I know you’re probably asking “there’s a holiday for wine?” These days there seems to be a national holiday for just about everything, so why shouldn’t wine be included?
Wine has been around for thousands of years dating all the way back to 4000 BC. The earliest traces of wine can be dated back from the state of Georgia to the country of Italy. Although there is no definite time on which wine made its debut, it’s safe to say the appreciation for it travels worldwide.
Its safe to say that we can spend countless hours talking about all the different types of wine that are available. But, to keep it very simple let’s go over the my top 4 varieties of wine that has yet to disappoint: White Wine, Red Wine, Rose Wine, and Dessert Wine.
White Wine:
It has always been assumed white wine is made solely from white grapes however, white wine can also be made from black or red grapes. If you are a newbie in the wine world, my suggestion for white wine would either be Moscato or Chardonnay. With White Moscato you can expect a bold fruit flavor with a floral aroma.
Chardonnay is the most popular amongst white wine due to the variety it carries. The variety is due to the green skinned grapes that adapts to the climate from which it’s grown. In this case Chardonnay can be very crisp and clean or rich and oaky.
Best Food Pairing with White Wine: Fish, Poultry, Crab, White Bread, Salad, or Cheeses.
Here’s one of my favorite recipes to pair with white wine. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/9030/chicken-breasts-stuffed-with-crabmeat/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=431&referringContentType=Recipe%20Hub&clickId=cardslot%201
Red Wine:
Surprisingly red wine is made similar to white wine. The only real difference between the two is red wine’s production contains grape skin, grape pip, and seed during the fermentation process. During the fermentation process red wine is produced in a light, medium, or heavy bodied wine. The heavier the body of red wine the drier the wine will taste. The outcome of these varying bodies depends on the length of the fermentation process.
For the newbie in the red wine world it is suggested that Lambrusco, which is one of the lightest of red wines, be tried first. However, if one would like fully dive into the other side of the spectrum to a heavy bodied red wine, Merlot would be a great start. Lambrusco is a very bold and vibrant taste that has hints of white pepper, cherries, and raspberries. Merlot on the other hand although dry, has flavors ranging from black cherries, cocoa, black berries, graphite, and plums to name a few.
Best Food Pairing with Red Wine: Chicken, grilled vegetables, or white meat if the wine is light bodied. A medium body or full body of red wine would pair perfectly with steaks or hamburgers.
Here is one of my favorite recipes to pair with a light bodied red wine: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/90089/penne-with-chicken-and-asparagus/?internalSource=streams&referringId=14485&referringContentType=Recipe%20Hub&clickId=st_recipes_mades
Rose Wine:
Rose wine is made of red or black grapes with only hours of fermentation time. Typically Rose wine is fermented for only 12-36 hours which is considered a short timeframe for wine fermentation. The Rose wine ranges in flavor from sweet to dry and can be described as tasting like fruits and flowers combined. Rose wine has been deemed summer water because it is lighter than the average wine.
Best Food Pairing with Rose Wine: Fish, Poultry, or Fruit.
Here is a good recipes to pair with Rose wine: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/222202/grilled-cod/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=418&referringContentType=Recipe%20Hub&clickId=cardslot%201
Dessert Wine:
Dessert wine can not be defined simply however, it can be simply paired. Due to the sweetness of dessert wine, most indulge in this particular wine after dinner. For the newbie entering into the wines of dessert, Moscato d’Asti is strongly suggested.
Moscato d’Asti is a very sweet wine that has bold flavors of peaches, orange blossoms, fresh grapes, and crisp Meyer lemons. Due to its light carbonation and low acidity, Moscato d’Asti leaves tingly sensations on your tongue.
Best Food Pairing with Dessert Wine: Fresh fruits or Fruit pies.
Heres is one of my favorite recipes to be paired with Moscato d’Asti Dessert wine: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12385/key-lime-pie-iv/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=2409&referringContentType=Recipe%20Hub
Comment below and let me know which wine you prefer! Cheers!
