Some wine basics
By Brian Kervick
Special to the Coastal Point
To My Fellow Tasters:
Fine wine is the blend of luxury, created for those who sip at a leisurely pace.
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Kervick
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In order to truly enjoy the art of drinking wine, we must educate ourselves beyond the simple taste and color. This is where most wine drinkers fall short. It is my opinion that most people are intimidated with all the different types of wine; their colors; their regions; and of course their individual tastes. Herein lies Brian’s Wine Rule #1 — “Drink the wine that tastes good to you and experiment occasionally by trial and error.”
The extraordinary world of wines can be very enjoyable and informative. I can also attest that tasting wine and exploring the friendships it fosters has become a pleasurable hobby for me over the past several years. In today’s article, I would like to address the question most frequently asked of me by friends and colleagues — the age-old question of pairing wines with different types of food.
Over the past 20 years, on my journey from bar back and bartender to the role of executive chef, I have tested many time-honored traditions. In my experience I can simply attest to only one single rule that holds true — Wine Rule #2 — “There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to selecting a wine with dinner.” But as you read on, I will offer some basic guidelines.
When friends ask me to help them pair a red wine with a juicy roast or a thick steak, I tell them that it all depends on the flavor you’re looking to achieve. That’s right! I said that wine could actually enhance the taste of your meal. If you were cooking with a variety of rich spices, a nice Red Zinfandel would be the best choice. If, on the other hand, you were sitting down to a thick slow-cooked steak – medium rare of course – then I would recommend a fine Napa Valley Cabernet. Now, I could never forget about my old friend, Mr. Merlot. I like to drink this hearty bold wine with burgers, pizza or anything with BBQ sauce.
Living in the coastal resorts of Southern Delaware, we cannot forget the white wines of summer. That’s right, I make plenty of white wine recommendations during the warm months, pairing them with my favorite seafood dishes or exotic salads. Some of the most popular Sauvignon Blanc’s in the world come from the islands off New Zealand, no coincidence that they also have some of the most famous traditional seafood recipes. Then there is the old standby, the perfect white wine to prove my philosophy on pairing wine with food is that which comes from the Chardonnay grape. It is produced in almost every wine-growing region on earth and has accompanied everything from grilled hot dogs to shrimp scampi.
The basic point that you should gather from this article is that although there are some basic guidelines as to which wines go with which food groups, part of the fun of pairing your favorite foods to a fine wine relies basically on your individual taste. You should continue to explore different wines with different meals even if you think you have found the perfect match. You might be surprised how the nectar of a different grape will enhance your favorite meal. Remember, the wine police are not going to whisk you out of a restaurant for choosing the wrong wine with your meal. So relax, enjoy, continue to explore and always drink responsibly and, just in case, I’m always around to answer any questions.
Brian Kervick is the wine specialist at Banks Wines & Spirits in Millville. Send your wine questions to coastalpoint@mchsi.com.
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