Sharing My Wine Pairings

The beauty of wine in 2024 is that it is everywhere. All 50 US states produce wine, every continent including Antarctica produce wine and even some subregions of the world where you might not expect to find wine production. The quality and quantity vary greatly among the places were wines are produced. So with all due respect to Antarctic ice wine, some areas wine is better than others.

Generally, the wine consumption in the world is dominated by a handful of geographic stalwart producers. The list includes France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia/New Zealand and the United States. I am aware of the great wines in South America and other parts of Europe, but the volume and quality of the products being produced still leave a bit to be desired for me.

From the prospective of variety, quality and value, I tend to lean towards France. I am not discounting any of the other areas I have listed, but I think the facts support my assertion. So here goes my argument!

If you are looking for variety I say look no further. Let’s discuss the roster. Champagne only comes from France; every where else in the world, it is sparkling wine by law. Want a Pinot Noir, red burgundy is your choice. Top notch Chardonnay, white burgundies and Chablis are tough to beat. Savingnon Blanc, Sancerre and of course Sauternes are the best from Bordeaux. If you like Cabernet or Merlot, Bordeaux and Margaux make the best. How about Syrah and Grenache? Go Rhone and CDP regions. Last, but certainly not least, the rosè from Provenance is a personal favorite.

Surely all of these wines are produced elsewhere, but not always with the same variety, affordability or quality as the French. For example, I am a big fan of Oregon Pinot Noir, but the Chardonnay in my opinion is not nearly as good as white burgundies in the same price range.

So why do other wine regions matter? Variety is the spice of life and France has a lot of variety. Shouldn’t that be sufficient? My point is not that other regions and countries do not matter, but rather, France has something for everyone.

In case you are wondering what country does America import the most wine from on an annual basis, the answer by volume is Italy. My love for the diversity of Italian wines is more than a crush. With all of the regulations on what wines must contain and labeling requirements, Italy and France are exceedingly similar.

My “case” for France really comes down to three factors; choice, quality and value. These are not exclusive to French wines, but seal the deal for me

I have discussed choice/variety already so what about quality and value?

The government regulations practically force quality on the producer and benefits the consumer, but I think it is deeper than that for me. There is no word in French for winemaker. The French believe there is a higher power that produces wine and it is their obligation to not interfere with that power. The family lineage and pride in the wine production is also not exclusive to the French wine, but it gives me confidence as a consumer that the product was made with care.

Value is a little harder to explain in a world of $1000+ futures on Bordeaux and burgundy wines from modest producers. With that said, especially in good vintages there are exceptional value wines produced. Many of the best 2000 Bordeaux wines sold for under $20. Before the “rosè  you could by the best of these wines for $15 or less. There are still some outstanding values to be found without sacrificing quality in all regions of France. Ever had a grower champagne or village Burgundy? You should if you haven’t

Much of my angst in writing this particular opinion is liking asking a parent to pick their favorite child amongst all their children. The truth is that many days it varies who is the favorite.

In closing I hope that you will branch out and try something different than the go to bottle or glass at your favorite establishment. If so, I hope you will say “oui” to French wines!

 

 

 

What’s the best wine on the list? What pairs with what I ordered? Can I afford a bottle that will impress my guest(s)?

Everyone has a skill. I believe it is the greatest gift to share your skill with others; make their lives better and be better for it.

So what does this have to do with wine? I am at your service is the answer. Are you looking for a wine or beverage recommendation? Are you hosting a meal at a restaurant and want some help with picking beverages? Are you at a store looking for a special bottle for a dinner with your friends or a special occasion? I am at your service.

So if you want to see how I can help, send me a message or comment and let me be at your service!

Let me set the scene. So it is Tuesday night and you are debating over what to have for dinner with your significant other, waiter or yourself and as you ponder the question, you see a bottle of wine in your cellar or on a wine list that is calling to you. But, for some earthly reason, you hesitate; you pause to ponder, is tonight the right night for that? Is there a ceremonial event or an occasion that would justify the wine you have in mind? If you are part of my loyal following you know I have espoused the virtues of OTBN (open that bottle night) before, so now I ask you, what’s the occasion that you see worthy of the mythical bottle?

