Food and Wine Pairings Tips – Tasting Pour by Jade Helm

Holiday Wines For Every Palate and Pairing

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sat, 15 Dec 2018 17:15:47 +0000

There are too many things to worry about over the Holidays. Let’s make one thing easier with some versatile Holiday Wines. Most of you are probably dealing with a table full of dishes and guests and wine pairing can seem daunting. Here are 4 wine styles – with examples- that can make your Holidays Wines selection easier.

Check out Jade’s appearance on the KGW – TV news to taste these Holiday Wines with Cassidy and scroll down for more information.

Holiday Wines

All of these wines are available in Portland in stores like New Seasons and Fred Meyer. If you can’t find these labels, still go for these styles.

Argyle 2015 Vintage Brut from Willamette Valley – $Mid 20’s

Holidays without bubbles make me sad. This is a great welcome wine and can transition into a dinner pairing. OR if you are having a Holiday Brunch this would be great quiche, lox and bagels, etc. Finally if are going to a Holiday Party and don’t know what to bring – sparkling wines are always a good addition. This wine from Argyle is a traditional method sparkling made with traditional Champagne grapes – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. And y’all it is stunning.

Stoller Family Estates 2016 Reserve Chardonnay from Dundee Hills – $Low 30’s

For white wine lovers Chardonnay can be a “go to” grape. It is hard to get a good balance of fruit, acid, and a bit of the oak so many love AND get that all at a good price. This Chardonnay from Stoller delivers and will pair with many holiday dishes – chicken and dressing, ham, soup and veggie starters.

Bjornson Vineyard 2014 Estate Pinot Noir from Eola-Amity Hills – $Mid 20’s

Pinot Noir is such a versatile red wine. Lots of red fruit and not too much tannin, makes it easy to pair with a variety of dishes. This lovely one from Bjornson could easily go with everything from salmon, to turkey, to lamb. If you are buying one wine for your Holiday meal, get this one.

Dunham Cellars 2016 Three Legged Red from Washington – $Under 20

For those guests and dishes that call for more intense dark fruits a red blend can really fit the bill. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah is big, fruity and cheerful. It would be a crowd pleaser.

The post Holiday Wines For Every Palate and Pairing appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Lamb Sofrito Nachos Night of Navarra Wines #winepw

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 08:40:49 +0000

Join our Wine Pairing Weekend group for a “Night in Navarra” where we will each share recipes to pair with these fun Spanish wines. Tasting Pour will be pairing Lamb Sofrito Nachos with a Tempranillo, Rose of Merlot, and a Graciano.

Lamb Sofrito Nachos

This recipe is inspired by a dish we had at a Spanish Tapas restaurant a few years ago. We are depending on our memory and our taste so we won’t guarantee authenticity but we will guarantee deliciousness. Sofrito is a tomato based sauce that has different iterations in Portugal, Spain, Cuba etc. Spanish versions usually use sweet peppers and milder spice flavors. We like a little kick so we notched the heat factor up a smidge.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Lamb Sofrito Nachos

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

Author: Tasting Pour

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Spanish

Serves: 4

Ingredients

evoo
1 medium yellow onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 garlic clove minced
1 sweet red bell pepper finely diced
4 oz can of fire roasted green chiles
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sauce from chipotle in adobe
1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
⅓ cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 lb ground lamb
sweet potato tortilla chips (Trader Joes)
salt and pepper to taste
blue cheese crumbles and cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Coat skillet with olive oil and turn to low heat on stove top
Saute onions in one layer until soft and just beginning to caramelize approx 10 minutes
Add garlic and toss 1-2 minutes
Add sweet red bell and roasted green chiles - toss and cook 3-4 minutes
Add paprika and adobe sauce - toss and cook 1-2 minutes
Add tomatoes and cook stirring until liquid condenses to thick, not runny sauce consistency
Add cilantro, salt and pepper and stir to heat through.
Meanwhile in a separate stovetop skillet cook lamb until no longer pink, drain off fat if desired.
Puree sofrito sauce in food processor
Add sofrito sauce to lamb in large skilled stir to combine and heat through.
Serve lamb sofrito over nachos sprinkled with blue cheese and cilantro

We suggest pairing some cheese – we used manchego – and a green salad.

