Food & Wine Pairing

Valencia Vas (Click Image to Enlarge) Rich. Bold. Nuanced. Delicate. Subtle. Words such as these are used constantly to describe the finer points of a great......... piece of music? Well of course they are. But they are also used just as commonly to describe a great wine. Given that wine and music can share so many of the same descriptive characteristics, it would seem logical that drinking a delicate and crisp Sauvignon Blanc while listening to a delicate and crisp piano sonata would enrich the experience of tasting the wine AND hearing the music. With this wine and music pairing theory in mind, Pop-Classical vocalist Valencia Vas has done something that is both innovative and yet obvious. She created an album of material and matched the characteristics of each song to a wine that shared those very same characteristics. I recently chatted with Valencia Vas about the project.

AND THE ACCOUTREMENTS: CAVIAR, CIGARS AND CHOCOLATES You have now entered the holiday zone. My condolences to you bah-humbugs out there, but look on the bright side! You can turn your attention to “hmm, what will I drink?” Maybe think about wines you don’t allow yourself most of the year. Indulge yourself. Now that you’ve gone that far in your thinking, why not taste a little caviar, light up a cigar and pop a truffle? Whether you’re throwing a party, attending a soirée or hosting your family’s get-together on the key days, following are guidelines for making selections of these luxury libations on varying budgets. SPARKLING WINES Within the sparkling group, try to provide different sweetness levels for differing palates: at least one brut or ultra brut, one sec (sweet) or demi sec (very sweet). Consider a bubbly rosé, as well. Suggestions from different price ranges: Schramsberg Sparkling Wine , $30-$100/bottle. Serve in the style to which presidents and royalty have become accustomed when you offer the Schramsberg line to your guests.

It was pitch black as we made our way down the cliffside path. I carried the flashlight and my friend carried the champagne flutes and a cold bottle of Roederer NV Brut. We found a bench halfway down the cliff and settled in to wait. Before long, we heard the cries from the hotel above: “Happy New Year!”

December, what do we do with you? So full of merriment, yet so manic. Emotions bubble to the surface like corks, dredging up memories of past joys, pains, laughter and tears just in time for you to tie a nice bow around them all and start anew in January. And what better tumultuous time of year to give yourself a kick in the pants and try something new, like ice wine? Contrary to what you might think, ice wine is not a Cabernet Sauvignon-flavored popsicle (although, that’s a great idea….)

As I mentioned in part one , where we looked at some whites to pair with your Thanksgiving dinner, this holiday dinner presents somewhat of a conundrum when it comes to wine pairing .

USE A PROGRESSIVE WINE LIST TO PLEASE THE PALATES OF PARTY MEMBERS Sommeliers and chefs thrive on matching food and wine at their wineries and restaurants, but individual wine enthusiasts can take the same pleasure when entertaining. Providing pairings at parties can be great fun!

I’ve turned the Calendar to November, and when I look out and see frost on the rooftops, I know it’s time to think about the Holidays. No matter how we celebrate, as it gets darker, our hearts get warmer, and we gather friends and family close. Nowadays, family can mean the one in which you were raised, or your chosen “urban family”. After Thanksgiving, the next holiday is Hanukkah, the Celebration of Light.

Tim Halloran's piece on Thanksgiving Reds can be viewed here . Thanksgiving dinner, while delicious and nutritious (well, at least delicious) is not the easiest meal to pair with wines. So many different elements are present; there are savory/mild foods like turkey, gravy, yams and potatoes, crisp/acidic foods like cranberry sauce and salads, and hearty foods like ham and stuffing. Throw in a few other vegetables and you have a veritable cornucopia of flavors and textures to match.

It happened again a few weeks ago: I was exploring the wine section at a new local supermarket where I was taking notes on unfamiliar wines and comparing prices. You know, just minding my own business when another shopper came up to me looking quite desperate, and started asking me questions about wine. Now, I was dressed in my summer khakis, white linen shirt and sandals, definitely not the store uniform, but that made no difference to him. “What’s a white wine?” he asked me. Several replies came to mind, so I took a moment to study him.

Last month, we touched on some basics around dessert wines and their terminology. This month – as dinner party season fast approaches with the holidays – let’s wow your guests with some basics around dessert wine and cheese pairings. I recently spoke to a well-traveled epicurean friend of mine, Carrie Voorhis , who used to manage a cheese and wine shop in Indianapolis, Indiana. Every day she’d help folks like us find the perfect compliments to wines from all over the world.