As a self-professed wine lover and collector, I am often asked about the best or most expensive or most rare bottle in my cellar. The question is quickly followed up with two successive questions. They are, what does wine (fill in the blank of the best, rarest or most expensive) taste like and what was the occasion you opened it. Ignoring my collection or personal belief on the quality of said wine, I would like to weigh in on the best occasion for a “special” wine to be consumed.

So let me say upfront, I like to entertain and share my wines and culinary skills (however limited). As a part of entertaining I often have other folks with more than just a passing fancy about wine. It is my goal these nights to have a magical pairing of wine and food and a wine that is new and exciting for my guests. It may be some ething that is small production or from a non traditional wine region, but I want to share the experience of this new wine with my guests. That to me is a great occasion. My goal and recommendation here is to be open to the ever changing landscape of wine. Small production and unique wine region does not equal expensive, so do not feel limited by the budget, but rather your creativity.

A few examples might be a dinner where you serve sparkling wine with every course or wines from the same producer in different vintages or labels. This can be done at an affordable price tag and will be a new experience for the guests you invite. Make it interactive; ask the guests to bring a bottle or brown bag the bottles and see if you can guess what is what. Have fun and be creative; this makes an excellent “occasion” to open the bottle you are pondering.

A second place to pull the cork on one of “those” bottles is a life event. Birthdays, anniversaries and the like make for easy reasons to celebrate. These tend to be larger events in some families, so this might not fit everyone’s budget or desire. I feel there is something intimate about a special bottle of wine. It can work with 10 people but not 20 in my opinion. I would hope you can toast a wedding or birth of a child with a nice champagne, or an engagement dinner with a stellar red wine, so I would exclude those from the conversation here. However, I might suggest buying 6 bottles of a wine you love and open one per year on an anniversary or birthday. That will hit two of the greatest wine experiences; a special occasion and the ability to see how the wine evolves from year to year.

My final thought on the right occasion is any given Tuesday. I know that seems a little tongue in cheek, but if you can enjoy and share the wine, it makes it an occasion. Wine (and beer) started as a necessity for people to consume as water created health concerns in many cultures. In later years, it became celebratory by nature. There are several cultures that have wine deities and this was because of the reverence with which those societies consumed wine. It exists in many modern religious events and wine is still revered the world over.

I am not suggesting you need to go to a house of worship to drink your Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, but rather, make where you are at that very moment, the special place and occasion. So back to Tuesday night. I am sure many of you have seen the movie, “Sideways.” I am personally excited and repulsed by the scene where Miles consumes his “special” bottle at the burger place. I am excited to wonder what the wine tastes like, and how it pairs with a burger and onion rings. I am repulsed by the styrofoam cup he is using to consume the “special” bottle. Why not take it outside and pour it in a proper glass Miles? Oh I digress.

Tuesday is a great occasion, or why not Wednesday? So my advice is drink what you like and don’t save a bottle for some idealistic occasion, rather enjoy it because wine is meant to be enjoyed. All is ask is please just use a proper glass!

Happy Spring 2017 to you all. As the season starts, I am responding to a suggestion of a reader and friend, to write about wine from the new world. In the world of wine, this typically refers to wines from outside of Europe. In particular outside of France and Italy for sure. New world includes places like the United States and the Southern Hemisphere wines as well.

Focusing on the reader’s suggestion, intake on a tour of two very important and varied production; Australia and New Zealand. Before we get in to any wine and food pairings, let’s have a little history.

Significant wine production and exporting in Australia and New Zealand began in the 1980’s. The wine making style at first was very austere and considered unrefined. The red wines in particular were high tannin wines, with a pronounced level of American oak barrel finish on the nose and a high alcohol content.

By comparison the white wines lacked the finesse of French or California whites and drew very little interest on the global market. But then a few things changed the wine production and make these two regions very desired today.

The red wine vines and viticulture got a shot in the arm from a few high quality producers like Penfolds, Leeuwin and Mollydooker (a winery known for the tragedy of losing an entire vintage of one it’s top wines) to name a few. In New Zealand, the red wine production and better wines in general started being produced in Marlborough in the late 1970’s. Although wine was being commercially produced in Marlborough almost 100 years ago, it was a few key producers that made New Zealand a true contender in the world wine market.

Wineries like Cloudy Bay and Kim Crawford created a wine that was and is unique until itself. The steel tank produced Sauvignon Blanc. It was and is everything a French Sauvignon Blanc is not; it’s not aged in wood, it has very grassy and citrus notes on the nose and is generally sold for under $20 a bottle. Mr. Kim Crawford took the non oak aging to a new level in producing Chardonnay as well. This wine is everything a California Chardonnay is not; it is not high vanilla or buttery on the palate and it has no vanilla or oak on the nose.

