Great grapes in a glass

To really enjoy a wine to its fullest, it's important to experience the subtle nuances that different varieties offer.

One way to do so is to make sure you're drinking from the proper glass. While you won't likely notice substantial difference based on what type of glass you drink from, small differences in the size, and shape of a glass can bring out small differences in a wine. The size of the rim, for example, determines which part of your tongue tastes the wine. Since different areas of the tongue are more sensitive to different tastes, glasses are designed to deliver wine to areas of the tongue that will bring out the best of a particular wine.

Below, I've attached a chart of different types of wine glasses and the wines that pair best with them from www.2basnob.com.

Warm weather riesling

Just a quick post on a very nice wine my neighbor shared with me this weekend. And what a pairing the wine and weekend made.

The 2007 Moselland Lighthouse Series Riesling ($10) is as attractive as it is tasty. The frosted bottle holds a medium bodied, crisp wine that's full of fruit flavors. Served well-chilled (optimum temperature is slightly warmer than refrigerator temperature), it's a great sipping wine when enjoying unseasonably warm winter weather.

The wine is tagged as a Qualitatswein wine. Qualitatswein is a term used for late-harvest wines from one of 13 regions of Germany. Late-harvest grapes are overly ripe, therefore producing intensely sweet wines that often define the Riesling variety.

What's that in my wine?

It is a common misconception that sediment forming on wine corks or in the bottom of the bottle mean that a given wine has gone bad. In fact, there are several possible explanations for this build up.

Some winemakers simply don't filter their wines as completely as others. Often, these winemakers will say they leave some residual sediment to enhance the flavor of the wine after bottling.

Another possible reason for the build up is more common in highly-acidic wines and grapes. Wine made from Concord grapes, for example, often develop tartrate crystals, which build up over time and look a bit like sand. These crystals are not harmful, but may change the taste of wine over time.

The best way to deal with sediment is to decant your wine before serving. By decanting, the sediment will settle to the bottom and not in your glass.

Entertaining evening

The downside to entertaining is all the leg work that goes into getting ready for guests.

The upside is the host/hostess gifts -- especially when that gift is wine.

My wife and I hosted two other couples from church for a nice, leisurely dinner. The wine flowed, and it was good.

We started with a Baron Herzog 2005 Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon ($13, Trader Joe's). This medium bodied Cab Sav was smooth, with a bouquet most defined by blackberry that paired nicely with cheese appetizers. Bottled along California's central coast, the wine is lightly filtered, meaning some sediment might find its way into the bottle. The upside, the wine will continue to mature with age.

Next we opened another Trader Joe's Cab Sav from California. The 2006 Bear's Lair was slightly more tannic (read "pucker power") with more oakey tones. The fruit flavors of this more full-bodied wine ($8-$10) hints a blueberry, blackberry, cherry and plum. It was a great match with the pork tenderloin dinner course, and at the price, would be a great gift offering. It makes more than a $10 impression!

Finally, we opened a 2006 Chianti from Melini, a noted Tuscan winemaker since the early 18th century. Certainly the most full-bodied of the night's three wines, this wine exemplifies the Chianti variety, with a peppery bouquet and a smooth, soft finish. Highly recommended for those who prefer a hearty wine.

In all, it was a great evening and a great chance to expand my wine selection.

Less than impressed

It was bound to happen, eventually, I guess. A wine that made the wrong list, in my mind.

I came home, no real plans other than basketball and a glass of wine. I reached into the wine rack and pulled out "Gold Rush Red".

I know little more about the wine than what the label offers (which isn't much), and, honestly bought it because of it's label. Odd though it seems -- although prophetic in retrospect -- I wasn't impressed with the label. Simple in design. Very basic. Almost cartoonish. "But, hey," I thought, "why not give it a try. A bad label doesn't make for a bad wine."

Or does it.

As my wife said, "It tastes cheap." Mild oak flavor, but no real "umphh". If you're looking to impress and don't know much about wine, may I suggest giving labels the attention they deserve. If it doesn't work out, at least you've got a nice bottle to look at.

Truth behind tannins

In wine circles, the term tannins is often used to describe a given wine.

Tannins are basically the "pucker power" of wine, and are derived from grape skins and seeds. The longer a wine is aged in oak barrels, the more defined the tannins become. Because red wines typically remain in contact with grape skins longer and are aged longer, the tannins are typically stronger.

As wine ages, tannins become softer or less distinct. Therefore, younger wines with less tannin should be consumed early, while wines with higher tannin levels can be shelved and enjoyed after a couple of years.

Choosing the right wine for meals

Just a few tips for selecting what kind of wine to serve with meals. These are simply suggestions. As I mentioned in an earlier post, wine choice is personal. Drink what you like.

- Pair light wines like Chardonnay with with seafood, grilled chicken or salads.

- Pair more full-bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon with more hearty dishes like steak.

- Consider the region of both the wine and the dish being served. In many regions, food and wines are defined by distinct flavors or characteristics (French food is vastly different from Spanish food; so too are French and Spanish wines). If you're having a French dish, consider serving a French wine. Pairing the two will ultimately bring together similar styles that should make for a nice match.

- If you're cooking with wine as part of a recipe, serve the same wine. The flavors from the dish will (for obvious reasons) share characteristics with the wine.

- Serve wines in decreasing order of acidity. Start with dryer wine and end with sweeter wines.

- Pick a dessert wine that is sweeter than the dessert being served.