we can ship to most of the USA. Stores are open 7 days a week and each has wine tasting events scheduled on most weekends, so come on by and visit.

First of all, to tickle the palate and get all into a celebratory mode, a glass of a sparkling wine such as cava, prosecco, or champagne is a great way to begin any feast.  You don’t have to have an expensive “vintage” bottle for this occasion, there are many very good bottles available in the $10 to $40 range. Just chill to 45° and enjoy a communal toast to kick things off.

Next, because a majority of meals are based on the turkey and an assortment of side dishes, a flavorful white wine is a logical choice. You can, of course, serve Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Viognier or many other dry whites, but a meal with so many different flavors really calls out for a nicely chilled (45°) dry to off-dry Riesling. These wines are produced from the noble grape of the same name; the most famous come from areas in Germany and are subcategorized by names which help determine the sweetness levels of the wine. Kabinett (dry), Spatlese(off-dry, a hint of sweetness),and Auslese (off-dry, a little sweeter), would be the preferred picks here while other styles such as Trochenbeerenauslese (nicknamed TBA) and Eiswein (Icewine) are more suited as dessert wines.  Since we tend to shy away from sweet wines, a Kabinett or Spatlese seems to be the most suited to the American wine consumer’s palate, but remember, these dryer style Rieslings are not cloyingly sweet in the style of white zinfandel. Rieslings can have layers of flavors of apple, peach, and pineapple combined with a refreshing, well-integrated acidity and just a hint of sweetness that can compliment many different cuisines. They work wonderfully with many difficult to match foods (great with spicy Thai or other Asian cuisine), and you can find them in a range of prices from $10 to $60. There are also many Rieslings produced in the US, notably from Washington, Northern California, and New York, as well as Australia, New Zealand and other areas that have the cool weather Riesling vines thrive in.  Although not generally subcategorized as the German wines are, most tend to be comparable to Kabinett or Spatlese wines in sweetness level. Prices can be lower than their German counterparts, a great point when you have many guests to serve.

What about red wine? In most cases, the darkest meat on the table will be the turkey’s leg or thigh, or perhaps a ham.  I’ve noticed a trend for some Thanksgiving dinners to include heavier dishes like roasted beef or lamb; any of your favorite full bodied reds such as Merlot, Cabernet or Syrah would be just fine in that case.  For the more traditional turkey or ham dinners, however, I believe that a great match is one of the many fine bottles of Pinot Noir available on the market today. Pinot Noir is a light to medium bodied red wine, usually showing aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry or raspberry, and secondary notes of spice, smoke, mushroom, as well as other savory notes. Many popular Pinot Noirs come from Central to Northern California, Oregon, New Zealand and France (usually designated “Red Burgundy”). Pinot Noir wines are much like the “Swiss army knife” of red wines when it comes to pairing with a meal. Their relatively delicate flavors are unlikely to overpower and will compliment the dark meat of fowl as well as an assortment of pork dishes, salmon and Ahi tuna;  the fuller bodied styles even do well with beef dishes like Beef Bourguignon. Serve them at about 63 to 67° for the best aroma and flavor. 

Use these general suggestions as a starting point. When you shop for the Riesling or Pinot Noir I suggest that you ask your trusted wine merchant for their recommendations. Let them know how many wine drinkers you will be hosting and provide them with a price point that you wish to stay under. As a general rule you will get about 5 healthy pours per 750 ml bottle.

If you don’t already have one, purchase a sturdy, waiters-style wine opener, a good one from your wine merchant will run you less than ten dollars, all households should have one.

A final tip, there will always be those who prefer a nice Chianti, Cotes du Rhone, Beaujolais, Gewurztraminer, or whatever with their Thanksgiving meal, so I always try to let people know what we are serving ahead of time, so they can bring a bottle of their own favorite if they choose. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

About the Vintner 

The Wine Club has been offering fine wines and accessories at discounted prices since 1985. Today there are 3 stores in California: Santa Ana, San Francisco, and Santa Clara, and www.thewineclub.com , a web store that has a constantly changing inventory of over 1200 different wines and accessory items for you to choose from, you can pick them up or we can ship to most of the USA. Stores are open 7 days a week and each has wine tasting events scheduled on most weekends, so come on by and visit.