The red wines from Marlborough tend to be largely Pinot Noir and like their white brethren, are made to drink shortly after bottling at a lower price point than most other Pinot Noir from burgundy or America.

One other thing you might notice, is that most wines and these two regions are not sealed with corks. New Zealand in particular states 90% of its wine is a screw top. This applies to both white and red wine. While many of the top producers in Australia still use corks, this phenomenon arose out of necessity at the time their wine industry was emerging. In the late 1990s, with the prevalence of taint in wine corks, the Australian and New Zealand wine producers sought new closure methods.

While screw tops began as a response to the inconsistency in cork production in the late 1990’s, the acceptance of screw tops by wine drinkers took hold largely because of the producers in New Zealand.

The red wine of Australia continued to evolve in the late 1980’s and 90’s to the place now where certain of the Penfolds bottling draw interest from wine collectors and red meat lovers alike. The Grange bottles and the various Bin numbered wines stack up well with the better California cabarnet and red Bordeaux wines.

It is now time to get to the varietal that is claimed to be uniquely Australian, but is not, Shiraz. Shiraz is nothing more than a pronunciation and spelling error for Syrah. It’s the same grape with the same sweet and dry finish as Rhone Valley Syrah. It does not diminish the beauty of the wine, but the record needs to be set straight.

The New Zealand wine industry has two major geographic areas that produce the best wines the country has to offer. They are Hawkes Bay and Marlborough. Producers like Trinity Hill and Greywacke are producing not only great Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, but also some other varietals like Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet and Syrah (Shiraz).

The better producers are making approachable, affordable and easy to drink wines. The fact that the Southern Hemisphere has seasons opposite of the northern hemisphere creates offset vintages and allows those of us who love a good Sauvignon Blanc to enjoy a glass of Whitehaven at the first sign of spring, or a Villa Maria Syrah with your spring lamb.

I guess I have crossed over to food pairings with an effortless turn of a phrase. So, as a general rule, the New Zealand whites are higher acid, citrus finish wines. The have notes of white grapefruit and white floral aromas. They pair beautifully with all shellfish served cocktail style, fresh oysters or a summer afternoon on the deck.

The Australian Chardonnay has a very similar taste and feel of California Chardonnay. It tends to be grown in a warmer climate, so there is a little more alcohol in the finished product, but generally a refined Chardonnay nonetheless. It pairs well an herb roasted chicken or pan roasted blackened fish with a fruit salsa.

The cabernets from the region occasionally have a Zinfandel feel, with a peppery structure and a dark berry finish. The best of the lot can age as well as any cabernets and deserve the time to develop. If you are inclined to give the more affordable wines a try, plan on a protein that can stand up to the structure and tannins. Either choice, bargain or wallet buster, the best pairing is grilled red meat. Maybe on the “barbies?” So before this devolves into a bad pun about Crocodile Dundee, I would give a strong and heartfelt recommendation for the wines from down under!

Hey everyone and how are you. It has been a while since my last post. I haven’t lost my passion, it’s just been a busy little stretch. As the holidays approach, it is time to plan to your holiday festivities. So, with a budget in mind, let me offer a few party ideas for you. I think it is important to know that you can have a memorable event, regardless of your budget.

If you are planning a party on a budget, it does not mean it can’t be a party that people will talk about for years. It all starts with a theme. I can offer a few suggestions here for the perfect event. First, know your audience! It is easy to make people feel welcome and relaxed when things have a level of familiarity. That doesn’t mean you can’t challenge the guests food tastes or choice in beverages.

The holidays aren’t the holidays without some sparkling wine. The best option for those on a budget is either something domestic or even certain old world wines. A Cava or Prosecco can be a great choice. Domestically, you can choose some great sparkling wines from Oregon or California or even the fingerling region of New York. A few options are La Marca Prosecco or Chandon sparkling wine. Both are about $20 a bottle and pair well with finger foods like cocktail shrimp, mini crab cakes or spinach dip.