Other Recipes to Pair with Navarra Wines

We cannot wait to hear which Navarra wines our #winepw friends tasted and see their creative recipes. Thanks to Gwendolyn at Wine Predator for organizing this month’s theme.

Jill Barth of L’Occasion: “Eat and Drink like Hemingway in Spain’s Navarra Region”

Nancy Brazil of Pull That Cork: “Wines of Navarra and a Meal to Match“

David Crowley of Cooking Chat: “Steak with Manchego Mushroom Sauce with Red Wine from Navarra”

Nicole Ruiz Hudson of Somm’s Table: “Cooking to the Wine: Senorio de Otazu and Broiled Skirt Steak with Romesco Sauce”

Wendy Klik of A Day in The Life on the Farm: “A taste of Navarra Spain”

Camilla M. Mann of Culinary Adventures with Camilla: “Pacific Rock Crab Claws + 2016 Otazu Merlot Rosado “

Jennifer Gentile Martin of Vino Travels:“Pilgrimage to the Navarra with Bodega Inurrieta”

Jane Niemeyer of Always Ravenous: “What Foods to Pair with Wines from Navarra Spain”

Sarah Ozimek of Curious Cuisiniere: “Basic Spanish Flan and Navarra Wine”

Cindy Rynning of Grape Experiences: “¡Salud! to Tapas Night and the Wines of Navarra”

Julie Santiago of Wine N Friends: “Taste of Pintxos and Navarra Wines”

Rupal Desai Shankar The Syrah Queen: “Navarra – Spain’s Hidden Gem“

Lauren Walsh The Swirling Dervish: “Sipping and Cooking with Patxaran: a Taste of Ancient Navarra”

Host Gwendolyn Alley The Wine Predator: “Along the Way with Wine and Food from Navarra Spain.”

Wines of Navarra Spain
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Night in Navarra Wines

Navarra is a diverse region in Northern Spain that has traditionally been known for Grenache (Garnacha)- and especially Rose of Garnacha. In recent years there has been an increase in planting of Tempranillo and international grapes such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. With influence from both the cool Atlantic Ocean winds and the warmer Mediterranean plus vineyards spanning from the valley floor to the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains – the region offers a wide array of climate and soils.

We wish to visit Navarra because wine is not its only delicious agricultural product. The region is known for asparagus and sheep milk cheeses – Roncal and Idiazábal. We picture ourselves dining outside one Spring afternoon enjoying cheese, asparagus, and rose.

Otazu Rosado Merlot 2016

This was our favorite. We found it unique to have a Rose of Merlot from this region. This was good with just a glass and it held up great to our Lamb Sofrito Nachos. A surge of fun red fruits on the nose – cherry, strawberry. Surprising full body and long finish for a rose. Dry and ending with tart fruit and floral notes.

Castillo Monjardin Tempranillo 2015

Earthy nose with concentrated red plum, dark cherry compote, licorice, and tart red fruit – cranberry, pomegranate. Thinner than expected with some unripe notes this is a wine that benefits from a food pairing.

Bodege Inurrieta Laderas (Graciano) 2014

Graciano is a grape we don’t hear about too often. It is known for its weight, concentrated color, and intense fruity aromatics (red plums, cherries, blackberry, mulberry). Because it is low yielding it is not widely planted.

Deeply colored with aromas of vanilla woodchest, violets, fig, and rich soil. Vanilla wood notes dominate the palate with purple fruit and pleasantly textured tannins. May benefit from time in the bottle… Yep, we tasted again the next night and the wine was more open. Wood notes were more integrated and fruit was more complex. Recommend decanting or holding.

Samples were provided by Navarra Wines. Opinions are our own.

