A matter of taste…
- "What about serving red, white or rosé wine by food?"
Taste experience is very personal; almost everyone has a different taste preference and that´s a good thing. Otherwise the wine market could suffice with a single red, a single white and a single rosé wine. That is why today the choice of wine in both the store and in the restaurant is very generous. That does not make it easier to choose but on the other hand it keeps it "exciting" when you come home with a wine that is still unknown to you. When it comes to food people used to stick to the same rule (not even very long ago); white with white meat and fish, red with red meat. But the choice and taste of the dishes is so immense nowadays, that we can leave this “rule” and have to rely on our own intuition and taste preference. Of course it is true that certain dishes are traditionally served with a certain wine (think of asparagus with a tasty pinot gris or pinot blanc) but you should never give up against your will and just drink a wine that you do not really like just because “wine experts” tell you to do so…
Below some general tips:
- A wine may not dominate the taste of the dish and vice versa.
- If different types of wine are served during the meal, it is important that the lighter wines precede the heavier wines. This prevents a "follow-on wine" from being barely to be tasted due to a less strong taste.
- Start with the fresher / more acidic wines and finish with a delicious sweet dessert wine.
- If the wine and the food are well matched, then the result will be that both the wine and the food taste better (there is "harmony").
For the connoisseurs among you, I have here a (self-made) recipe for the preparation of delicious chorizo. This recipe can be done with both a solid red wine or a nice sweet PX wine or sherry.
Recipe 1
Buy fresh chorizo sausages and fry them over a high heat in a little oil in about 1 minute around brown. Then add a glass (20cl.) of wine or sherry and turn the sausages continuously until the liquid is almost gone. Then remove the pan from the heat, let the chorizo cool down and keep it in the fridge until the next day. Toast some brown bread, sprinkle some basil over the sausages and serve the dish with a glass of the same wine in which the chorizo has been cooked.
p.s. You can also cut the chorizo into thin slices and heat them for 10 minutes in the oven at 200ºC shortly before serving. This makes it a little crispy.
Recipe 2
Buy a piece of good brie or camembert cheese. Mash in a mortar 2 or 3 peanuts. Next we sprinkle the peanut over the cheese and pour a generous amount of sweet PX , PX / Moscatel wine or sweet sherry over it and let it stand for about 45 minutes until the cheese has become very soft. Serve with a freshly sliced warm baguette and a glass of wine or sherry.
Enjoy!
Roel Peters RP-Vinos España
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