If you are on a budget and sparkling wine isn’t your thing, here are a few other tips. It is my belief that if you want to be a good host, you want to spend time with your guests and not chained to the kitchen. So if you think of make ahead foods like dips or veggie trays or maybe something more exotic like sates or non traditional meatballs, you can be a part of your own party. Try a mix of some wines that fit the cuisine and don’t break the budget. Try some Riesling with a spicy dish, or a white bordeaux with creamy dips and seafood. If you are looking to pair something with meatballs or even smoked salmon, think pinot noir. There are lots of great Oregon pinot noir’s that can be purchased in the $30 range. A quality white bordeaux will set you back $20 and you can find some outstanding domestic Riesling for under $25.

If you have a bit more to spend, you can impress your guests without having to take a loan. There are great options in food and wine in that middle price point. I was recently talking with a winemaker from a prominent California winery who told me that she was “passing on some fruit” from the 2016 growing season, because the price was too high, despite the quality. She told me that the average person won’t spend $150 on a bottle of wine these days. I think she is correct and the future of wine production looks to be regressing from the very expensive wine to the more affordable.

My advice for everyone is to build a budget for the event. My tips here are decide if it is a sit down dinner or causal party and what can you afford. Also, think about your guests. If most of them won’t appreciate the $150 bottle of wine, why spend the money? Again, know your audience.

So what are some ideas for the midrange party, think of a theme. I like traditional themed parties, but that is not for everyone. For a successful holiday party, try using an ingredient or cuisine type and build a menu around it. Italian food, pork served different ways or a seafood dinner can be both fun and create an opportunity to be creative with your food and wine pairings.

The days of meat and cheese trays are thankfully behind us, so let’s be a bit more creative. If you like the Italian food option, remember the tried and true adage of “if it grows together, it goes together!” So pair wines from the region of Italy where the foods you select are sourced. Italy, not France, is the number one exporter of wine to the United States, so you will have a lot of choices. For a seafood or single protein or ingrident themed party, I would recommend a similar approach to the event, in that you should choose a style of preparation and the wine ideas flow from there. For example, a grilled swordfish steak pairs with a different wine that a swordfish steak that is made in a tomato based sauce. So if you pick a nouveau cuisine preparation for the food, pick a wine that matches the same food region or preparation style.

So what if money is not part of the consideration, the sky is the limit. I am not talking some Robb Report wines or foods, but maybe an aged piece of beef or fresh truffles on your pasta or maybe foie gras. Before you plunk down the money on these luxury items, make sure your guests are as adventurous as your ingredients. As for wines, I think you can use your dollars on proven pairings if you are going to invest in expensive provisions. Serving a pedestrian wine with a 28 day dry aged piece of beef defeats the purpose of the purchase of the meat. I think if you ever want to buy the $100+ bottle of wine, pairing it with something a fresh truffle or caviar, makes both purchases better; the sum of the parts is truly greater than the whole here!

I would not be serving my function, if I didn’t offer a few ideas here with some speficity. If you might want to have an intimate gathering, I would suggest a three by three event. I would suggest a sparkling wine or champagne to start with either chilled seafood or vegetables and a creamy spinach dip. As a second plate I would suggest a protein and paired wine. Maybe a side of roasted salmon with a dill sauce and Beaujolais or a cider brined Pork roast with fig and bread stuffing and an Oregon Pinot Noir, or a trussed roasted chicken with pan roasted root vegetables and a white burgundy. I can offer some specific recipes for all of these dishes if you email me.

For the three of three, have something sweet, like port and blue cheese and poached pears, or apple crisp with vanilla bean whipped cream and a sweet Riesling or Sauterne.

It’s always a great event when you can share great food and drink with friends and family. Try to focus on food that can be prepared largely in advance, so you can be an active part of the festivities, as it’s more enjoyable for you and your guests. No matter what you make or what libations you serve, you can make a party magical just by gathering together. I won’t be such a stranger. Please shoot me some suggestions for things that you might like to read about as your gift to me for the holidays.

Cheers!

As a court of the master sommelier candidate, I am tasked with not only a high level of wine knowledge, but also need to have similar knowledge of all other beverages and beverage service.

Candidates are tested on areas like what spirit is in a certain cocktail, craft beer pairings and even sakes. To fail to embrace the total beverage options is a path to fail as a candidate. So, as part of my education I have endeavored to learn more about the history, processing and flavor profiles of beverages other than wine.

