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The Perfect Pair I get questions sometimes on why I like one wine verses another, or why one wine is better to be drunk with one food verses another. A lot of this has to do with your own taste, your preferences and honestly the type of food you like to eat. This week I thought it might be fun to take some popular entrees that appear on menu after menu and outline some tasty pairing ideas. I’ll walk through some of my favorites first. Personally, I am a healthier eater than some. I prefer a lovely piece of grilled halibut or sea bass with a light citrus, herb or tomato based sauce. This is the ideal meal for a variety of white wines, including Italian Pinot Grigio, French Bordeaux or Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or America, Pinot Blanc from Alsace, Chablis from Burgundy, Italian Soave or even a dry Riesling from Australia. You can also pair a seared sea scallops, grilled shrimp with pasta in a light pesto broth, or seared tuna with ginger, scallions and garlic with these whites. Sometimes a simple roast chicken is an ideal dinner, either stuffed with lemon, onion, rosemary, garlic and thyme or topped with burgundy stewed mushrooms, garlic and thyme. Buttery Chardonnay from California goes great with either of these recipes, as will Pinot Noir from anywhere, but one from Burgundy or Oregon will go especially well with the mushroom sauce. I am a huge fan of spicy food also; fiery Mexican, spicy Asian, intense Thai. These also pair well with a variety of whites, but I personally like to try a spicy dish with a sparkling wine or Champagne. The bubbles cut through the spicy cuisine, escalating the flavors without overpowering them. Sparkling wine goes great with burgers and fries, too. Some think anything you drink beer with you can drink Champagne with. Bubbly is not to be saved for a special occasion only, but to be enjoyed and savored every day with your favorite foods. There is also a time for a good steak. I am a fan of a leaner cut, so I opt for a filet mignon, crusted with crushed peppercorns. This is a wonderful accompaniment to peppery Californian Zinfandel or Australian Shiraz. The spicy wine paired with the hearty meat couple in a flavorful marriage. If you prefer a fattier cut of meat, like a well marbled rib-eye, you can select for a bolder, more tannic wine. A good Californian Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux blend is a fine choice, as would be an Italian Barolo or Argentinean Malbec. Any red that is hearty and flavorful. You can also look at the wine from the regions of the food you are going to enjoy. Italian pasta or pizza with red sauce paired with Chianti or Valpolicella. Rack of lamb with Herbs de Provence paired with a Chateauneuf Du Pape, or other Rhone styled wine. Spanish paella with Rioja. Roast pork asado with chimichurri sauce with Argentine Malbec. The whole idea behind why wine was created was to be an accompaniment to food. Drinking wine from the regions that you are enjoying the food is an obvious complement. The main idea though, aside from all of these ideas and ideals, is to drink what you like. For years I was only a fan of red wine, never really enjoying white. Over the years my palate changed and grew to develop a love for the crisp, acidic whites available. Along these same lines, I have a deep love for Old World red wine. Reds that highlight the earth and the land, the soil and the sun the grapes were grown in. They are earthier wines from Europe, verses the more fruit forward wines of the New World. New World growers from America, Australia, New Zealand, etc often create wines that focus on the grape rather than the land. It is up to you to chose which you prefer most, and then pair it with your favorite entrees. The goal is to enjoy wine, have fun with it. Even the most complex wines on the palate are still fun. Cheers,
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