Are you a "Wine" Person?

[ajrsmom]

I've never really taken the time to learn about wines. I have toured vineyards in NY and around Erie, Pa. I havent had the chance to tour any of the vineyards in North Carolina yet but I would like to. Richard Childress ( of NASCAR fame) has vineyards that arent too far from me. His wines are said to be really good. I seem to like really sweet wines only.


Anyone here up on the knowledge of the different types of wine and what food should be eaten with what wine?

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I m not up with what wines should be eaten with what foods. I think I am the only one in my family that even likes wine except for DH aunt and uncle. I think they drink wine with their dinner sometimes.

My favorite is Gewürztraminer. It is a German sweet wine. I do not care for the dry wines.

La Mesilla, the town I live almost on the edge of, has wine tasting events all the time. With school, I haven't had time to go to one or even see when they are. The event is on the same day as their hot air balloon events as well. I am going to have to go sometime. I want to go to the Double Eagle restaurant as it has a wonderful ghost story (http://www.double-eagle-mesilla.com/ghost_story.htm). However, the prices are outrageous!

[barbszy]

I am completely clueless about wine. I freak when I find a recipe that calls for wine because I have no idea what to get. Finally I found this nonalcoholic white wine at Wegmans and I've been using that in recipes.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Barb, I know nothing about drinking wine as to what goes with what, except for what I like. However, I do know that you can use any wine that is good for drinking in a recipe. When I cook, I use the cheap drinking stuff. I have been told not to use the drinking and cooking wines as they are too saltly.

I wonder if we have any wine connoisseurs?

[LifeStar]

I wouldn't call myself a wine connissieur, but I seem to have a little experience. I have been working in a wine store, and also happen to enjoy a variety of wines.

First of all, any wine you enjoy is a good wine. It doesn't matter the price per bottle, wether it's red, rose or white, dry, sweet or bubbly. If you like it, just enjoy it.

When cooking, wine becomes a function of the recipe. Always choose a wine that is a good enough quality to drink. You wouldn't drink bad wine, why eat it? All that cooks off is the alcohol, the flavor is still there. "Cooking" sherries and wines are just wine that has been heavilly salted so they can't be drunk.

White wines are best in cooking delicate chicken and fish dishes because they don't discolor the dish, and have less acidic tannins to break down the proteins in the meats. Wine works to make whatever you cook with them tender. Red wine has more tannins and work best in cooking red meats, lamb and chicken or fowl on the bone.

Wine left un-drinken, will turn to a lovely vinegar if left corked at room temperature. Add your favorite fresh herbs or spices, and have a great salad.

When cooking chicken I like a chardonnay. It's a wine that's on the drier side, but you can taste different levels of fruitiness and spicyness in the different brands. I'd say try the little six-packs of a wine like Berringer or Sutters Home for cooking. These Chardonays are a bit on the sweeter side, but not sweet like a desert wine. Also, the little bottles don't make for waste if you aren't going to drink them.

Another wonderful white wine for cooking (and drinking)is a Pinot Grigio. It's also drier, and cooks up very well.

A white wine should be served cold for drinking. Red wine is better flavored when served at room temperature, and uncorked a good hour or so before drinking. By uncorking the wine, you let the oxygen work on the aciidity of the wine, so you get a softer taste with less of a back-of-the-throat-bite.

If you cook with Chardonay or Pinot Grigio, try using the left-over wine with few sliced strawberries and some Sprite in a tall glass with ice. It makes a great summer wine cooler. (That's one way to use the rest of the wine from your recipe.) One of my favorite white wines is a Vouvray. I don't cook with it because it's too yummy. Light, silky and soft on the back of your throat it's a nice variety to try.

One of the best "beginner" wines is a blush called White Zinfandel. It's sweet, but not as sweet as as a dessert wine like a Gewertzheimer or Leibfraumilch.

For red wines, I personally love to drink Merlot or Cabernet Sauvingion. They make a blend of the two wines together that is usually excellent. I like the red wines from Australia and Chile, The whites I buy are usually Italian, French or Californian. NY State wines all tend to be on the sweet side, much more so than Californian.