A very popular new trend in restaurants is to offer tasting menus based solely on a single spirit made with unique preparations for each course of food. I am not ready to toss out my corkscrew quite yet, but I thought I could share some of my thoughts on other than wine,food pairings.

As a rule, I have found it safe to stay with the usual base spirits for starter courses. Back in the early days of public houses or Pubs as they are called, the patrons were given free “snacks” to accompany their libations. The plan was really to give them foods high in salt or spicy, that would encourage the patron to consume the drink faster and order more. That was a revolutionary thought at the time, but a tried and true standard today.

My first course thoughts are generally go light. I know bourbon and whiskey cocktails are all the rage, but rum, gin, vodka or tequila tend to pair better with first course items like crudités and a dipping sauce or fresh shellfish and a spicy aioli. To counter the spice, think about acidity and a touch of sweetness. Options here are vodka with a citrus juice, classic gin and tonic, a fruit enhanced mojito or a margarita. My best advice here is go with a theme. For example, a sea breeze and a platter of chilled shrimp with spicy cocktail or aioli sauce for example. Or homemade guacamole and chips with fresh jalepenos and a traditional margarita.

The savory courses offer similar options, but let you bring darker spirits to the meal. Everyone is aware of an aged scotch, with a peaty nose, pairing with a traditional steakhouse cut of beef, but I would suggest that you can be more creative than that.

An aged agave tequila will pair very well on its own with most traditional Mexican cuisine options. A few great examples are chile spiced chicken, stuffed poblano peppers or most any protein in a true mole sauce. Or a dirty martini with a ribeye conjures up a scene from Madmen.

A great liquor option for a main course is to play off the idea of opposites attract. Spicy proteins and a slightly sweet cocktail are good partners. I would also suggest that simplicity can be your friend in the main course. For example, vodka and soda with a lime pairs beautifully with a grilled flaky white fish. The options, like wine pairings are limitless.

Dessert cocktails are a personal favorite of mine. A great dessert cocktail, that can be dessert on its own is my s’mores cocktail. It contains toasted marshmallow vodka, Godiva chocolate liquor and crushed graham crackers on the rim of a martini glass. It also has mini toasted marshmallows as a garnish. It’s is a natural with chocolate mousse. Another great dessert cocktail is a French martini. It consists of vodka, pineapple juice and raspberry liquor with a twist of lemon. It is very refreshing and pairs perfectly with fruit tarts.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for cocktails, but hopefully gets you thinking of some great cocktails, food in pairings and people to share those cocktails with now, because it is five o’clock somewhere!

My love of wine began like most people’s; with exposure to a sweeter wine. It was a sweet wine that was pure “juice.” For some of us that is where our tastes landed and still reside. I am not judging anyone who drinks what they like, I in fact promote that idea. I, however, cannot say the same for much of the wine drinking world.

If you ever wondered what is the most popular wine by sales volume, that answer is White Zinfandel. It is a wine that owes its existence to an error by an inexperienced wine maker. In an attempt to help balance tannins in a traditional Zinfandel wine, some extra sugars were added and skins removed. The product was as far from traditional Zinfandel as you can imagine. It was in an effort to “get rid” of the wine that it was served in the tasting room.

After quickly selling all of the “mistake” wine, the wine selling world started to embrace white Zinfandel. I was once at a wine event where the head winemaker from Berringer was a featured guest. One of people in attendance asked the winemaker how they could create such top notch Cabarnet and make white Zinfandel in the same winery. He said in a very calm voice that everything they want to do with high quality wines is funded by the profits they make from white Zinfandel.

If you think about the “starter” wine you drank as an introduction to the world of wine, I would guess that 90+% of you haven’t had a glass of that starter wine in years. One of the beliefs I hold is that the more new wines you try the more varietals will make your drinking rotation. It is good to keep it fresh!

So where does this lead us you may be asking? It leads to spring, warmer weather and my personal infatuation with rosé wines. The category of blush wines includes some amazing options of wines made from an almost limitless number of grape varietals. My personal favorites are wines from Provence. These wines have a balance of structure and flavor like a red wine, but are refreshing and acidic like a white wine.

Standing on the doorstep of spring and al fresco dining, nothing goes better with a sunny afternoon than a rosé. So what is the connection with rosé and white Zinfandel? They are connected in two very good ways from my perspective.

First, because of the stigma associated with white Zinfandel, all of the blush wines tend to have very favorable price points. Many top restaurants do not sell rosé wine by the glass for the fear that patrons might think they are selling white Zinfandel.

