For those of us with a sweet tooth (guilty), sweet wines are a good way to ease into wine appreciation. I wouldn't be surprised if Ed Gandia, author of one of my favorite ebooks on wine, used this technique to turn his wife into a wine lover. Here are a few wine selection tips for finding sweet wines.
White Zinfandel
Also called White Zin, this is arguably the most popular wine for the beginner. It is sweet blush made when the skin of the grape is allowed to affect the wine making process for only a short time. White Zinfandel goes with just about anything and is a great with light dishes which makes it a popular summer wine.
Port
Port is a dessert wine made thick and sweet by the addition of brandy. As a result, it has a higher alcohol content than most wines. It is a perfect evening wine for sipping by a fire with a bit of cheese or chocolate and a good book.
Merlot
Merlot contains more tannins than White Zinfandel which makes it a bit drier and a good step up into "real" red wines. It has a gentle plum-like flavor and compliments medium-bodied foods such as chops and burgers.
Chianti
Chianti is the classic wine in the straw bottle that's often used as a candle holder in one's first apartment. The wine is light a fruity and is perfect for other first apartment standbys such as pizza and lasagna.
Shiraz
Also known as Syrah, Shiraz is the Australian name for the wine made from the Syrah grape. Why the name Shiraz stuck instead of Syrah, no one knows. Shiraz wines are spicy and peppery and go best with steak and spicy dishes.
Sweet wines are often inexpensive, so you'll have to shop careful to avoid the swill. A good cheap discount wine price guide will help you separate the true bargains from the vinegars.
Showing posts with label cheap discount wine price guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheap discount wine price guide. Show all posts
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
Cooking With Wine for the Beginner
If you're planning to cook with wine, never use anything labeled "cooking wine". These are extremely bad quality wines with lots of salt added to keep winos from getting a cheap fix. A bad wine won't just boil away, it will ruin a good meal. I use a great little wine cheat sheet to help me shop for wines that will make my food sing. Here are a few wine selection tips for cooking.
Port
Wines such as Port, Marsala or Madiera are called "fortified wines" because they all have brandy added to them. As a result, they are usually thick and sweet and best suited for rich sauces. Each of these varieties has a distinct flavor, however, and shouldn't just be swapped or substituted indiscriminately. As always, let your taste be your guide.
Red Wine
Red wines are often used in sauces to add flavor and color to a dish. If a recipe calls for a particular type of wine, it's best to follow that suggestion. Otherwise just use a red you like. When a "light bodied" wine is recommended, either a Pinot Noir or Merlot will work well. For "full bodied" wines, a Cabernet or Chianti is best.
White Wine
White wines add the least flavor to a dish, so you have more leeway in your choices. Often they're used in cream sauces to add a hint of flavor. For a light bodied white, try a Pinot Grigiot. A Chardonnay, particularly a California variety, is a good full bodied choice. When in doubt, just choose one you like.
One of my favorite ebooks on wine has helped me find high quality wines for cooking for less than $10 a bottle. That's important to me since I don't want to feel like I'm boiling away my paycheck every time I cook a nice meal.
Port
Wines such as Port, Marsala or Madiera are called "fortified wines" because they all have brandy added to them. As a result, they are usually thick and sweet and best suited for rich sauces. Each of these varieties has a distinct flavor, however, and shouldn't just be swapped or substituted indiscriminately. As always, let your taste be your guide.
Red Wine
Red wines are often used in sauces to add flavor and color to a dish. If a recipe calls for a particular type of wine, it's best to follow that suggestion. Otherwise just use a red you like. When a "light bodied" wine is recommended, either a Pinot Noir or Merlot will work well. For "full bodied" wines, a Cabernet or Chianti is best.
White Wine
White wines add the least flavor to a dish, so you have more leeway in your choices. Often they're used in cream sauces to add a hint of flavor. For a light bodied white, try a Pinot Grigiot. A Chardonnay, particularly a California variety, is a good full bodied choice. When in doubt, just choose one you like.
One of my favorite ebooks on wine has helped me find high quality wines for cooking for less than $10 a bottle. That's important to me since I don't want to feel like I'm boiling away my paycheck every time I cook a nice meal.
Quick Wine Buyers Guide
Choosing the correct wine for a dinner or gathering of friends doesn't have to be hard as long as you keep in mind these easy wine selection tips.