The post Lamb Sofrito Nachos Night of Navarra Wines #winepw appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Halloween Candy Wine Pairing – Obligatory Post

tastingpour@gmail.com — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 21:08:26 +0000

It might be the scariest thing about Halloween – the Halloween Candy Wine Pairing. I think it is the result of a bunch of sommeliers who either A. Were bored with wine pairings B. Got tired of being asked about this pairing from other people who were bored, so they finally gave in. or C. No one asked but they wanted to see if people would believe them and try weird pairings.

Don’t get me wrong, you can pair dessert wine with Halloween candy all day long. If I am going to open that bottle of Pedro Ximenez I have been saving I want roasted figs with a caramel drizzle, not a Snickers. Not knocking Snickers. In fact I am having a fun size bar with my coffee as I write.

So when my friend and the editor of the Oregon Wine Press, Hilary Berg, invited me over for dinner followed by wine pairing and Mexican candy research, I had a dilemma. A. Free Dinner – check B. Free wine and the amazing view at Chris and Hilary’s winery Roots Wine Company – check C. BUT What the h*ll is Mexican candy and why would I want it with wine?

View at Roots Wine Company

We have an “if invited we attend” rule so Mark and I found ourselves with a spread of candies we had never encountered and a line up of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Grenache, Pinot Noir – etc. Wines I would normally steer clear when pairing sweet food. See Pairing Sweet Wine and Food for one of the few pairing rules we obey.

First, where has Mexican candy been all of my life? I am no stranger to the Super Mercado. These Mexican markets are my “go to” for A. Cilantro out of season plus Mexican specialty items. B. Superior customer service C. An ego boost. The male employees are always good for a little flirtatious yet respectful appreciation of my lovely form. Yea, I still got it.

Photo Courtesy of Oregon Wine Press

My fave, and I had to stop myself from inhaling it, was the De la Rosa Mazapan – like a peanutty flavored cross between a crumbly soft cookie and straight out powdered sugar. Mark’s favorite, and he really would not stop talking about it with EVERYONE he knew – Rollos de Koko. If coconut cream came in a chewy stick form, this would be it.

Also fun was the Kranky K which was like chocolate covered cornflakes. Not my fave but the perfect named candy for that special time of the month.

Chris Berg of Roots Wine Company Explains it All

Second, we were shocked at how well some of the wines paired and only one was a dessert wine (port style). Maybe it is because Mexican candy seems a little more sophisticated? Not sure but there were definitely some winners. See Dulce y Delicioso, authored by Hilary Berg, for a full list of the best pairings we tried.

And if you really must pair a grown up libation with a childhood fave straight from the wrapper, try these pairings with a 10 Year Tawny Port recommended by our friend Jeff Burrows at Foodwinecllick.com

Tell us your fave candy and wine pairings. We promise we won’t make fun of you.

The post Halloween Candy Wine Pairing – Obligatory Post appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

How to Pair Thanksgiving Wine

tastingpour@gmail.com — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 21:28:00 +0000

Subtitle: Which Oregon Pinot Noir Should I Drink

Some samples were provided. Views are unbiased.

Tasting Pour is convinced Oregon Pinot noir is the perfect pairing for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. We have experimented with everything from Zinfandel to Sauvignon Blanc. If you like this lighter, elegant yet still fruity style of wine, it is the way to go. If you don’t like Pinot noir here are some other suggestions.

Join us as we explore our cellar and determine the perfect wine for our table. In the process you may determine the perfect wine to make you truly thankful.

More than some other regions in the US, vintage variation in Oregon makes a meaningful difference.

2011 – The Miracle Vintage

There are many 2011 Oregon Pinot noirs in our cellar. This vintage is known as the “miracle” vintage in Oregon. The spring was perfect weather so there were lots of flowers on the vines setting the vineyards up to produce a large crop. A cool, cloudy summer followed. It was not warm enough for even a normal sized crop to ripen, let alone this bumper crop of grapes. At one point the grapes were an entire month behind their usual ripening schedule. Vineyard managers and winemakers were biting their nails while the wine world looked on.

