Unlikely Wine and Food Pairings

Nick, you crazy guy, asked me to write about pairing wines with food that might not be the normal "red meat=red wine, fish=white wine" kind of thing.

Those work very well but he asked about "what about salmon?" and to that I say this...

Wine is complex and has many different characteristics and so does food. If you cook salmon you're probably going to season it or add a sauce. So what wine goes with the seasoning and the salt. If you love Mexican spices or cover a halibut with a spicy salsa then what wine would go with that? You don't know? Well that's what I'm here to help you with silly!

Take for instance bare salmon. Salmon is a fishy smelling, fishy tasting, oily fish. Chardonnay is buttery and has oak flavorings (generally). Does that sound good together? Probably not. For salmon alone (add salt and pepper at least please!) I would suggest a dry white wine. Something with some acidic tendencies to cut the fishiness and the oiliness. Sauvignon Blanc comes to mind. It's dry, it's acidic (citrus) it's perfect. Also I would think a nice Soave or a dry riesling would go well. Nothing too fruity like a gewurtzraminer or chardonnay.

If you want a RED to go with salmon I would choose a wine that has not too much spice like a cabernet but something along the lines of a chianti or pinot noir. The chianti is dry and complex with just enough spice to cut the oil and fishiness. The pinot has a little more fruit to balance and complement the fish without overpowering it.

Do you get where I'm going with this? You can choose a red OR a white wine with just about any food dish! It's your palate and your preference that should guide you. Experimenting is the best way to figure it all out. If you're dining with friends who order (or bring) different wines ask if you can take a sip of wine. Do this with a taste of food before or after. Compare how it is different than with your wine. Experimenting with different wines will help you figure out how to pair wines in the future.

Here's a list of types of wines I would order/pour with different flavors:

Spicy foods: Red: cabernet sauvignon (big, tannin filled ones! I hate Mexican restaurants that only serve bland, cheap cabs), chianti
Italian red sauce pasta: Chianti, cabernet sauvignon, merlot
Creamy pasta: Chardonnay
Spicy, creamy pasta: Sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, dry Riesling, pinot noir
Grilled salmon: Sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, dry Riesling, pinot noir
Hamburgers and hot dogs at your bbq: Merlot, syrah, shirah, pinot noir, maybe an icy cold sauv blanc
Grilled vegetables: Chianti, merlot, sauv blanc, pinot gris
Grilled cheese sandwiches and potato chips: chardonnay
Classic hamburger helper: Chardonnay (compliments because of the cheese), merlot is opposite and compliments the spice

You may laugh at my choices of food above (and I intended you too cuz I'm like that!) but it also is food we eat or have eaten so I want to you to be able to relate! Think about these choices and think about wines you have had and see what it conjures up. Just like we probably wouldn't put salt on peanut butter, there are some wines that just would be terrible with certain foods. Wine is and always has been produced to compliment food. So whether it's intended to "cut" spice or "compliment" cheese, it's all right there to make our tongues happy.

Happy tasting! Keep those questions coming! Thank you Nick for offering a great suggestion; I hope this helps!

Tasting Wine

As I started doing better financially I started to go out to nicer restaurants. When I was with friends it seemed that they always deferred to me to pick the wine for a table because of my background as a restaurant manager. I suppose this was natural but, at first, it was very intimidating. It felt like I was in the spotlight and could not make a mistake. After a couple of weak attempts at choosing and tasting wine I decided to learn the exact way to do it. Here I tell you the steps in looking like a pro when selecting wine for a group at a restaurant...

When your fellow diners ask you to select the wine ask them what they prefer (red or white, dry, sweet, etc.). It would be good to select a different wine for each course but I will get into that at a different time. In this case lets say your friends suggest a red. Don't be afraid to pick one you like yourself. They've left it to you. If you love merlot, then go with it! Inform your server of your selection by giving them the bin number (if printed) and the selection. Don't assume that the server will know its a merlot if you simply state "we'll have the Buena Vista". There may be several wines from that winery on their list.

1. When the server arrives with the wine they will "present" it to you. The server should hold the bottle with two hands with the label facing you. This is where you verify that he/she has brought the wine you selected. You check for: a) the correct winery, b) the correct vintage (year) and c) the correct varietal (chardonnay, cabernet, etc.).
2. Nod or say your approval. (If they got the wrong one, don't be a snob and act offended. They were probably dazzled by your amazing eyes and didn't hear you!). The server will pour a small portion for you to taste. After they pour the server should again hold the bottle facing you while you taste so you can refer to it throughout the process.
3. LOOK. This is the first step. Swirl the glass on the table. Use your elbow and shoulder to swirl. Don't try to use your wrist. Same goes for swirling if you are standing up. This swirling infuses oxygen into the wine so that the flavors and aromas will come out. What you are looking for is age, complexity, sugar content and fullness. Always look at the wine with a light background behind it (white table cloth, marble floor, tan wall) so you can see the wine clearly. To look more professional pick up the glass after swirling and check out the wine.
4. SMELL. The second step is to smell what you are about to taste. People get very confused about a wine and whether it has gone bad. There is a very large difference between it being bad and you not liking it. It's not okay to send a wine back because you don't like it. If it's bad you will know IMMEDIATELY! It will smell like horrible bad feet or vomit! There is no in-between as far as I am concerned. If you don't want to immediately run for the bathroom, then continue on:
Is there a hint of pepper? Rosemary? Tobacco? Peach? Flowers? This is the first step in deciding if its a good choice. Every wine has a different bouquet. Whites usually are more floral and citrus. Reds will have more berry flavors, earth and wood.
5. TASTE. This step is crucial. Swirl the wine again and take a large sip, not a gulp. Roll the wine around your mouth so it hits every area of your tongue. As you get more practice you can keep the wine on your tongue and "roll" or suck air into your mouth to awaken the flavors more. How is the tempurature? Is it too cold, too warm? What are you tasting? Is it chalky? Acidic? Do you taste berries? The cherries? The lavender? The pineapple? What are you tasting? It's okay to take two sips before you accept it. The first will cleanse your palette. The second will let you taste the real McCoy by getting rid of the taste of the gum that was in your mouth two seconds ago.
6. ACCEPT. After tasting and swallowing, nod to the server and thank them, then tell your guests what you tasted. Tell them if there is a long "finish" (after taste), what was your perception "it is a little dry but the berries are very pronounced". Or "pretty good chardonnay with a nice oak finish". Keep comment simple and don't try to impress them too much with your new found knowledge. Notice how when you say I can taste rosemary that everyone at the table will agree. Sometimes it's hard to put a name to something unless someone else states it. Ask your guests if they like the choice. If they don't ask them why and let them inform you what they look for in their tastes. It will help you next time you are out with them and the choice falls to you.

I hope this helps you look like an expert on your next date or gathering! Cheers!

Why I Started This

Hi Friends,
I decided to start a wine blog because many of my friends suggested that I start teaching about this subject that I love so much. I occassionally have wine dinners and I work everyday with wine in my profession. So, I guess it's natural that I would start a blog (it's the American way right) about this subject.

My intent is to make wine approachable and less intimidating. So many people like wine and so many of them don't know why. I'll try to tell you my favorite wines and what makes them that. Wine is complex and yet so simple. The first time you taste it you probably won't like it. But after a little education and trying different types you will figure out why it is so desirable.

If you have suggestions I want you to feel free to post them. I also want your ideas for future blogs. I need your feedback to see how to design this blog and to keep it going.

Thank you!
Kevin