Price
Typically the quality of wine you get will be determined by the price you're willing to pay. However, while you used to have to shell out $30 or more for a decent bottle of wine, nowadays there are many labels that offer excellent wines for as little as $15 or less. I've used my favorite cheap discount wine price guide to find many $50 quality wines for less than $10.
Preference
Unless you're drinking alone (hopefully not), you'll have to consider the preferences of your guests when buying wine. When choosing red wine, you may want to stick with some safe "Starter Reds" such as Merlot or Pinot Noir. If you want to go for slightly more complex flavors, you can try a Cabernet or Zinfandel. Safe whites include Riesling for sweeter tastes or Chardonnay for those who prefer a drier white.
Pairings
Choosing the correct wine for a dinner is as simple as understanding common food wine parings. At it's simplest, white wines tend to be best for lighter dishes like poultry and seafood while reds are better suited to heartier foods such as beef and strong cheeses. But even with a good wine buyers guide, the best wine you'll choose will ultimately come down to what you and your guests like most.
Price
Typically the quality of wine you get will be determined by the price you're willing to pay. However, while you used to have to shell out $30 or more for a decent bottle of wine, nowadays there are many labels that offer excellent wines for as little as $15 or less. I've used my favorite cheap discount wine price guide to find many $50 quality wines for less than $10.
Preference
Unless you're drinking alone (hopefully not), you'll have to consider the preferences of your guests when buying wine. When choosing red wine, you may want to stick with some safe "Starter Reds" such as Merlot or Pinot Noir. If you want to go for slightly more complex flavors, you can try a Cabernet or Zinfandel. Safe whites include Riesling for sweeter tastes or Chardonnay for those who prefer a drier white.
Pairings
Choosing the correct wine for a dinner is as simple as understanding common food wine parings. At it's simplest, white wines tend to be best for lighter dishes like poultry and seafood while reds are better suited to heartier foods such as beef and strong cheeses. But even with a good wine buyers guide, the best wine you'll choose will ultimately come down to what you and your guests like most.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Choosing the Correct Wine for a Dinner
Choosing the correct wine for a dinner doesn't have to be complicated. It also doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. I've got a great little beginner guide to wine that showed me how to get $50 bottles of wine for $10 or less. Here are a few simple tips that will help you in choosing the correct wine for a dinner.
White Wine
White wine is a good choice for salads and lighter dishes. Grilled fish or seafood with light sauces work well with a Dry Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, while seafood or pasta with cream sauces and oysters are best suited to a Chardonnay. Shrimp, crab and lobster enjoy a Dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. Poultry can be served with any of the above wines, while pork prefers a Dry Riesling or Chardonnay. Finally, the sweet White Riesling is best served with mild cheese or chocolate.
Red Wine
Heavier foods such as beef and pastas with red sauces work well with robust reds such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet and Zinfandel. Similarly, strong cheeses are also complimented by these selections. While white wines work best with poultry and pork, a Pinot Noir is the classic compliment for a turkey's rich flavor as well as heavier pork dishes. And nothing complements chocolate like a nice mellow Merlot or a rich Cabernet.
So how do you decide between a Dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc for a seafood dish? That's really a matter of taste, and I can't help you there. However, with these tips and a good wine buyers guide, you'll have no trouble choosing the correct wine for dinner every time.
White Wine
White wine is a good choice for salads and lighter dishes. Grilled fish or seafood with light sauces work well with a Dry Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, while seafood or pasta with cream sauces and oysters are best suited to a Chardonnay. Shrimp, crab and lobster enjoy a Dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. Poultry can be served with any of the above wines, while pork prefers a Dry Riesling or Chardonnay. Finally, the sweet White Riesling is best served with mild cheese or chocolate.
Red Wine
Heavier foods such as beef and pastas with red sauces work well with robust reds such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet and Zinfandel. Similarly, strong cheeses are also complimented by these selections. While white wines work best with poultry and pork, a Pinot Noir is the classic compliment for a turkey's rich flavor as well as heavier pork dishes. And nothing complements chocolate like a nice mellow Merlot or a rich Cabernet.
So how do you decide between a Dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc for a seafood dish? That's really a matter of taste, and I can't help you there. However, with these tips and a good wine buyers guide, you'll have no trouble choosing the correct wine for dinner every time.
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