Does boeuf bourguignon have to be made with a wine from its namesake region, Burgundy? It’s traditional, yes, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s no accident that Fiona Beckett, the British food writer, recommends a red from France’s Languedoc or Rhone. She wants a more full-bodied wine in her recipe. Nor does the wine in the pot need to be the same as what’s poured in the glass. Wine can lend a great deal of flavor to cooking, but long cooking destroys a fine wine’s nuances and layers of complexity. “Burgundy isn’t the only wine that pairs with beef […]
Sparkling Wine 2
When Rhoda Nussbaum was a little girl, she used to spend the night on Manhattan’s ritzy Upper East Side visiting a wealthy aunt whom she described as an “incredible snob.” Before Nussbaum would go to bed, a maid would bring her a glass of Champagne on a silver tray. Today Nussbaum, who lives in Clayton, says sparkling wine is the only alcoholic drink she likes, but she never spends more than $15 or $20. “My aunt would disown me if she was alive and knew I bought the cheap stuff,” said Nussbaum, adding that inexpensive bubbly is her specialty. Nussbaum […]
Sparkling Wine
The sound of champagne corks popping is about to ring over our land as New Year’s Eve approaches. But if you love the sparklers, why limit yourself to one kind, boringly passed around at midnight? Break out of the bubbly rut this year. Host a festive champagne tasting as a different kind of celebration. Organizing a tasting at home is simple, with a little knowledge and advice. Some wine shops will even put together private tastings for you. Because you’re tasting small amounts, you could splurge on that more expensive bottle you’ve always wanted to try. Foods to complement the […]
Food & Wine 3
Wine always makes a tasteful gift, and you never have to wrap it. But how do you know whether your cubicle mate or running partner prefers a dry white or a luscious red? Add a tag to the bottle that lists his favorite complementary dishes, and you’ll be a hero. Unless your giftee is a habitual dieter or true ascetic, chances are you’ve dished about food. And your friend’s favorite cuisine may be all the insight you need to buy a great wine for him or her, says Natalie MacLean, sommelier and author of Red, White and Drunk All Over: […]
Meritage Wines
You can argue that winemakers were wagging the dog when they came up with a catchy name for California wines made with traditional Bordeaux grapes. They even hosted a competition in 1988, looking for a name that would brand their high-quality blends. More than 6,000 names were submitted. The winner: Meritage, a compound of the words “merit” and “heritage” and pronounced like heritage. The Meritage Association, which protected the name with the U.S. Department of Trademarks and Patents, established the criteria: To be a Meritage, the wine must be made from two or more Bordeaux grapes. The red grapes are […]
Turkey Wines 4
Thanksgiving is either the most difficult meal with which to pair wine or the easiest. Turkey and its trimmings go with everything and nothing at the same time. It’s those sides that throw everything off. From sweet candied yams to mushroomy green bean casserole to tart cranberry sauce, you really can’t pin down a flavor — or even a range of flavors — to complement. You have a couple of options. You can stop fretting about your wine selection and drink whatever suits you (a fine course of action, if you ask me). Or you can follow a couple of […]
Turkey Wines 6
Once the invitations have been extended for this year’s Thanksgiving feast and the relatives have excitedly called to plan their arrival, that’s when a lot of hosts might find themselves undergoing sudden “preparation panic.” Take your pick of white, crisp chardonnays and look for one from a lesser-known winery. As the traditional turkey is thawed, they might wonder how they’re ever going to top last year’s delectable secret recipe for Grandma’s sangria, which everyone enthused about while mingling with guests waiting to be fed. The answer to this year’s creative culinary drink-pairing struggle lies inside a chilled or aged wine […]
Wine Dinners
There’s nothing like the holidays to inspire the inner host or hostess inside you to get to work. Planning a holiday party is easy; good friends, good food and good wine are all it takes to turn a cold winter evening into a night full of warm memories. “A wine dinner is a wonderful theme for a get-together with friends,” says Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White and Drunk All Over (www.nataliemaclean.com). “It can be either a fancy, multi-course meal or a casual potluck where everyone contributes. A variety of wines for the dishes is what makes it fun.” Choosing […]
Turkey Wines 5
One of America’s favorite holidays – with its own parade, plenty of football and a feast – Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching. This year it falls on November 22, and apparently the U.S. version of this feasting day (Canada’s is quite sensibly held in October) seems to be well-known in Europe and Asia. It is an occasion that can strike dread in the hearts of dieters and bring delight to dessert fiends with its apple, pecan and pumpkin pies, savory squashes and sweet potatoes, molds, relishes, salads, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Oh, right! The turkey. The question then becomes what wine […]
Food & Wine 4
Why did the chicken flee screaming across the road? It might’ve been escaping the dinner-party host trying to fry him and serve him with, yawn, a bottle of chardonnay. Matching vino and vittles for your next bash doesn’t have to be a “Wine for Dummies” affair relying on tried-and-tired combos (steak with Merlot, fish and Pinot Grigio). But combining tidbits that are supposedly wine-averse — Indian take-out, chips, breakfast — might mean you’ll uncork some interesting bottles. “In Europe, wine culture is quite developed, so it’s common and easy to simply pair white with fish or things like that,” says […]
