Month: September 2024

Wine & Wings

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

Wings and beer are pretty much standard fare, a pairing seemingly made in heaven. When it comes to pairing drink with wings, usually the last thing to come to mind is wine. However, I am here to talk about wine, not beer, so here are some fun and interesting wine pairing suggestions for the next time wings are on the menu. The only challenge will be keeping the sticky sauce off your wine glass.

Photo credit: mapleleaffarms.com

When it comes to pairing wine with wings, it is all about the sauce. The wine needs to match the spice, heat and acid found in the wing sauces. Therefore, the wine must calm the heat, highlight the sauce’s acidity with its own acidity and complement the spiciness – a relatively easy task.

Here are some of the more typical wing varieties and corresponding wine recommendations:

BBQ

There are many varieties and interpretations of BBQ sauce. But when it comes to wings, the sauce is likely to be sweet and heavy. Such big bold sauces call for a big bold red wine, such as Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Zinfandel or Carménère. The intense red and black fruit you find in these wines will complement the tomatoes and spices found in BBQ wing sauce. The high tannins will offset the heat of chili and cayenne.

Savory, herbal notes found in these reds will go well with the garlic and onions in the sauce. And the wine’s dry nature will offset the sweetness of brown sugar and molasses.

Buffalo

This is a classic made from butter and hot sauce with heat levels ranging from mild to super hot. A sweeter wine such as Riesling, Vouvray or Gewürztraminer is just the thing to pair with spicier foods. The higher acidity of these wines will cut through the buttery sauce and the fatty chicken beneath.

Garlic Parmesan

The light, stone fruit flavours of Pinot Grigio will pair well with the taste of garlic and hit of flavour of the Parmesan cheese.

Honey Garlic

Sweet and savory, honey garlic wings tend to forego heat for a big aroma, along with a tangy flavour. Honey and garlic are both strong flavours so the wine needs to support the aromas and flavours. Sparkling Rosé, Crémant d’Alsace, Chenin Blanc or Prosecco will work well in this regard.

Honey Mustard

The sweet tang of honey mustard wings will go well with an unoaked or slightly oaked Chardonnay.

Jerk

Rosé is the perfect pairing for quelling the lingering heat of chicken wings coated with a peppery jerk rub.

Korean-Style

The bright acidity of a Grüner Veltliner is a great pairing for crispy Korean-style wings.

Lemon Pepper

Whether you’re trying a dry rub or a sauce, lemon pepper wings offer a light, zingy flavour that is typically less spicy. It will pair well with wines with lots of citrus flavour and acidity.  A French Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis or Dry Riesling are good choices. These wines typically have brilliant lemon aromas, along with a strong sense of minerality that will go with the hit of pepper.

Sweet Chili

Thai-inspired wings are both the sweet and the spicy. Generally, a Thai Chili sauce packs less heat than other wing sauces so an overly sweet wine is not required. An off-dry white or light red can easily offset the spice. Good wine pairings include Chenin Blanc, a sweet Riesling, Zweigelt or Pinot Gris.

Teriyaki

A light fruit forward Spanish Garnacha will complement the sweet glaze of teriyaki wings.

I strongly suggest having a glass of wine along side your next feed of finger-licking good chicken wings. It may surprise you.

Sláinte mhaith

Varietal Wine Glasses

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / 1 Comment

Last week I began the discussion on wine glasses. Now I will turn the discussion to the specific types of glasses used for the various varietals of red and white wine.

White Wine Glasses

Having short bowls and long stems, these glasses are perfect for capturing the bright acidity in white wines. The glasses are smaller than red wine glasses, with a less curved bowl and a much narrower opening. White wines don’t require as much space to breathe as reds, and these glasses help deliver subtle aromatics by bringing the wine closer to your nose. There are specific white wine glasses that are designed to enhance full-bodied white wines and those that work best with high-acid wines. 

Chardonnay Wine Glasses 

White varietals like Chardonnay are best served in a Chardonnay glass. The u-shaped bowl and long stem help the wine’s notes to shine and keep the warmth of your hand away from the bowl. A Chardonnay glass works well with other full-bodied whites such as Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Trebbiano and Sémillon. For oaky Chardonnays, a Pinot Noir wine glass may also be used.  

Sauvignon Blanc / Riesling Wine Glasses

Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling wines can be served in the same style of glass. The mid length stem and the narrow bowl will taper slightly. The smaller bowl makes it easier to enjoy the aromas in the wine.

Dessert / Port Wine Glasses

Dessert wine glasses are available in many shapes and sizes, but they tend to be much smaller than standard wine glasses, as these high-alcohol wines are commonly served in two-ounce pours. These glasses will strengthen the aromas and flavour of dessert wines. 

