Tag: Wine
Spice Up Your Fall Pie Choices With Some of These Great Wine Selections
In a mundane world, we would normally drink a delicious, piping-hot cup of coffee or tea along with our slice of seasonal Pumpkin or Apple pie. Fortunately, we do not live in a mundane world, and while it is fitting, as always, to have a cup of coffee or tea with your slice of pie, with the uproaring of societal trends, we are introduced to a new wave of seasonal pie flavor-enhancing means, that is we can enjoy our slice of pie with a fine glass of wine. Believe it or not, wine genuinely enhanced the flavors sealed within the pie and vice-versa. It truly is yet another marriage of flavors as both work in tandem, producing a one-of-a-kind, incredible flavor.
With that in mind, let’s dive into the world of “Wine and Fall Pie” pairings and examine the plethora of options to choose from… enough to fancy our hearts and our tastebuds…
APPLE PIE
Albeit, apple pie comes in a variety of different styles and tastes, when marrying it off with a wine, the Boundary Break Harvest Riesling takes home the cake… I mean pie, see what I did there? This riesling is an exemplary choice because it exponentiates the fruit-based flavors as oppose to the spice-heavy flavors of apple pie. The wine itself, upon initial taste, brings out the fabulous intensity of stone fruits and honey and a follow-up sip of wine enhances the pie’s fruit intensity, in this case, apple.
PUMPKIN PIE
To go along with a delicious, hearty slice of pumpkin pie, try a glass of Suideriut Sauterne. The remarkable sweetness of the wine lends the perfect touch to the richness of pumpkin pie. As a measure of additional flavor, try an aged version of this Sauterne, as it presents an added flavor of light honey.
PECAN PIE
Pecan Pie is a pie with some serious intentions, therefor, it’s best to be paired with a wine of serious intentions. A great wine for this pairing would be The New York Malmsey has a Madeira that should be implemented into every dessert menu and table across America. What makes The Malmsey exceptional is its explosion of incredible aromatic blend of coffee and toffee. Its sternness compliments the nutty richness of a pecan pie.
CHERRY PIE
Let’s travel into the world of exceptionalism. This occurs with the pairing of cherry pie and a glass of Velenosi Visciole, a cherry wine composed of 30% cherries. This flavor intense wine is made by soaking sour cherries in sugar before going through fermentation. As you drink a glass of this, alongside cherry pie, the taste of fresh cherries and blueberries will illuminate your tastebuds.
CHOCOLATE PIE
With any sweet pie or dessert in general, a Port is the quintessentially, complimentary beverage. With its bright, rich, fruity body, a glass of Quinta de la Rosa Ruby Port 601 is the essential pairing for creamy, chocolate pie. Having a black-cherry and chocolate masking flavor, this Port, without question, is the drink of choice for chocolate pie.
Want a Little Wine with Your Cheese?
When you think of wine, what is the first thing that comes to mind? No, not getting intoxicated from it after a long, frustrating day at the office. I’m thinking more along the lines of cheese. And when you think of cheese, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Wine! Wine and Cheese, Cheese and Wine… they are nearly inseparable and the quintessential marriage of two dynamic worlds. Wine and cheese work off each other and benefits from each other’s flavors. When drinking wine after cheese, cheese helps bring out the taste and texture of the wine, while at the same, the wine brings out the immense flavors of the cheese. More times than not, the wine will expel a myriad of flavors from the cheese. Am I getting you hungry and thirsty now? Well, that was the goal, ha!
Everyone loves a good party, whether it’s a last-minute party or a party that has been planned for months. A common theme for many parties is, you guessed it, a “Wine and Cheese” party. I mean, who doesn’t love a good wine and cheese party, especially when you can have a wine tasting party. Often times though, the biggest dilemma comes with the cost it takes to throw a wine and cheese party. Certain cheese can run a hefty price, while certain wines can carry a steep price tag as well. But, having both is critical to a wine and cheese party as it just sounds awkward to have a wine party (wait, that doesn’t sound so awkward, especially when you’re in the mood for wine, ha) or a cheese party (unless you’re a cheese fan, like we are.
