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Show MAY 1996 Prov The Choice Is Yours Which Wine With of good wine with good enjoyment food. Suddenly, people began to “get By Virginia Rainey o you panic D;.° tO basic kn when certain people do. experience ywledge, you it.” The best food and wine combinations are those that take into account much more than color. Clearly, he pointed out the old “red with meat/white with fish,” dictum does not do justice to the variety of foods, sauces and cooking methods we employ. it’s time to select accompany f food? Many bit of tasting types But with a and some can Dinner? turn that panic into pleasure. One sure way to boost your wine knowledge is with a tasting course — several are offered around the Salt Lake City area — and some good books Along those lines, let me introduce you to a great guy: wine expert Joshua Wesson, co-author of Red Wine with Fish: The New Art of Matching Wine with Food (Simon & Schuster, 1989). Wesson became a major voice on the food and wine scene several years ago, and his popularity heralded a paradigm shift in Americans’ perception of the “No One, No How Bats 1000” “The first thing to understand about matching wine with food,” says Wesson, “is that, despite a lot of pretense to the contrary, there are no experts on this subject. No one, nowhere, no how is going to get it right consistently. There are just too many variables in wines, in foods, and in moods to ever bat a thousand at the Leave the mountains and come to the city, where it’s... Firtally ... Sprittgt Mark your calendar Saturday, for May 18 17th Annual Plant Sale Member Preview Sale, Friday, May 17, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Memberships available at gate) Red Butte Garden and Arboretum at the University of Utah Use amphitheatre (lower) gate for sale Call the Garden Hotline — 581-IRIS (581-4747) for information on tours, classes, special events and more! GENO DELAFOSE-—Zydeco RED SPIRIT SINGERS NEW and and Cajun for 1996: THE For Information and Friday May DANCERS; TRADITIONS to Volunteer, —EEE———EEE ~ ae -] Louisiana; UTE BEAR LIVING peas rid GUESTS: Music from the NORTHERN Friday CRAFTS call 596-5000 Differences wines in terms by color or in style depend of style grape. upon a number of factors, including the varietal grapes, where and how they were grown, fermentation procedures, how the wine was aged — in stainless steel or oak — the winemaker’s personal touch and blending style. not to mention the vintage. As you explore various wines, you will discover a range of variations in weight and flavor, all of which contribute to “style.” Wines, just like foods, may be light, spicy, fruity, crisp, sweet, acidic, rich, smokey, high in alcohol, tannic. . . the descriptors go on and on. You will find deep, complex Cabernets that remind you of the inside of a cigar box; velvety Merlots; rich, buttery Chardonnays and lighter, more acidic Chardonnays, There are flinty, grassy Sauvignon Blancs (also called Fume Blanc), or crisp, fruity Sauvignon Blancs kissed with a touch of oak and just a bit of sparkle. There are sweet and dry sparkling wines and champagnes, and ambrosially sweet lateharvest varietals. Taste aS many wines as you can, and when you really like something, make a note of it — the winery, the year, and any impressions you had. Was it sweet or dry? What did the bou- When May r7, 18, 19, 1996 SPECIAL Study the Styles Think of rather than number of can glean from one or two sips. Salt Lake City & County Building 450 South 200 East Friday 5 to 10 pm Saturday noon to ro pm Sunday noon to 7 pm I hope it will be enough to instill a bit of confidence the next time someone says, “You choose the wine.” You'll be surprised at the sensory impressions you CELEBRATION OF SALT LAKE’S FOLK AND ETHNIC ARTS { as a quick introduction and outline, but quet remind you of? Would the wine taste good with peaches? Could it stand up to guacamole and chips? LIVING TRADITIONS A dinner plate.” To that I would add, the more you learn about wine, the more you learn there is to know. Variations on varietals are endless, and the surest way to learn about them is to TASTE, TASTE, TASTE. That said, if you are willing to keep an open mind and palate, you’re in for some pleasant surprises when it comes to pairing wine with food. Space permits this article to serve only May 17 @ 8:30 p.m. 17 @ 6:30 p.m. MARKET FREE!! it comes to matching with with its sweet, savory, salty and creamy elements. Contrasts and Similarities Another solid recommendation is to play with the magic of contrasts and similarities — sweet with sweet, spicy with spicy, acidic wines with acidic foods, and acidic wines with oily or fatty foods. In doing so, you can strike some terrific combinations, and avoid some real mismatches. For example, certain types of Chardonnay are buttery and rich, in which case they’re fine with a cream sauce but disaster with a delicate salad dressed with lemon and oil. Then again, rich Chardonnay makes a heavenly match with boiled lobster. White Zinfandel, always on the sweet side, is perfect with a sweet barbecue sauce or anything with plum sauce or chutney. Often, the challenge is to match wine with sauce and condiments rather than just chicken or fish. A crisp, citrus-tinged Sauvignon Blanc (also called Fume Blanc) or a fairly dry sparkling wine is divine with Chinese food. A spicy Gweurtztraminer also creates a fantastic sensory experience when enjoyed with spicy Chinese food. Generally, an acidic wine such as a Sancerre, a white from the Loire Valley in France, works well with an acidic vinaigrette or tart sauce. Salty foods also work with crisp, acidic wines, as in Wesson’s recommendation of an Alsace Riesling with Alsatian Choucroute Garnie (sausage, sauerkraut, potatoes). With Mexican food, we're back with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc for a great match. For dessert, match sweet wines with sweets. A sweet port is perfect with a dark chocolate cake and ripe strawberries. It is also stunning with a salty Stilton cheese. A Tawny Port enhances strawberries and brown sugar. Wedding cake needs a sweet sparkling wine, not a dry one. And then we have a range of sweet, or late-harvest “wines, Sauternes _figs, with dried and real which apricots French to and enjoy a good Roquefort. Whew. I warned you, it goes on and on. Without “rules” you have to go by experience. and in this case, learning is half the fun. Whatever you food, one good rule of thumb is to pair do, don’t lighter wines — such as Beaujolais, Sauvignon Blanc, light Pinot wine merchant to give you a descrip- Gris — with lighter foods, such as salads, seafood, light pasta dishes, grilled Professionally trained waiters can be a big help if you are making a choice in a restaurant. a or fruits and vegetables. Heavier, more “layered” reds, such as Cabernets and Zinfandels complement a variety of complex flavors, such as grilled lamb with garlic and rosemary or a spicy sausage pizza. A good Zinfandel, with all its nuances, is also a perfect foil to the variety of a Thanksgiving dinner be timid about asking a good tion of any wine you are considering. In addition to taking a course, you might want to pick up Wesson’s book or his recommendation for a basic wine education: The Essential Book of Wine by Ozzie Clarke (a Fireside Book from Simon and Schuster). @ PAGE'14 i |