An Indian Summer in August and September aided ripening but by October 3rd, Oregon had the lowest heat accumulation in decades. It was the latest harvest on record with most picking beginning after October 15th (two weeks later than usual) and still picking into early November. If the expected autumn rains had come it could have spelled disaster. Choices would have been to pick the grapes underripe or risk the mildew and disease brought by wetter weather. The “miracle” part of the story is the LACK of rain. The weather stayed dry and the grapes were awarded a long hang time – over 100 days – to finish ripening. The result were wines of lower alcohol but more elegance, surprising vivid color, and depth of flavor. A little tight in their youth, the 2011 Pinot noir will continue to develop in the bottle and drink like a dream in a few years. Think of these wines as the teenager with braces who will wow everyone in a few years at her debutante ball.

2012 – The Storybook Vintage

2012 Oregon Pinot noirs are a completely different story – complete with a “storybook ending” for winemakers. The summer was dry and warm, but not too hot. Grapes reached full ripening with balanced acidity from cool nights. The harvest was early and rains held off until mid-October. The resulting Pinot noirs are bigger, fruitier and more lush upon release. These are not fruit bombs by any means – after all, this is Oregon. They are Pinot noirs with ability to age, but are so pleasantly approachable in their youth – why wait. Remember the kids in your class with great skin and a growth spurt that didn’t make them awkward? We are opting for the elegant yet rich Pinot noirs of 2012 for this Thanksgiving.

A Trip to the Cellar

From our cellar: J Wrigley’s 2012 Proposal Block from McMinnville AVA, Stoller Family Estate 2012 from Dundee Hills AVA; Durant Vineyards 2012 Bishop and 2012 Olivia Grace from Dundee Hills AVA; and one 2010 Youngberg Hill Barrel Select from Willamette Valley. Disclaimer: some of these bottles were samples.

If ever there was a TastingPour “pro tip,” this is it: When we visit a tasting room and try a wine, we start to think about potential food pairings. We have been known to plan a full meal while just pondering a 1 ounce pouring of a wine. This makes meal planning a breeze.

J Wrigley’s Proposal Block, named from a site in their vineyard where John proposed to Jody, is lush and full of very ripe red and dark fruits. It is a dream in the glass or with a meal. A little bit bigger than what we want with turkey, this one is earmarked for a pork dish with dried fruit compote. You may, however, prefer this style with turkey

Youngberg Hill’s Barrel Select is made from Wayne Bailey’s best barrels from his best sites in 2010. It is fully integrated and ready to drink. Complex layers of fruit and spice have married over the last few years in bottle. A long finish, a hint of vanilla, and all of the mouthwatering delight that comes with a well made wine allowed to reach a bit of maturity await in this bottle. We have a lamb with a sweetened glaze in mind for this wine. Although this wine would not disappoint your Thanksgiving guests.

Stoller Family Estates 2012, Durant Vineyards’ Olivia Grace, and Durant’s Bishop are all from Dundee Hills AVA. This area of Willamette Valley is known for elegant, delicate Pinot noirs with high notes of red cherry and pungent strains of white and black pepper. Even in warmer years, they reveal more restraint. For our palate, this is a wonderful compliment to the Thanksgiving meal.

We love a good story and especially one where the underdog comes out on top. Durant Vineyards’ Olivia Grace comes with a lovely tale. The wine is made from one vineyard block named for Paul Durant’s daughter. It is planted on their coolest site with the youngest Pommard. Terraced and facing true east, it receives less ripening sun.

Durant Vineyards matches winemakers with select vineyard blocks. No one was raising their hand to work with the Olivia Grace fruit and the Pinot noir was used for rose. That is until Chad Stock, Minimus Wines and Omero Cellars, accepted the challenge to coax an elegant Pinot noir from this site. Anyone who has ever tasted with me knows I am the last one standing because I am the last one still spitting. At a recent tasting dinner I not only drank the Olivia Grace at my seat but snuck the glass at the empty seat next to me.

