KamaYammy Wine Escape

There are thousands of different kinds of wine available for sale. It would be probably enough to have a different wine every day till the rest of our life; it would not be a bad life style but the question is would our liver survive that challenge??

It is very important while tasting the wine to trust your first instinct and speak your mind. The great thing about the wine is that you don’t have to know a lot about it to drink and enjoy it. Most wine drinkers don’t know much about wine which does not prevent them from appreciating it. It is also very important to know that the wine subject is so huge that it is simply impossible to know everything about it. Therefore, there is nothing more to do than accept it and get on with drinking it.

Wine Survival (essential things to know about the wine):

Wine has the power to bring people together in a relaxed yet sophisticated style. Consequently, opening and consuming wine, whether you are doing so at home or in a restaurant, comes with its own dining etiquette. Knowing wine etiquette is very important for being the perfect host and demonstrating a level of culture and class!

When it comes to ordering wine in the restaurant one might feel confused, embarrassed and lost. There is always the option of asking your waiter for his suggestion on the wine but there is nothing more satisfying than using your personal taste and knowledge in choosing your bottle of wine.

The wine lists in the restaurants can be endless so first decide on white versus red. Try to choose the wine that compliments your food (to simplify; whites with lighter foods like grilled chicken, fish or salads, big reds with steaks or heavy red sauces and lighter, fruitier reds with anything else)
If you are up for nice dinner, skip the house wine unless you are familiar with the house wine of the certain restaurant.
It could also be a good idea to go with a wine from the same region as the restaurant's food specialty. A good Italian restaurant, for instance, should have a solid selection of Italian wines.
Once the wine arrives at the table there are a number of things you need to check before asking the waiter to pour.
Firstly, make sure the wine the waiter is holding is in fact the wine you ordered. Your bottle cannot be open. It’s also very important to check the temperature of the bottle. Whites have to be chilled and reds have to be served at room temperature. In case your bottle of white wine isn’t cold enough allow it to sit on ice for a while and if it’s too cold allow it to be in room temperature for about 10min. It is rather important to do that if you want your wine to be at its best!
Now it would be the time to open the bottle, first check the cork if it’s not dried out and cracked. Wait till the waiter pours some wine in your glass, take a good sniff in order to be sure that the wine doesn’t have odours, which should not be there. If the smell is good, go ahead and taste it. If the taste is fine acknowledge this fact to the waiter and start your fine evening.
There is yet another thing that you should know, what to do in case your wine does not taste the way it’s supposed to? Well, you have the right to send it back. Nevertheless sending the wine back is even harder than ordering it. All you have to do is to remember that you are paying quite an amount of money for that bottle so the least you can expect is for the wine to taste good. So without getting angry just ask nicely for the bottle to be replaced.
Throughout your meal the waiter should refill your glass, nevertheless in case that your glass runs empty and there is no chance for the waiter to show up, you can feel free to pour more yourself.

It’s also good to know about the alternative wine closures:

Cork has been used to seal wine in bottles for centuries. However, extensive research has shown that cork is responsible for some rather unacceptable process of spoiling the wine. Some now view cork as a less than ideal solution for keeping wine in a bottle free from the damaging effects of germs and oxygen. Please learn about two fairly known and popular methods:
Synthetic corks are made from plastic compounds that are design to look and "pop" like natural cork. Disadvantages to synthetic corks include difficulty in extracting them from the bottle and lack of ease in trying to use the plastic cork to reseal the wine.
Screwcaps are closures made from tin or aluminum material. They are the predominant closure used by New Zealand winieries,which aims at promoting the use of screwcaps instead of cork. Screwcaps form a tighter seal and can keep out oxygen for a longer period of time than natural cork. These benefits aid in maintaining the wine's overall quality and aging potential. Some studies show that apart from protecting against cork taint, screwcaps are also beneficial in the ageing of wine, particularly preserving the aromatic freshness.
Despite these positives for the wine industry and consumers, a disadvantage of screwcaps according to wine experts is that "consumers still perceive screwcaps as being for ‘cheap’ wines (regardless of the price tag)”. In my opinion, slowly but surely, screwcaps are making their way through in the wine world, nevertheless there still are consumers that are rejecting the idea of using screwcaps for their fine wine.