Second connection is that the blush wine category has become much bigger because of the financial success associated with white Zinfandel. Rosé refers to a color not a varietal. So when you see a rosé of Pinot noir or Malbec, that is a wine maker looking to expand the blush category of wines. I am always looking for something new and unique and thinking of pairings. Rosé in general is like a blank canvas. If you are looking for pairing with rosé you should think about the varietal that is the dominant grape.

If the affordability and experimentation of rosé is a biproduct of the proliferation of white Zinfandel, then I say “cheers” to that. So let’s raise a glass to drinking what you like, especially if it’s a blush wine on a sunny afternoon!

As winter winds down and spring approaches, it signals a few yearly traditions. There’s the NCAA basketball tournaments where collegiate men and woman hope to be crowned the best team in the nation. There’s also the tradition of wine transitions and new vintage releases. By comparison 60 plus teams in a bracket seems easier to choose from than the 1000’s of wines. As the weather moderates in the northern hemisphere, wine producers ship out their wines. So with the literal tens of thousands of new wines about to hit your local retailers, how do you pick a winner(s)?

My goal is to give you a few ways to pick some sure things, a “Cinderella” wine or two and sort out the rest of the pack. I also will give you a few wines to avoid. As a person who is using a blog to communicate, I have to say that the Internet is a mixed bag, at best for picking wines. The websites that sell wine often use very deceptive means to help sell wine and that troubles me.

When I see advertisements for wines that use language like ” cult wine” or neighbors of same famous winery, it really has me questioning the value of the wine being sold. Too often “cult wines” is a sales pitch for an overpriced wine that is trying to justify its price by suggesting some level of exclusivity. Of course there are truly “cult wines” but they generally only sell through the winery.

The neighbors of a great or well known winery actually troubles me more. That is the equivalent of saying I sit next to the smart kid in class, so we should get the same grade! I do believe in terroir, but the skill of growing grapes, harvesting at the optimal time and craft of crushing, blending and producing the wine far out weigh the location in most instances.

So with all of these barriers, how do you have a chance to pick a winner? I offer you three tips. First and foremost I believe you should have a balance to picking what wine you like, but sprinkle in some new wines or varietals to enhance your wine experience. My first tip is use the Internet to learn what options might exist for new wine releases from a favorite winery or winemaker. Wineries tend to produce the same varietals from year to year, so you can safely count on your favorites being available from year to year. Winemakers, however, are quite a different story. A number of very talented winemakers “moonlight” and produce wines, generally smaller in quantity than their “day job,” but some of the greatest wines have been produced in this method. It is fairly easy to find who the winemaker is for most commercially produced wines. If you search the winemaker by name, you can find what else they are making. If not a pet project, it may be for another winery. This is very prevalent in a number of great winemaking regions throughout the world. Like most businesses, the good people are in high demand.

My second tip for you is to find a purveyor you trust. I cannot argue with the idea of the larger retailers have the best prices, but there are several trade offs as well. The smaller purveyors tend to have knowledgeable staff to help you find a wine by food pairing and budget. The larger retailers tend to have a more focused number of offerings and the staff tends to be less knowledgeable since it is a traditional retail job. You should expect to be offered some unique wines at the smaller purveyor as well. If you have a specific wine in mind and the larger retailers sells it, buy it there, I do!

Once you have selected the trusted purveyor, become an active consumer. By that I mean it is very acceptable to do a little searching before you go in to the store to buy. I often leave with different wines than I expected to buy, but that is the fun of it for me. I also find that if you are a regular, no matter what your budget, the smaller purveyor gives you VIP treatment. You may get to sample a wine, get advance notice of sales or a call or text about something they think you might like. All and all it is great to have a friend in the wine business.

My third suggestion is to be curious about wine. I am suggesting that you have a lot more ways to get information than you may think. Here are a few such avenues. Read the wine list when you are eating out, even if you have no intention of ordering wine. The two martini lunch is sadly a thing of the past, but most restaurants still offer a wine list at lunch. Why not read through the list for a few names to tempt you later? If you are a Chardonnay or Cabarnet fan, but feel in a rut, look at what the wine list offers. Generally restaurants charge twice the cost of a wine shop, so with your budget in mind, you can select from wines twice your budget.