We can only choose one wine for Thanksgiving Day, however, it is doubtful both the Durant Bishop and Stoller Family Estate will survive the weekend. If we get behind, there is always Christmas.

Pairing Points:

1. Know your vintages.

2. Think about food pairings at tastings.

3. Be thankful you have food AND wine and make the most of any pairing.

Happy Thanksgiving and let us know the special bottle on your table.

The post How to Pair Thanksgiving Wine appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Pairing Food and Wine: Cabernet Cliche

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 10:00:00 +0000

Cabernet Sauvignon and grilled steak sounds like a cliche. Sometimes when a food and wine pairing is a match made in heaven there is no good reason to complicate it. We knew a Texan once who had a quick reply about the reason people call Texas “God’s Country.” “People say it ’cause it’s based on fact.” Well people pair it ’cause it’s based on taste.

A grass fed, grass finished local cut of beef filet hits the grill and that smell of smoke and initial singe tell your nose you are in for something good. Your 1998 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon has a cork that is both wine soaked and intact and you decant your Cabernet Sauvignon to give the air time to dance across the surface. Simple, basic, tried and true but there are lessons to be learned. And why does Tasting Pour think you should learn about pairing food and wine? So you can repeat your triumphs and avoid repeating mistakes. See Drink what you Like.

Lesson One – Consider the Entire Meal

The Cabernet Sauvignon will be served with more than just the steak. We paired a green salad with blue cheese to match the wine’s richness, dried currants to pick up the fruit flavors, and an acidic dressing for balance. Our roasted potatoes were mixed with peppery smoked bacon to compliment the grilled steak and the savory flavors in the wine. Rosemary in the potatoes highlighted the herbaceous notes often found in Cabernet Sauvignon. Steamed carrots with butter and brown sugar added a touch of sweetness absent from other parts of the meal.

Lesson Two – Pairing an Older Wine

Because this wine had aged 15+ years we expected the tannins to be softened, the fruit flavors to be integrated and transformed to dried fruits, and a dominance of tertiary flavors like leather, meat, and earth. We stored our wine on it’s side to keep the wine in contact with the cork and made sure it was in a cool dark place. This bottle was purchased from a trusted retailer. We were rewarded with a wine that can be described as “sitting in a leather chair by the fireplace with the smells of Christmas baking in the kitchen,” In other words; leather, smoke, baking spices. Because the tannins had softened it was a perfect pairing with the more delicate filet. For more information on learning which wines to store please see our series Pour and Store here and here.

Lesson Three – Oregon Produces More than Pinot Noir

Our wine, La Garza Cellars 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon, comes from the Umpqua Valley in Southern Oregon. The area is known as “The Hundred Valleys of Umpqua” because of the diverse climates that allow for a wide range of varietals. This isn’t typical Pinot Noir country. While cooler, marine influenced microclimates exist in the northern areas around the town of Elkton, much of the Umpqua Valley is drier and warmer. Spangler Vineyards, formerly La Garza Cellars, produces Cabernet Sauvignon from ungrafted older vines (planted 1968-1971).

Please share some of your wine and food pairing hurrahs or faux paus. For more wine pairing tips click here.

Wine Pairing Weekend #1 Bloggers: Be sure to check out the great pairings my fellow bloggers have come up with for the first Wine Pairing Weekend!

Culinary Adventures with Camilla is pairing “Lemon Marmalade-Glazed Duck Legs + Holman Ranch’s Off-Dry Pinot Gris”

Vino Travels – An Italian Wine Blog will share “Food and Wine Pairing: BBQ with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo”

Grape Experiences is sharing “Wine and Dine: Sinfo Rosado 2012 with Chicken Enchilada Burgers”

Pull that Cork posted “Rolled Pork Florentine on the Grill, Which Wine Pairs Best?”

