fruit or honey sweetness. Dry Rieslings pair well with fish, shellfish and game birds, while their sweeter counterparts pair nicely with Asian cuisine. Pinot Noir is a lighter style red wine great for summer enjoyment. This garnet colored wine can be medium to full-bodied with flavors and aromas of raspberry, cherries and cranberry. This is a soft elegant wine that may show some earthiness. Oregon and certain areas of California produce great Pinot Noirs. This is also the predominate grape used to produce the red wines of Burgundy. It pairs well with grilled meats, roast chicken, salmon, mushrooms and light to soft cheeses. Merlot is one of the great Bordeaux varietals. It offers up jammy aromas of blackberry or plum. It has a soft well rounded feel on the palate that may lead to a lingering finish. It is an excellent accompaniment to grilled or roasted beef,
lamb, venison or other game meats and hard cheeses.
full-flavored entrees such as grilled beef or barbecued meats.
Syrah/Shiraz is a dark, full-bodied spicy wine with aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherries and pepper. Some Australian Shiraz may also show nuances of chocolate. Shiraz tends to be tannic and complex on the palate. They are noted for their aging ability.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of wine grapes. This most widely grown of the Bordeaux red grapes is noted for its deep, rich color and aromas and flavors of black currant often combining with dark berry fruit, tobacco and cedar. Cabernet Sauvignon may range from soft and fruity on the palate to full-bodied and tannic with an incredibly long finish. It pairs with a wide range of foods including grilled or roasted meats, lamb, duck, bison, mature hard and soft cheeses and chocolate.
Zinfandel is a wine with an identity crisis. They are medium to full-bodied with dark fruit aromas and velvety, spicy flavors of blackberry. This smooth, fresh wine pairs well with pasta dishes, pizza and barbeque. Oh yeah, it’s also used to make a sweet blush wine. Malbec, though one of the great Bordeaux red varietals, is now mainly produced in Argentina. This dark, lush, tannic wine offers fruity notes of bramble, blackberry or raspberry with dark coffee or chocolate notes. Enjoy Malbec with
Remember, regardless of your level of wine expertise, there are a lot of great wines out there waiting to be uncorked. Ask your favorite bottleshoppe about regularly scheduled tastings, find a new favorite and share it with friends. In Vino Veritas! ULTIMATE MAN GUIDE 2011 RSVP 23