Another great way to get some data points is from the TV show, “Who wants to be a Millionaire,” phone a friend. Everyone has that friend who you think knows more about wine than you do. Hopefully they not only have the knowledge, but they are willing to share. I get calls, emails and text messages all the time about wine selection and food pairings. You should treat that relationship like a movie critic; if you have the same taste, you have a good source. In a previous installment, I stated the virtues and pitfalls of Internet based wine reviewers, so the same advice applies to your “phone a friend.”

If you want to be fearless, go it alone. Wine also operates on the same platform as real estate; buyer beware! If you can develop a few trusted advisers, you greatly raise the likelihood of enjoying what you buy. I do believe that life is too short to drink bad wine, so I do my homework. If your homework helps you find some winners, a Cinderella wine or better yet, avoid a clunker than it is time well spent. So as you sit down to fill out your bracket, I offer you this advice; pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the madness!

One of life’s great pleasures is enjoying a great meal. A great meal with wine pairings is like an opera. There is an overture or appetizer. It gives you an insight to what is coming. It lets you hear a few notes that will enlighten your senses. A good wine pairing and an appetizer should start your tastebuds dancing. The French term amuse bouche translates to entertain your mouth.

The next course sets the tone for opera. It is the direction that the chef or conductor will take you on, or the journey of the meal. Is a midnight ride on the orient express of an Asian style soup with a terrific Riesling from the Mosel? Or an earthy beet salad with a crisp rosè from the Provence? Just let the notes of the musicians pour over your pallet. Drink in the food note by note.

As the song grows in intensity, you feel the urge, the clawing of anticipation for the main course. Will it be the call of a soprano lilting sweet notes with sea bass and a lovely Chardonnay or the deep tone of a baritone shaking the walls like a fine piece of roasted prime rib of beef and a well aged Bordeaux?

Now that you have enjoyed the courses and beverages, your mind will wander. Is this over, is the music done? No, there is the crescendo. You wait for it because you know it is how the show is supposed to conclude, but you hope it does not disappoint.

As you get to the end of the meal, you are often presented with a sweet end, a crescendo in the form of dessert. So how does all of this help make the end leave you humming the songs you heard? Begging for more? The answer is port.

Port is a fortified wine from Portugal and generally from red wine grapes and usually sweet. Port is available as either a vintage wine or a blend of wines from multiple vintages. It is has a very broad range of types and styles.

Port pairs exceedingly well with everything from blue cheese to flourless chocolate cake and dried stone fruit. There is a stereotype of middle aged men in a room with dark wood walls in front of a crackling fire smoking big cigars and drinking port, but it is much more versatile than that. Before we hear the “fat lady sing” at our opera, let’s take a closer look at port wine.

Like many wines, port has a wide variation in quality and price. Ignoring the supermarket swill, the entry point is ruby port. It is a blend of wines and meant to be consumed right away. It tends to have enough residual sugar to be pleasing without being over sweet. A reserve or late bottled vintage are a bit further aged than ruby and the better ports of this type will age for a generation or more.

A second option is tawny port. Tawny ports are aged a minimum of two years before bottling and have a milder flavor. Think of ruby ports as having a flavor profile of blackberry, cinnamon or dark chocolate. Tawny port is more caramel, fig and hazelnut. Both ruby and tawny port have some of the same grapes, it is the color, flavors and blending that make them different.

The third port to consider are the vintage and blended vintage ports. The vintage ports generally cover every calendar year and if you have the access and the budget, there is no better milestone birthday gift for a wine lover, than a bottle of vintage port from ones birth year.

The blended vintage port are generally 10, 20 and 30 year. These are ports where the wines come from more than one year and are blended together and aged for the years on the label. Depending on the port producer, these can go out 50 or more years. Bottles of port from the 1800’s routinely show up in wine auctions to this day. Since the fortified wine making process includes heating the wine to concentrate the sugars, these wines, unopened, can last over 100 years.

So if you want to end your food opera on a high note, here’s a few tips. First how to serve port is as crucial as any question. In a small port glass, not a snifter is a must. A proper pour is 1.5 to 2 ounces per person. Lastly, ruby port should be 55-60 degrees, tawny port should be served at 50-55 degrees and vintage port 40-50 degrees.

Port is a versitle singer in the opera and pairs well with a number of food choices. A few of my favorite options truly are a world tour. If you are feeling European, pair your port with a cheese course. Most Ports will perform well with a mix of soft, blue and sheep or goat cheese.