Wine & Food

It can be a tricky task to pick the perfect wine to accompany your food. The well paired wine should bring out the flavours of the food as well as the other way around; food that you are serving should taste better with the wine you picked than without wine at all. Nevertheless wine apart from being served with the food can also be drunk before and after the meal or simply by itself. If you want a red wine before food, drink it a little cooler than normal, since a cooler temperature can mask some of the acidity. A red too high in tannins may be too strong to have before dinner. On the other hand, if beginning with the white wine it’s better to serve a bit warmer than normally. Sweet wines are also a good choice because their flavours can stand on their own without food. Similarly, dry wines help to stimulate the appetite. A fun alternative could be a light sparkling wine.
There are of course rules in pairing wine and food, but don’t be afraid to band them to your liking. Although, when you are organising a dinner party it’s better to stay on the safe side and go for the combinations that are suggested widely and proven to be favourable among wine lovers. The wine can make or break the meal.
Some suggested wine & food pairings:

WHITE WINES:

Chardonnay: It is a good match with strong cheese, shellfish, seafood, poultry, pork and veal. Apart from that chardonnay can be served with white creamy sauces. It would be better to avoid serving chardonnay with a very spicy food. Chardonnay is the primary white wine grape of the Bourgogne. It is also among the most popular white wines in Australia and New Zealand. The trend has been for many regions in Australia and New Zealand to produce unblended Chardonnay wines rich in flavours of citrus and melon and temperate fruits, with or without the added complexity of oak. Part of the attraction of Chardonnay, for wine makers and lovers alike, is its versatility. Without oak, Chardonnay generally produces a soft wine, often with fruity flavors. When aged with oak, Chardonnay can acquire a smokey, vanilla, caramel, and butter aroma. The origin of the oak - either French or American - will affect the final flavor, along with the degree to which any oak barrels were toasted.
Chenin Blanc: It can be served as an aperitif. It also goes well with mild cheese, shellfish and poultry. Chenin blanc (or simply Chenin) is a particularly versatile grape. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine's natural vigour is not controlled.
Gewurztraminer: It goes good with mild cheese and light seafood. You can also serve it with pork, ham as well as with dessert. It is classified as an aromatic and spicy wine grape. It is possible to serve it with fleshy, fatty wild game as well as foie gras. It is better to avoid serving it with a light food. Spicy wines, like Gewurztraminer, are often a good option when matching dishes stemming from historically non-wine growing cultures. Examples include Thai, Mexican, Indian, and Chinese cuisines.
Pinot Grigio: Wines made from the Pinot grigio vary greatly and are dependent on the region and wine making style they are from. Alsatian Pinot gris are medium to full-bodied wines with a rich, somewhat floral bouquet. They tend to be spicy in comparisons with other Pinot gris. While most Pinot gris are meant to be consumed early, Alsatian Pinot gris can age well. German Pinot gris are more full-bodied with a balance of acidity and slight sweetness. In Oregon the wines are medium bodied with a yellow to copper-pink color and aromas of pear, apple, and/or melon. In nearby California, the Pinot gris are more light bodied with a crisp, refreshing taste with some pepper and arugula notes. The Pinot grigio style of Italy is a light-bodied, often lean wine that is light in color with sometimes spritzy flavors that can be crisp and acidic. Pinot gris is considered an "early to market wine" that can be bottled and out on the market within 4-12 weeks after fermentation. It goes well with turkey, shrimp and veal. The wines produced from this grape also vary in color from a deep golden yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink. Researchers have determined that Pinot gris has a remarkably similar DNA profile to Pinot noir and that the color difference is derived from a genetic mutation that occurred centuries ago. The leaves and the vines of both grapes are so distinctly similar that the coloration difference is the only thing that tells them apart.
Riesling: It is a very old white grape variety. Riesling is a very versatile wine to have with food, because of its balance of sugar and notable acidity. It can be served as an appetizer.It can also be a good pair with mild cheese, white fish, poultry, salads or with pork, and it is one of the few wines that can stand up to Thai and Chinese cuisine. The sharp acidity/sweetness in Rieslings can serve as a very good balance to foods that are high in salt content.
Sauvignon Blanc: It is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Sauvignon blanc is producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine. Conversely, the grape is also a component of the famous dessert wines from Sauternes and Barsac. Depending on climate, the flavor can range from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. Sauvignon blanc, when slightly chilled, pairs well with fish or cheese, particularly Chevre. It is also known as one of the few wines that can pair well with sushi.Sauvignon Blanc goes as well with pasta, salad, shellfish. It also works as an appetizer. The wine is usually consumed young, as it does not particularly benefit from aging.
Semillon: It is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, most notably in France (Bordeaux) and Australia. Outside of these regions, however, Sémillon is unpopular and often criticised for lack of complexity and intensity. As such, plantings have decreased over the last century. As referenced above, the grape can still be found in South Africa and Chile. California growers plant Sémillon primarily to blend it with Sauvignon blanc. The grape is also planted in Argentina, and recently in New Zealand.The Sémillon grape is rather heavy, with low acidity and an almost oily texture. It has a high yield and wines based on it can age a long time. It is a good match with mild cheese, shellfish and seafood.
Viognier: It is very ancient grape and remarkably difficult to grow. Viognier was once a fairly common grape, though it is now a rare white grape. Nevertheless the popularity of the wine, as well as its price, has risen and thus the number of plantings have increased. It is best known for its apricot, peach and spice flavours, together with high alcohol (often over the 13% mark) and low acidity. As with many white wines it is generally best consumed young, although the classic Viogniers of the North Rhône (and increasingly wines from the oldest vines in California and Australia) can develop well for much longer. You can drink it with many foods or none. Try matching it with spicy Thai cuisine, Chinese take-aways, Mexican dishes, medium to strong and salty cheeses, strong flavoured fish dishes, pork and chicken and fresh fruit.

