Fine Wine and Spirits

Pair food and wine is not easy task. Let's face it: the selection of a wine to go with dinner is often limited to what wine happens to be in the house that evening. Still, a consensus has developed over the years that the taste of many of the foods we eat is enhanced when the food is matched with certain wines.

Since the pairing of food and wine is a subject that seems to be a source of anxiety for many people, we have tried to lay out some general thoughts on the subject. We have also listed a number of common dishes with wine suggestions (many of which we have in stock).

Picture Credits - www.adamswineguide.com

Bear in mind that, mercifully, taste is unique to each of us, and you may disagree with the information described here. If so, great! Send us your own ideas for the perfect match. We're always interested in new ideas.

Examples of pairing food and wine

In general, the weight and intensity of the food should match, or complement, the weight and intensity of the wine you have selected. That's essential when trying to pair food and wine correctly.

Example 1:
A grilled New York strip steak is a heavy dish with a lot of flavor. A dish of this type needs to be paired with a full bodied, flavorful wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, or a red wine from France's Rhone River region, such as a Gigondas from the south or a Cotie Rotie from the north.

Example 2:
Broiled filet of sole served with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is a very light dish that would be blown away by the wines described above. A dish of this nature needs to be paired with a lighter, more delicate wine like a Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Vouvray, or Pinot Grigio.

Relatively fatty dishes, fried foods, or dishes with cream sauces, can benefit by being paired with wines with a relatively high acidity that can cut through the fat and cleanse the palate. In this case, the wine acts more as a contrast to the food, rather than as a match.

Example 1:
Fish served with a rich cream sauce can be paired nicely with a dry Alsatian Riesling or with a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or France's Loire River Valley.

Example 2:
Grilled sausages go really well with red wines such as Chianti or Beaujolais, that are relatively acidic.

Foods that are acidic themselves (tomato sauces, vinaigrettes, the above mentioned filet of sole with lemon juice) also benefit from matches with acidic wines.

Example 1:
Pasta or pizza served with a tomato sauce naturally goes well with Chianti (what a surprise!).

Example 2
The lemon juice in the filet of sole seems to call for an acidic white wine like a French Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre, Pouilly Fume). In this case, the pairing serves as a contrast rather than a match or complement. Note that Chardonnay is generally not very acidic, and may not perform well in this example.

Simple foods are best matched with simple wines unless you are really trying to showcase the wine. Conversely, complex sauces go well with complex wines, as they can make simple wines taste bland or flat.

Example 1:
A simple roast chicken dish could go well with an un-oaked Australian Chardonnay or a French Chablis, but would be overwhelmed by more complex white Burgundies or high-end California Chardonnays.

Example 2:
Escalopes de Veau Sautées a l'Estragon (Sauteed Veal Scallops with Taragon) would be a great match for full-flavored white Burgundies or high-end California Chardonnays. 

Use these examples of pairing food and wine and enjoy your time. Try some wine cocktails like sangria and you will get instant summer portion of refreshness for sure.

Merlot wine becomes one of the most popular wines in the world. Merlot grapes have really great flavor between red cherries and purple plums, and that is the reason why Merlot wine has so soft and fruitful taste. Nowadays, many people across the globe choose the wine as their favorite drink and as a proof of its growing popularity is the fact, that in Bordeaux, France, one of the most popular wine regions, Merlot plantings are more than even Cabernet Sauvignon.

If you are looking to buy Merlot wine online, then you have to know several important facts about it. It will help you to make the right choice, because as you know, the competition is really huge and sometimes it is very hard to find your desired wine. There are many wine regions which produce Merlot wine, but you should search for wineries where the climate is sunny and chilly. These are the perfect weather conditions for the growth of the grapes of this fantastic wine. Some of these regions are Napa and Sonoma Valleys, northeast Italy, Bordeaux - France, Washington State, Bulgaria and Chile.


Merlot Grapes


If you want to make your own homemade Merlot wine, then you should know that you can mix different types of grapes with Merlot and you will achieve really blended and unforgettable wine flavor and taste. Merlot wine has lower tannins and therefore it has so soft and pleasant taste. Many wine producers use it to soften up the so called "heavy" wines like Cabernet. Its earlier maturing makes it really loved by the wine manufactures and if we add this fact to the great currant, black cherry, cedar, tobacco, mint and green olive flavor which most of Merlot wines had, then you will quickly realize why so many wine lovers prefer it for their lamb and beef meals. You can also pair it with fish and seafood.

Some of the best and affordable Merlot wines which you should try are:

1. Beringer Napa Valley Merlot - 2003
    Sonoma County, California
2. Barnard Griffin Merlot - 2004
    Columbia Valley, Washington
3. Shafer Napa Valley Merlot - 2004
    Napa Valley, California
4. Brassfield Merlot - 2004
    North Coast, California
5. Ferrari-Carano Merlot - 2003
    Sonoma County, California

They are all made in USA, but if you see in your local store or online Merlot wines coming from Italy, France, Bulgaria and Georgia, they you will be definitely satisfied of your choice. Most of them has very affordable price and sometimes you can find it very low for good wine. Do not be confused, they are also  quality Merlot wines, but most of the wineries do not have to financial power to promote their products as the American companies.

Go ahead and try some or check the guide on how to produce your own homemade Merlot wine.

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Nowadays, sushi and fine wine are great end of busy and beneficial day. Pairing sushi and fine wine can be very hard task for most of you. Most of the restaurants will offer you slightly warm sake in combination with your sushi, but when it is up to wine, most of the waiters will not help you. Check out below the best combination between sushi and wine and try to remember the information. It will help you many times for sure.

You can pair sushi made from the white meat of the fish with wine such Pinot Blanc, Merlot and Pinot Gridzhio.

You can pair sushi from sweet and white fish or other seafood with Champagne or sparkling wine. Chardonnay wines are also perfect for such kind of sushi.

Sushi made from dried fish with a strong character and taste will pair best with wines from the Sauvignon Blanc variety (there is such a large selection of wines from Bulgaria, France, New Zealand, Chile, etc.).

Sushi which is made from fish with dark meat should be combined with representatives of the lightest, fresh red wines - those made from varieties of Pinot Noir and Gamey.

Do not try to use too much spicy sauces, because you will not be able to enjoy the perfect combination between sushi and fine wine. As you see pairing sushi and fine wine is not so difficult. Try to follow the short guide and you will enjoy your sushi and wine in the best possible manner. Then you will have the answer of the question “How to pair sushi and wine?”.