From Cooking Chat, “Grilled Pork Tenderloin Paired with a Bonny Doon Syrah”

Meal Diva blogged about “Grilled Sausage Kabobs and White Wine”

Curious Cuisiniere paired “Wine Grilled Chicken with Lewis Station Winery’s Oaked Chardonnay”

Join the #winePW conversation: Follow the #winePW conversation on Twitter throughout the weekend and beyond. You can also visit our group Pinterest board to pin some great pairing ideas for later! Stay tuned for the July Wine Pairing Weekend, which will focus on “Refreshing summer wine pairings” on Saturday, July 12.

The post Pairing Food and Wine: Cabernet Cliche appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Pairing Food and Wine: Mouthwatering Wine

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 18:51:00 +0000

When was the last time someone said “I am in the mood for something acidic”? It is an odd term to use to describe a wine or food we like. People say they crave sweet or salty foods and prefer fruity juicy or tannic dry wines.

What if we asked “are you in the mood for something refreshing or mouthwatering?” Ah, that sounds more appealing. Acidity actually plays a major part in food and wine pairing. Many wine drinkers rarely notice acidity – until it goes missing.

Think about an overripe tomato, grape, apple, pineapple, etc. They taste too sweet, not refreshing – kind of like a cola gone flat. That is because there isn’t enough acidity to balance the sugars.

Different wine and food combinations affect how much acidity you detect on the palate. Acid in food masks acid in wine. Pasta tossed with sour, acidic flavors like lemon juice, tomatoes, and olives needs a more acidic wine, or the wine’s zestiness will be hidden. This is why most Italian wines are so acidic. They pair with the tomato based regional cuisine.

Fatty foods love acidity in their wine pairing. Think about a cream sauce that calls for a little lemon zest. The lemon brightens and lightens the dish. Wines with a refreshing acidity help cut the heaviness of the fatty food and keep the flavors lifted. Why do you think we dip French fries in acidic tomato based catsup? Fat in a dish also tends to make a wine seem less acidic so choosing wines with higher acidity restores the balance while somehow making the texture creamier.

How do you know which wines are considered acidic? Acidity is one of the main components in a grape and should be present in wines, but some wines have more acidity because of the grapes or cool growing climates. Champagne – and most sparkling wines made by the Champagne method are pretty acidic. Sauvignon Blanc, dry Rieslings, and Chenin Blanc are known for their acidity. Most Italian reds and whites have high acidity. Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Gamay do well in cooler climates and retain their acidity. Wines with higher alcohol tend to have lower acidity. If you haven’t memorized a list of cool climate grapes and you don’t know which vineyards sit on a mountain or experience cooling fog, don’t despair. Simply knowing you want a crisp acidic wine puts you ahead of the game. Ask your waiter. Ask at your trusted wine shop. Ask me if you want.

Click to read our food and wine pairing disclaimer. Check out our other food and wine pairing tips about the weight of the meal and pairing sweet wines. You might also like learning the role of acid in long term wine storage.

The post Pairing Food and Wine: Mouthwatering Wine appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Drink What You LIke

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 18:50:00 +0000

We have witnessed people take it personally if someone states a “pairing rule” that is contrary to their tastes. That is because food and wine pairing is personal. What matters most is what you like. Here is why we think it is important to learn a few things on this topic… There are some pairings you may not want to try twice. It is important to know why it didn’t work so you can avoid the outcome instead of blacklisting that particular food or wine. We try to share the basics that we know and encourage people to experiment. If you make a “mistake” you still have food AND wine so how bad can it be?

Here are articles where we discuss wine and food pairings.

The post Drink What You LIke appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Pairing Sweet Wine and Food

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 14:41:00 +0000

It is time for our second installment on Tasting Pour’s series “Pairing Wine and Food.” If you missed the first article, click here. Now to learn about pairing sweet wine and food.

Sweet foods and sweet wines can be particularly troublesome. Since we drink less dessert wine, we tend to have less experience with the flavors and relative sweetness of different styles. If a separate wine is not planned for the dessert course, the main course wine may continue to be consumed with less than satisfactory result.