Champagne Flutes

Tall and thin, the traditional Champagne flute is generally a visual sign for a celebration. With a small surface area, streamlined straight lines and sturdy base, these glasses help preserve the rising bubbles in Champagne, Sekt, Cava and other sparkling wines. The design helps keep the wine’s bubbles at the base of the glass. 

Red Wine Glasses

The overall height and bowl of red wine glasses are larger than those used for white wine. The shape and thickness of a glass influences the aromas, tastes and textures in the wine. The wide bowls on red wine glasses are ideal for swirling, aerating and smoothing the wine, similar to what a decanter would do. This allows the fruity, floral and minerally aromas and flavors to soften, creating a balanced wine tasting experience. 

Cabernet Sauvignon / Bordeaux / Merlot Glasses

Bordeaux glasses are designed to enhance full-bodied red wines such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Bordeaux blends. These glasses are a good match with tannic wines that are often higher in alcohol. The tall bowls and tapered rims round out the flavour intensity and increase alcohol evaporation.

Syrah / Shiraz / Sangiovese / Malbec Glasses

This style is shorter than the Cabernet Sauvignon type glass and has a smaller bowl, designed for medium to full-bodied red wines. The wine’s flavour and spice are softened because the wine hits your palette more gradually due to the smaller opening. The narrower bowl is more tapered to help trap the aroma.

Pinot Noir / Burgundy Wine Glasses

Pinot Noir/Burgundy glasses are perfect for light-bodied reds but are also good for Rosé and oaked Chardonnay. A Pinot Noir glass has a shorter stem and very wide bowl and slightly tapered rim that softens the acidity and tannins. This enables aeration so the delicate floral aromas of the wine can be appreciated. 

Universal Wine Glasses

Most glassware manufacturers offer grape and regional specific wine glasses designed for specific styles of wine. This is great if your preferred choice is one style or grape varietal. However, this is not so good if you don’t just like one type of wine. In this situation, a universal wine glass may be a better option, especially if you only want to have a single type of wine glass in your cupboard.

Also, for people just getting started, universal wine glasses are a good investment. These glasses do a reasonable job of balancing the aromas and flavour of most types of wine. They are characterized by having medium-sized bowls, stems and bases, making them versatile, regardless of the varietal or occasion. They are good for serving red, white and sparkling wines. 

Stemless Wine Glasses

Despite the risk of warming the wine with the heat of your hand, stemless wine glasses are a good practical option for everyday use and casual gatherings. Having a universal bowl, these glasses are often a good choice when there are young children or active pets around, reducing the likelihood of both spillage and breakage. 

Sláinte mhaith

Wine Glasses

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

The vessel from which we devour the sweet nectar of the gods – wine – is an important component of the overall experience. The correct shape and style of the glass ensures that we experience the wine’s full and uninhibited aroma and flavour. The experts agree that using a glass made for the varietal that you are drinking is important if you want to taste and smell all the complexities and intricacies of the grape’s character. Varietal-specific glasses are designed to accentuate the fruit character and structural components of the wine to allow for full enjoyment.

Photo credit: travelmedford.org

There are two different types of wine glasses, stemmed and stemless. There are four parts to every stemmed wine glass, three parts to a stemless one. The similarities and differences are described below.

The rim is the uppermost part of the bowl on both types of glasses. The thickness, shape and size of the rim controls how quickly and smoothly the wine flows out of the bowl into your mouth and where in your mouth the wine first makes contact.

The bowl is attached to the top of the stem on a stemmed wine glass. The bowl enables the wine to be swirled, allowing aeration of the wine and permitting for the release of subtle nuances in the wine which would otherwise remain hidden. With white wines, a smaller bowl maintains vibrancy and freshness in the wine while for big bold red wines, a large bowl moderates the high tannin and alcohol content, to allow the complex flavour and characteristics to be distinguished. 

Next, on a stemmed glass the stem connects the bowl to the base. The stem is a thin piece of glass that helps keep the warmth, oils and scents from your hand away from the wine. It also aids in enabling the wine to be swirled. The length and thickness of a stem varies depending on the type of wine glass for the varietal the glass is designed for. Because of the body heat factor, I use only wine glasses that have a stem. However, it is now possible to obtain double-walled stemless wine glasses which help to insulate the wine from the heat of your hand. However, these glasses don’t appear to be available in a variety of bowl types.

Finally, the base of the glass provides stability. Bases come in various shapes and sizes, depending on the overall design of the glass. Stemless wine glasses are not constructed with a base. Their bowls rest directly on a flat surface.  Because the stemless glass does not stand as high as a stemmed glass it does have the benefit of being more stable and there is less likelihood of it being knocked over.

Next week I will continue the discussion on glasses, examining the variation in glasses by the type of wine each is intended for.

