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How to choose the right wine for the night
Apr
How to choose the right wine for the night
There are no set formulas of how to choose the right wine for that special meal, event or person. In fact, people have their own partialities when it comes to wine preferences.
We have listed a few suggestions below to help you pick the right wine for the right moment or a special meal. We hope it gives you some helpful insights to serving wines that should please any palate.
White Wine
When your guests first arrive and are enjoying the appetizers a white wine is always the perfect choice. They are commonly lighter and drier and leave the palate fresh for the main entree’.
Some of the whites such as the Chardonnay can also be introduced during a rich dinner such as “Coq a Vin”, with its beautiful creamy wine sauce. Another suggestion is the Sauvignon Blanc which is excellent served with a first-course salad or shrimp cocktail or even a plate of delicate fish.
When toasting that special event in your life or the life of a loved one the whites are a perfect choice. The more common toasting wine for weddings and anniversaries is, of course, the more elegant choice of Sparkling.
Red Wine
Now you are ready to serve that special dish you have worked on all day and planned especially for your dearest friends you must choose just the right wine. This is when you go for the full-bodied red. One of the most popular is the Merlot. Being a lighter red but still full-bodied it is perfect for sautéed chicken, grilled pork or roasted lamb.
ThePinot Noir, while not as commonly served as a Sangiovese or Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sauvignon, is a unique blend of plum, vanilla and blackberry. Sardinia produces wines where the blackberries grow wild and are sweet and juicy. This wine will certainly be a hit.
When hosting a spicy Mexican meal the Shiraz is a perfect compliment with its peppery flavour that brings out the spiciness of your enchiladaSuiza or chilli Verde.
Italian food with its hearty and robust tomato sauces requires a Chianti. A Chianti Classico DOCG can range in price and quality. You may be able to find one that is rather inexpensive but the quality is perfect for you.
A robust Nero d’Avola would be red to choose for a fine standing rib roast or rich rib-eye.
As you can see from the suggestions above you may wish to have both White Wine and Red Wine on hand when hosting a dinner. Some guests will most likely pick the wine they prefer and stay with that choice for the entire evening. Another may choose a white for the start of the evening and finish with a red. So you can be always prepared.
What do you like to serve as wine on a dinner with friends?
What is your favourite bottle?