Dry wines just are not meant to go with dessert. The sweetness in the dessert makes wine taste less sweet, therefore the wine needs to be sweeter than the dessert. Having an even sweeter dessert does not balance the equation. We do not know why. It is science and it is true. This can be a dilemma for the US dessert connoisseur who likes a layer cake stacked high with sugary buttercream frosting. To find a sweeter wine may be expensive (quality dessert wines are often pricey) or may result in a sugar induced coma.

There are some solutions . . .

Pair sweet wines with desserts that are naturally less sweet such as stone fruits and berries, shortbread, pound cake, and gingerbread. Late Harvest Rieslings, Muscats, and sweet sparkling wines are appropriate pairings.

Consider really sweet wines such as Pedro Ximenez or sweeter styles of Tokay for very rich desserts. Think outside the box and opt for a liqueur. Most are sweet enough to pair with your sweetest desserts, vary in price, and keep a long time once opened. Pair sweet wines with savory foods. Classic and delightful pairings include Port and blue cheese or Sauterne and foie gras.

If sugar plus even more sugar is just too much, coffee or tea is a viable alternative.

People really don’t like the rules of pairing wine with sweet foods. They see it as a barrier to eat and drink what they want. Remember, we at Tasting Pour firmly believe you should drink what you like. Folks seem most upset because they really enjoy red wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.) with chocolate. We would wager that the reason people like this combination is because the chocolate in question is probably dark. This means there is a certain degree of bitterness depending on the percentage of cacao. We also bet the red wine is a new world style – very fruity, high in alcohol, low in tannin, with a little bit of sweetness. So go ahead and enjoy your dark chocolate truffle and glass of new world Merlot. We would just not recommend a milk chocolate candy bar with a glass of Nebbiolo or Chianti. Click here for another wine option for chocolate.

Sweet foods do not occur only in the dessert course. Keep in mind that sugar in food doesn’t just mask the sugar in wine. It also makes the tannins and acid in wines more pronounced and causes the wine to seem thinner. A sweet bbq sauce will make a very dry wine taste thin, astringent and bitter. Consider a young fruity new world wine like Australian Shiraz or Zinfandel

Look for upcoming Tasting Pour articles to learn more about the different styles and flavors of dessert wines.

The post Pairing Sweet Wine and Food appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Pairing Wine and Food – A Weighty Topic

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:13:00 +0000

Pairing wine with food can be intimidating. It is one thing if you are choosing for yourself alone, quite another when faced with the task of choosing for guests. We fear appearing unsophisticated or at the least having a less than satisfactory experience.

If you already know what a wine tastes like, you are past half the battle. When ordering wine by the glass in a restaurant, do not hesitate to ask for a sample. They already have a bottle open and it should be no problem. Your server should also be able to describe a wine to you. Many wine bars and stores have tasting nights. If you attend those make a note of the wines you like, what they taste like, and what sort of meal you would want them to accompany.

But maybe just knowing what wines you like isn’t enough. Maybe you still don’t know how to pair that wine with a meal. This is understandable because the “rules” are not completely straightforward. Ask five different experts and you will get some variance. Even asking five people in general is likely to produce a mixed response.

Another complicating factor is that neither meals nor wines are one dimensional. I sat in on wine and food pairing class that some colleagues of mine were conducting. On my plate where little bites to represent the major flavor components of food. I had a spicy chip, a packet of salt, chocolate cake, lemon, red apple, cheese, and ham. It occurred to me that diners don’t experience these flavors in isolation. The ham alone could represent salt, fat, and sweetness. There wasn’t total agreement among the class about how these representative flavors paired with the wines. We tried pairings with sweet Riesling, Pinot Grigio, oaked Chardonnay, Chianti, and a new world Bordeaux style blend. Among other taste opinions, some people thought the red apple and the oaked Chardonnay were a good match while others liked the apple with Chianti. And guess what? You can’t really say either were wrong since the most important thing to determine is DO YOU LIKE IT.