Sláinte mhaith

The Napa Valley

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Being only 30 miles long and several miles wide, California’s Napa Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) is one of the smallest winegrowing regions in the world, with only one-sixth the planted acreage of Bordeaux. About 95% of the wineries are family-owned businesses. The region’s established viticultural practices result in low yields of high-quality grapes, from which the winemakers produce Napa Valley’s renowned wines, which include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Napa generates only 4% of California’s wine grape harvest but has an extraordinary mixture of microclimates, weather and geography, as well as some of the most varied soils found in a wine region anywhere.

In 1968 Napa Valley became the home of the first Agricultural Preserve in the U.S., a long time before environmental issues became a major concern. Today it has the most comprehensive and stringent land use and environmental regulations of any American winegrowing region.

Napa contains 16 sub or nested appellations, each with its own distinct microclimate and terrain that provide recognizable characteristics on the grapes grown there. These sub appellations are presented alphabetically below:

Photo credit: bigvalleywines.com

Atlas Peak

The elevation ranges between 230 to 800 metres above sea level with temperatures in the summer that are about 10–15° cooler than the valley floor. There is low day-to-night temperature range, with summer temperatures rarely rising above 32° Celsius.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes are grown in this region.

Calistoga

Daytime summer temperatures may reach more than 38° Celsius and fall to as low as 4° at night. There are cool afternoon and evening breezes. Elevations range from 90 to 370 metres above sea level.

The main varietals grown in this area are Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah and Petite Sirah.

Chiles Valley

Temperatures peak in the 25° range but the higher elevation and summer fog at night result in nighttime temperatures in the 10° range.  With an elevation of 180 to 370 metres above sea level, there are colder winters and springs, as well as strong winds, which results in the harvest coming later than down in the valley.

The key varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Coombsville

Because of the cool maritime winds from the San Pablo Bay, as well as the Petaluma Gap, high temperatures rarely get above 27° Celsius. This appellation is at a low elevation not exceeding 200 metres above sea level.

The grape varietals include Pinot Noir, Merlot and Chardonnay.

Diamond Mountain

There are moderately warm temperatures in this region, with less fluctuation than the north Napa Valley floor. Summertime temperatures range from 10° t0 30° Celsius. The elevation ranges from 120 to 670 metres above sea level.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc varietals are grown in the region.

Howell Mountain

Howell Mountain is situated above the fog line on the eastern side of the valley. This area is warmer and drier than the other appellations because of more hours of sunshine and an insignificant amount of marine influence. The elevation ranges from 180 to 800 metres above sea level.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel grapes are grown in this area.

Los Carneros 

With marine winds from the San Pablo Bay and the Petaluma Gap, high temperatures rarely exceed 27° Celsius. Elevations range from sea level to 215 metres above sea level.

Varietals grown include Pinot Noir, Merlot and Chardonnay.

Mount Veeder

There is a cool to moderate temperature in this region, with most of the vineyards situated above the fog line. This results in warmer nights and cooler days than on the valley floor below. Normal summer highs are in the 30° Celsius range. Elevation ranges from 150 to 800 metres above sea level.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Chardonnay grapes are grown.

Oak Knoll

Having a moderate to cool climate with marine air and fog often remaining until late morning, afternoon breezes often develop, maintaining summer temperatures that reach as high as 33° Celsius. Elevations rise from sea level up to 150 metres.

The varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Oakville

The climate is moderately warm, with temperatures generally in the mid-30s during summer, but are impacted by night and early morning fog. Elevations are the same as Oak Knoll, rising from sea level to 150 metres.

However, only Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc varietals produced here.

Rutherford

The region is moderately warm, marginally influenced by early morning fog. Summer temperatures usually rise to the mid-30s, with a distinct day-to-night fluctuation in temperature. Elevations range from sea level to 180 metres.

Grape varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel.

St. Helena

Less fog and wind, along with heat reflecting off the hillsides, see summer temperatures often reach the mid-to-high 30s. Elevations range from 30 to 200 metres above sea level.

Grape grown include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel.

Spring Mountain

Cool weather prevails as most of the vineyards are located above the fog line, providing warmer nights and cooler days than the valley floor below. Mid-summer temperatures reach 30° Celsius. Elevations range from 180 to 800 metres above sea level.

Grapes grown include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Zinfandel

Stags Leap

This region is moderately warm with afternoon marine winds cooling the warmer air. Summer temperatures can reach to about 40° Celsius but are normally in the mid-30s. Elevations range from sea level to 150 metres.

Grapes grown include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Wild Horse Valley

This is one of the warmer regions with summer temperatures hovering in the mid-30s. Elevations range from 180 to 600 metres above sea level.

Varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Yountville

Moderate, with cool marine influence and morning fog, summer mornings are cool in this region. Marine breezes keep afternoons more comfortable than further up the valley with high temperatures reaching 32° Celsius and nighttime lows dropping into the teens. Elevations range from just above sea level to 60 metres.

Varietals are limited to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

 Sláinte mhaith