If you are looking for a pairing that supports a more traditional dessert, port wine and chocolate, sing in the same key. A flourless chocolate cake or chocolate mousse will bring your dinners to a glorious end and should earn you shouts of “bravo” and maybe even a standing ovation!

One last option is simply some seasonal fruits. Pears, fresh figs and apricots will pair exceeding well with the different port options. Be careful to choose your port than your dessert; after all port is the star here and should not be upstaged by a prima donna dessert.

The final few notes on this opera is how to choose and store a port. If you think of ruby and tawny as entry points and reserve, vintage and multiple vintage as more advanced options, you will be well suited. Many dinners will be reluctant to share your port fascination because of perception or bad prior experience with port. If you remember proper glassware, temperatures and serving size you will make them raving fans.

Lastly, port is not like brandy or cognac in that it won’t stay fresh and delightful for long periods of time after it has been opened. Port will last up to four weeks after opening if well corked and stored in a cool dark place like the rear portion of your refrigerator. Port comes in so many different sizes, so buy and open what you can consume in this timeframe.

Port wine is a great way to finish your meal. It is able to be a fine accompanyment to your operatic dinning and wine pairing achievement; but be careful because it just might steal the show!

The most common question asked when you first are seated at the table of most restaurants is “would you like to see the wine list?” This simple question opens up a world of opportunities and challenges all at the same time. My plan is to give you a few tips to navigate through these challenges without too much trouble.

The first tip is to not be afraid to ask for help. The servers in finer establishments have generally experienced some level of beverage service training. If you open the list and don’t see any familiar choices of wines you have had before, take a chance and ask the server if they have any recommendations. In addition to offering plausible deniability, it might give you an opportunity to try something you might otherwise have never considered.

If you would prefer to take that task on your own, look for a few cues. So let’s break this down to three simple elements. First what are you trying to pair with your wine. A simple survey of your dinners will lead you to a part of the wine list you need to search. Some restaurant wine lists more resemble War and Peace than a short list of libations. Once you have a selection of options that are more manageable you can further focus you choices based on a recognizable name or a price range.

Your second element of choice is to pick based on wine region or vintage. It is often said if “it grows together it goes together.” So if you and your fellow dinners are having an traditional Tuscan italian entrée, pick a wine from Tuscany and you can feel confident that it will pair beautifully with your food.

My third suggestion is to create some “go to” options for yourself. This is utilizing a little bit of know how in the world of wine, but still on the basic level. I suggest that you become familiar with three or four wine producers and maybe three or four vintages. Vintage charts are abundant in the world of wine and being able to select a wine based on factors that a particular year was a good year, lowers the risk of falling to pick a good wine. This is not 100% foolproof, but it can certainly give you a great hint in to the viability of a particular wine and food pairing.

My third option for you is make it an “open book test!” In the current environment a significant number of restaurants list not only their food but also their wine menus on their website. This will allow you to find some great options in advance that you can have in your mind before you are ever presented with the wine list. It may even evoke a course and wine pairing?!?

My last point is you can always skip the test entirely. Before you jump to a conclusion that I am suggesting no wine, I am suggesting the option of corkage. What is corkage you ask; it is the practice of a restaurant allowing dinners to bring a “bottle from home” to the restaurant versus purchasing one from the establishment. There are a few things to keep in mind here.

First, check in advance to determine if the restaurant allows you to BYOB. Sometimes there are limitations on what you can bring as well. Generally, anything on their current for sale list may be excluded. Also, there will be a fee charged by the restaurant to serve you your own wine. It is typically about $20, so well worth the price. My final thought here, is if you choose to bring a bottle, you probably want to have some feel for the cuisine of the restaurant. In other words, bring a great red to a steakhouse!

So here’s a few final thoughts on ordering wine in a restaurant that will help you gain comfort and confidence with the process. If the restaurant has a wine steward, or better yet, a sommelier, let them help. The training for these jobs focuses on creating a great beverage experience for the guest. Your role is to tell that person what you and the table are ordering and a budget for your purchase. The wine professional should be able to offer several choices. My other comment is do not be afraid to explore the world of wine. If you are offered a selection that you have never tried, why not try it now?

So next time you are out for dinner and the question is asked, “would you like to see the wine list,” answer with a resounding “yes!”