Wine For Novices

Dining: It's Why We Wine!

By Dan Perkins

The last couple of days, my wife and I traveled up to the wine country... Sonoma first, then Napa Valley. Each location, although separated by a small mountain ridge which marks the county line, has it's own unique vibe. While Napa is upscale and at times uptight, Sonoma is laid-back and approachable. Because each region takes pride in their style you would be hard pressed to find similarities among the two... What I learned, however, in these last couple of days was when it comes to food... the oft overlooked Sonoma gets high marks with haute cuisine!

First... I need to admit Napa Valley is the crown jewel of American eateries... You can argue all you want about your home town but unless you've been here, all I hear is, "yada yada yada." But it's neighbor to the west impressed me with a night of culinary joy. While enjoying patio dining at the renown, The Girl and The Fig, we were taken back to our trip last summer, in the south of France, with amazing food, service and atmosphere. Yet, last night at our venerable fav... The Rutherford Grill, where we arrived at 6:15 and still waited for 45 minutes (no reservations here) it was the consistent care (thanks to Mike who was doting on everyone else's comfort at the sake of his own), innovative menu and inexpensive tab (less than $100 for two: complete meal, wine and tip) makes this place a must!

I can't imagine having a good dinner without good wine. Yet, you may chose to opt for a good wine without dinner. I find it hard to keep the two separate however, I've noticed when it comes to food and wine most people don't understand the connection. So here are a few tid bits on the marriage of Food and Wine.

Wine helps the appetite! - the sugars in wine whet the appetite. It can also be a danger to adding unnecessary calories.

Food needs a catalyst... this in the aid of digestion.

Wine will change the taste of food. Imagine adding one more ingredient to a recipe. Wine is that added ingredient!

Food will enhance the flavor of wine! Because wine evolves constantly... from vineyard to barrel to bottle to glass to palate... it can become something different at anytime!

I am often asked what is the best wine to have with certain dishes... I always answer with a question: "What kind of wine do you like?" if it's white, you can find a white wine that goes well with any meal... if it's Red, you can also find the right red wine for any meal but be careful you can also select the wrong wine too.

When picking a wine you should consider whether you want to contradict or compliment the food you're eating. In other words, if you have a big, rich meal... should you have a big, rich wine? Not always... sometimes they can just be overkill and all the flavors become boring, while some other times it's essential because a wine can get lost. My rule of thumb is when it's a white wine, contradict. When it's a red wine, compliment. Most white wines tend to be focused mostly on "balance" while red wines, on "fruit." A delicate fish dish with a nice cream sauce can become too rich  with a big, buttery Chardonnay, by emphasizing the sauce, while a crisp, acidic, Sauvignon Blanc can cut through that richness, instead highlighting the fish. Conversely, with the reds... a spicy, pepper steak or barbecued ribs will dominate a Pinot Noir making it more likely to remind you of drinking flavored water compared to that same Pinot working it's wonders on a tender piece of duck confit!

If this simple rule still seems a bit too confusing, think of it this way... how do you enhance your foods? A little salt, pepper... a bit of butter or honey? Use wine in the same manner and you'll be surprised at how quick you'll get this concept. Like seasoning, it takes some experimenting but once you get it... You'll be glad you did!

Did You Know...

By Dan Perkins

It’s March in Napa and it’s my favorite time of year to visit. Generally this is due to less crowding but specifically it’s because of the Mustard Festival, which begins in February. “Huh?” you may be thinking… “I thought they grew grapes not mustard in Napa Valley?” True but you can experience the marvelous beauty of this region as they celebrate winter dormancy and the fluffy yellow stuff amid the vines. 

So, what’s this all about?

At this time of year, the wine country turns from its languid landscapes of brown and gray to vibrant colors of green, pink and yellow. The mustard begins to flourish between rows of vines with cherry and plum trees in full blossom. A view above the valley floor below on a sunny day is something to behold.  But this mustard growing isn’t necessarily a natural part of spring awakening. While most of it grows wild, some vineyard managers plant it between the rows because the mustard actually has purpose beyond its beauty.  While one winemaker told me they like to plow the mustard into the ground between the rows because it adds nitrogen to the soil, studies are showing that mustard neutralizes nematodes which can cause root damage and other plant disease. There are other unusual practices that tradition new and old have created and I will point out some of these for a bit of trivia so the next time you get together with a few folks over a glass of wine you may wish to impress them with needless knowledge.  For instance…

Did you know… that Cream of Tartar is a product of the wine industry? Yep, although its origins are debated as to who actually discovered it. Georges de Latour, a French immigrant trying to strike it rich in gold, found his fortune when he realized the crystalline crust on the inside of wine barrels was actually tartrites; a residue of tartaric acid which is formed in wine during the cellaring process. Ground down, these square shaped crystals become cream of tartar. Getting wineries, at the turn of the century, to give him the waste from “cleaning the barrels” gave him the fortune he needed and founded Beaulieu Vineyards one of Napa’s finest wineries through the years.

Did you know… the reason many wineries plant roses at the end of each row of vines is because roses are more susceptible to mildew and disease than grapes and are early indicators of a problem the vine dresser would need to address? This is predominantly a French practice that began well before plant engineering and pesticides. Today planting roses is mainly done strictly for tradition and looks.

Did you know… there is only one grape varietal that actually produces a red juice? That’s right all red wines come from clear juice except Alicante Bouschet. The color of a red wine comes from the skin of the grapes. Rosés are not from lighter colored red grapes. The length of contact to the skin determines color.  Skin, along with seed and stem contact is also determines how tannic (or bitter, to put it simply) a wine will become. 

Finally, did you know… organic wines still have sulfites? All wines have sulfites, which are a natural byproduct of fermentation through sulfur dioxide. Because of this the wine industry is required to put “Contains Sulfites” on all bottles. However, organic wines contain fewer sulfites, which are generally added to some wines as a preservative.  One percent of the population is allergic to sulfites and cannot drink wine without reactions; which are generally headaches and not stuffy noses. Ironically, wine naturally contains histamines, which make you stuffy anyway.

So, there you have it… info you can use if you choose. But don’t try to impress anyone at the Mustard Festival. Those people are serious. I recommend asking them a thing or two.

For more information on the Napa Valley Mustard Festival visit their website.