While wine prices, especially rarer, sought-after wines, can be quite soaring, keep in mind, there are still great, fabulous wines out there that won’t break the budget. We understand that many folks are not looking to spend $500 on a bottle of wine, but maybe more like $30. You are in luck! There are many selections of wine ranging anywhere from $10 to upwards of around $150. A number of these wines are imports too, which is amazing in and of itself! Contrary to the infamous $1,000 bottle of Dom Perignon, these wines cost pennies on the dollar while delivering an exquisite wine-tasting experience. Below is a list of some of the most popular imported wines ranging from $10 to $150. The cost for each bottle of wine could vary from store to store and with currency rates continually fluctuating, prices could vary across different parts of the world as well.
Source: Wine Searcher (www.wine-searcher.com/topvalue.html)
To place things into perspective, here is a list of the world’s top-priced wines… and yes, these will break the budget or four budgets. Warning: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
The Best Wine and Cheese Pairings
Wine and Cheese
Wine and cheese are two of life’s great culinary pleasures, and finding the perfect match can be a delicious, and at times, a challenging endeavor. But, we are to help! As with any wine and food pairing, there are a number of considerations, such as texture, acidity, fat and tannin. Rather than complicating the topic with exotic matches like Garrotxa and Meursault, we have broken the art of wine and cheese pairing down, so you can create your own.
Wine and Cheese Pairings
The wine-cheese pairing possibilities are endless, but to simplify the strategy, we can divide cheese into four major categories:
Bloomy: Creamy, decadent cheeses, with a soft rind.
Hard: Stiff cheeses, which are often sharp and/or salty. They can also be aged.
Blue: Pungent, often salty cheeses, with a blue tinge.
Fresh: Soft, often spreadable cheeses that can be tangy or mild. They are not usually aged.
If you have a specific cheese in mind, first contemplate the category it belongs to. You can then consult our wine and cheese pairing examples for ideas.
Just as with any food pairing, it helps to think of either complementary or contrasting flavors. A lush wine works well with a triple-cream cheese, while an acidic wine will cut the cheese’s sweetness. As you begin to experiment, taste the cheese first by itself, to get a sense of its character, and then put another bite into your mouth with some wine to see how they mingle. Many experts say that white tends to pair better with cheese, but a light-bodied red and cheese pairing is still possible.
Wine and Cheese Pairing Examples:
| Cheese | Wine |
| Bloomy | |
| Camembert | Champagne |
| Brie | Chardonnay |
| Robiola | Sparkling Wine |
| Taleggio | Pinot Blanc |
| Hard | |
| Gouda | Merlot |
| Cheddar | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Parmesan | Chianti |
| Double Gloucester | Zinfandel |
| Pecorino | Valpolicella |
| Gruyere | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Fontina | Bardolino |
| Blue | |
| Gorgonzola | Port |
| Stilton | Sauternes |
| Blue | Riesling |
| Cambozola | Eiswein |
| Fresh | |
| Ricotta | Pinot Grigio |
| Mozzarella | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Goat | Chenin Blanc |
| Feta | Beaujolais |
| Burrata | Tocai Friulano |
Preparing a Wine and Cheese Party
What better way to taste a variety of pairings then to throw a wine and cheese party? Purchase a few different cheeses from a cheese shop or gourmet store with a well-equipped storage facility. Discuss your plans with the cheesemonger and ask for recommendations. You can get creative with cheese place cards or purchase a nifty slate cheese tray, which allow you to etch cheese names in chalk. Lastly, be sure to serve the wine and cheese at their proper temperatures, so their flavors can emerge. Serve white wine at 45°F, red wine at 60°F and remove the cheese from the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes prior to serving.
Wine and Cheese Party Menu
A great wine and cheese party offers pairing selections with varied flavor profiles. Display the options in a circle and have your guests start with lighter wines and fresher cheeses and move clockwise toward the ones that have sharpness and depth. To simplify, you could also choose a flexible wine that pairs with a wide range of cheeses. A lean red, such as Gamay or Pinot Noir, could serve as a perfect starting point. Your guests can taste that wine with each cheese and then rank the pairings.
Let Shisler’s Cheese House help with your wine and cheese party needs with our vast assortment of domestic and imported cheeses!