Tasting Pour is setting out to let you in on as many wine and food pairing secrets as possible. There is too much to cover in one post so let us begin with one guideline that seems to bring universal agreement. Match the weight of the wine with the weight of the food. In terms of wine, weight means body. Body comes from alcohol, tannins, wood influence, varietal character, etc. Lighter wines feel thinner and more delicate in the mouth. The spectrum is often compared to milk with skim being very light and cream being very full bodied. A Riesling, which would not experience wood influence, with an alcohol level of 8.5- 10% is much lighter than an oaked Chardonnay at 13.5% abv.

Weight in the food comes from the types of ingredients used and the cooking techniques. Consider a filet of white fish. This fish steamed and dressed with lemon is much lighter than the same fish battered and fried. The first rendition might go best with a lighter wine like Pinot Grigio while the latter moves up the scale to a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc or maybe a rose. But what if you tried a dry rose with the steamed fish? Not the end of the world. You have to really miss the mark to have a negative impact. Both dishes would be eclipsed by a very full bodied wine like a Mourvedre, Zinfandel or Malbec. These wines would be better with dishes in which both ingredients AND cooking techniques contribute to weight (ie roasted red meats).Don’t get stuck on color and remember to consider the sauce. Roasted game in a heavy cream sauce may pair better with a full bodied, oaked Chardonnay than with a thinner, low tannin red wine like Beaujolais.

Wine list hints to predict body.
Click here for glossary entries defining Old World and New World.

Many other factors come into play – wine’s interaction with salt, fat, spice, sweet – plus the flavors themselves. We will cover them all, maybe one a month, until we all become experts. Remember, regardless of your pairing hurrahs and faux pas, you get to have food AND wine, so how bad can it be?This article was included in Tasty Traditions along with other interesting articles about food and drinks.

The post Pairing Wine and Food – A Weighty Topic appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Let’s Talk Turkey

tastingpour@gmail.com — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:08:00 +0000

What is a good wine for Thanksgiving? It can be difficult to choose a wine for a meal that has so many different flavors (and not just food flavors but family flavors too!!!) There are three ways food and wines interact:

1. Separate but equal – they both taste good but they don’t make each other taste better.

2. Actively combative – one overpowers the other or changes the flavor in a negative way.

3. Perfect Pairing – each makes the other taste better. (Do any of these sound like your family relationships?)

Because people have such varied tastes in wine and you may have such varied people eating turkey at your house, we have had Thanksgiving dinner twice in the last week to test out different wines. In an attempt to respect personal preferences, we had hoped to find several different styles that were really great. However, if you really want a “perfect pairing” then Pinot Noir is the Queen of Thanksgiving. I mean riding on the head float in the Macy’s parade, tossing gifts, doing the “royal wave”, crowned Queen of Thanksgiving. We tried dry and off dry Chenin Blanc, subtly oaked Chardonnay, off dry Riesling, sparkling Cava rosé, Zinfandel, Gewürztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc. Most of them fell into the “separate but equal” category. The Sauvignon Blanc was “actively combative”.

Pinot Noir works because it usually has subtle wood treatment, softer tannins, and medium body that match the weight and texture of turkey. Flavors are typically red cherry and woody herbs which work well with the brightness of cranberry sauce and other veggie side dishes. Here are a few Pinot Noir we like – Willamette Valley Vineyards 2011 Whole Cluster Pinot Noir (~$20 range), Panther Creek Cellars (their entire line is good), Elk Cove 2010 (~$25-30) – all from Willamette Valley plus Siduri 2010 (~$25-30) – with grapes sourced from Willamette Valley. See a trend? Cool climate Pinot Noir tastes good with turkey and people in Willamette (rhymes with “dammit”) Valley, Oregon make good cool climate Pinot Noir.

If this does not fit your style or budget, don’t despair. Remember there were many wines on our list that will work. You might also consider a Beaujolais or a Rosé (click here for a rosé with smoky flavors). If beer is an option you wish to offer guests, please check out my friend’s website www.johnthebeersnob.com. Happy Eating, Happy Drinking, Happy Thanksgiving.

The post Let’s Talk Turkey appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.