Pinot noir is a nice red wine for both cooking and drinking, so is Valpolicella. In heavy robust Italian dishes and stews a Chianti is very good. But Chianti is a very heavy dry wine, and most people don't like drinking it. One nice "newcommer's" wine we sell a lot of is Luna de Luna. It is a national product that comes in Merlot, Cabernet Sauviginon and Chardonay, and is a less dry, softer wine. I just got some samples of a Shiraz-Merlot blend from them that has a really sherried aftertaste that would be great for cooking chicken.

Next time you are at a restaurant bar, ask to taste a few varieties of wine that the bartener has open. Pay for a glass, taste several different wines. lf there is a wine store near you, ask the owner if they offer wine tastings. I know the shop I work in does that once-a-month or so.

I really enjoy wine, both for cooking and sipping. Like I saiid, no connissiour... but I'm happy to answer what I can.

Val

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Thank you so much! There were several things that I did not know like wine turning into vinegar. Helpful information. I always like the sweet German stuff.

[ajrsmom]

Hi Val! :) Nice to see you here!

Thanks so much for the information. :D


Tami

[cat lover]

I'm not any expert at all, but enjoy drinking wines. We have a wine cellar we keep stocked just because as with everything else there isn't a place close to get wine when we want it. You wouldn't think that with all the wineries here in Indiana!

Lifstar is right, if you wouldn't drink it don't use it to cook with. Think of the flavor, if it taste that bad to drink it surely can't make your food taste good!

My favorite is a German wine also. Schmitt Sohne Riesling Qualitatswein. It is a medium body wine, off dry,but it goes with pork and ham all the way to fish and poultry.

I do keep some white and Red on hand in case I need it for cooking. I just buy something different each time besides my regular and keep trying different ones. I figure that is the only way I'll learn what I like! I'm not into expensive wines, but don't like the bargin ones either.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I should have added this to my list since I keep it on hand. I keep the whote wine on hand in case I need it for a recipe.

[cat lover]

Anyone tried any new wines to you that you would care to share the results? I keep sticking mainly to my regulars lately, really should expand to others, but just am always drawn to what I recently had I liked. Haven't had much lately; just been too busy to sit and enjoy a bottle of wine, so looking for some new ones!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

When I do drink it is Gewurztraminer. It is a sweet floral wine. I don't like dry wines, but that is just me. I use the dryer wines for cooking.

[cat lover]

Anyone tried any new wines lately? I'll be stocking up probably the next time I go to Louisville and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations?

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Since I rarely drink wine and when I do I drink the same ol same ol, I don't know. Have you tried doing a search on the Internet for wines that won in wine tasting contests?

[dallasalice1]

I dont have any recommendations for the wine but I would suggest asking the staff where you purchase your wine. I love going for the taste testing at a couple of places here. I too just like trying new wines & I like all types sweet dry red white rose! Yum Yum it must be 5:00 somewhere!

Alice

[cat lover]

I haven't thought of searching on the internet for wines; don't know why, but good idea!

[Bilby]

I know each state here makes a wine some states more than others. There is a winery 10 mins up the road, I did a tour there and sampled some wines (10 came with entry price) I can tell you by #10 that any wine tastes good LOL
Unfortunately I like a sweeter wine and the winery is more known for it's drys etc.
I love the wines my sil brings here or serves up but I never remember the names or get I the wrong ones so I wait and wait for a visit to her place to drink her nice wines LOL
But it's a thing I can take or leave.

[cat lover]

We have wineries all over the place here in Indiana, but I have only been to one of them. DH doesn't care for wine much, I like some in a social event. I wish I could find a "tour" that would take you around to a bunch of them. That would p[robably be the only way I'd ever get to visit most of them! LOL

I too like a sweeter wine. I don't much follow "the rules" on what goes with what; I just drink what I like.

[pondlady]

I'm a wine lover also. I enjoy the reds. I also like cooking with wine and brandy. I'm from British Columbia, Canada and near where I live there are several wineries. A few weeks back we went on the taste tours and bought several wines. I agree with the others here who say, enjoy your wine, no matter white or red, beef or chicken. As long as it is enjoyable with your meal that's what counts.