RED WINES:

Cabernet Sauvignon : It is a variety of red grape mainly used for wine production, and is, along with Chardonnay, one of the most widely-planted of the world's grape varieties. The principal grape in many Bordeaux wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in most of the world's wine regions, although it requires a long growing season to ripen properly and gives low yields. Many of the red wines regarded as among the world's greatest, such as Red Bordeaux, are predominantly made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. World-class examples can improve for decades and remain drinkable for a century. The particularly thick skin of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape results in wines that can be high in tannin which provides both structure and ageability. This varietal, while frequently aromatic and with an attractive finish, also tends to lack mid-palate richness and so is often blended with lower tannin, but "fleshy" tasting grapes, particularly Merlot and, especially in Australia, Shiraz / Syrah. As a group, Cabernet Sauvignon wines are generally full-flavored, with a stronger flavor than Merlot for instance, and with a smooth and lingering "finish". It pairs well with strong cheese, lamb, beef and pasta.
Cabernet Franc: It is one of the major varieties of red wine grape in Bordeaux. It is mostly grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but is also vinified alone. Cabernet Franc is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon. Depending on growing region and the style of wine, the aromas can include tobacco, raspberry, and cassis, sometimes even violets. The Cabernet franc wine's color is bright pale red.
Merlot: Merlot-based wines usually have medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant. It pairs well with strong cheese, seafood, lamb, beef and pasta. Used in Bordeaux and all over the world to soften Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.
White Merlot is also worth mentioning, made the same way as its more famous cousin, White Zinfandel. The grapes are crushed, and after very brief or even no skin contact, the resulting pink must ferments. It normally has a hint of raspberry. White Merlot was reputedly first marketed in the late 1990s.
In Switzerland, a type of White Merlot is made but is often considered more a rosé.
Pinot noir: Home to this grape is Burgundy. It goes good with strong cheese, seafood, pork and lamb. It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine. The tremendously broad range of bouquets, flavors, textures and impressions that Pinot noir can produce, sometimes confuses tasters. In the broadest terms, the wine tends to be of light to medium body with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry or currant. Traditional red Burgundy is famous for its fleshy, 'farmyard' aromas, but changing fashions and new easier-to-grow clones have favoured a lighter, fruitier style. It is also used in the production of Champagne (usually along with Chardonnay and Pinot meunier) and is planted in most of the world's wine growing regions for use in both still and sparkling wines. Pinot noir grown for dry table wines is generally low-yielding and often difficult to grow well. Pinot noir grown for use in sparkling wines (e.g. Champagne) is generally higher yielding.
Syrah/Shiraz: It is called Syrah in France and most of the United States. In South Africa, Australia, and Canada it is known as Shiraz. Recently, Australian Shiraz producers have started to add up to 4% Viognier to their Shiraz to add apricot tones to the wine's nose and palette. With such a small percentage added, the producer wasn't obliged to declare the blend on the label. In the past 5 years however, it's becoming increasingly fashionable to label the wine Shiraz Viognier as Viognier gains consumer acceptance in the market place. The practise of blending Viognier with Syrah has actually been common for years in the Northern Rhône Valley region of Cote-Rotie. Many premium Shiraz-based wines are at their best after some considerable time aged in a cellar (10-15 years). There is also a small amount of rosé wine produced from the Syrah grape. Before the popularity of Australian Shiraz wine it was very often used to make port. A number of Australian winemakers also make a full-bodied sparkling dry shiraz.
Wines made from Shiraz are often quite powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries, chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" though blackberry and pepper are often noticed. With time in the bottle these "primary" notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy or savory "tertiary" notes such as leather and truffle.
Zinfandel: Typically, Zinfandel wine tastes spicy and fruity. Zinfandel is used to produce a wide range of wine styles including sweet White Zinfandels, light-bodied reds reminiscent of Beaujolais nouveau, full bodied dry reds, sweet late harvest dessert wines, and port-style wine. It is California's specialty grape. Also produced in Italy and Croatia. It has a unique raspberry flavour, intense spicy fruitiness and a vibrant colour. It ranges from lightweight, juicy and fruity to intensely rich aromatic wines.

KAMA’S FAVORITES: