Can you guys school me on wine?

[omgitswes]

I find myself wanting to order wine at restaurants but have no idea what to get, and what type of wine goes with what type of food so I just end up getting a cocktail.

1 year anniversary is coming up with my girlfriend and I'll want to get a bottle to go along with our meal. We're going to a Seafood/Steakhouse.

Any help on that situation and just general wine knowledge would be appreciated, thanks

 

[ryanbbn23]

are you going to a restaurant where they dont have waiters?

 

[omgitswes]

Waiters can't help when I'm out trying to buy my own, that's why I want to know for myself rather than just getting whatever they recommended.

 

[venom lyrix]

Wine is something good to know, just have a general idea about it - I love wine at dinner, but I don't know much about it - hopefully there are smart folk here on NT that are cultured enough.

 

[focused22]

White wines usually go with Chicken, fish, some pastas...

Red wines go with steak and red meats usually.


Moscato isn't anything special, one of the cheaper wines that has been mainstreamed thanks to Hip-hop.


Just ask your waiter or go to Google.....

OR keep an eye out for local wine tasting events in your area.

 

[patrick bateman]

Originally Posted by Focused22

White wines usually go with Chicken, fish, some pastas...

Red wines go with steak and red meats usually.


Moscato isn't anything special, one of the cheaper wines that has been mainstreamed thanks to Hip-hop.

It taste good though 

 .. Focused provided good info OP. 

 

[jbv1]

Try this:

http://www.grosvenormarket.com/assets/Food-and-Wine-pairing-chart/WineFoodPairings.pdf 

I tried to insert image but it's a PDF; didnt' work.

Good chart to refer to - have a good time

 

[omgitswes]

Ah thanks fam

 

[calibeebee]

you really just gotta try things out for yourself man and figure out what you like. I didn't really like red wines at first but, my girlfriend took a wine class one time and got me into all types of different wines. I would say start out with something sweeter and light, then work your way towards the darker wines. Rieslings are pretty easy to drink and don't always have such overwhelming tastes. And yes, pairing your wine with food makes a huge difference on how good your wine tastes. It can even change the taste of foods that you eat

 

[beh235]

I'm not an expert by any means but I tasted pineapple wine and I don't wanna go back

 

[retro707]

Wine is my thing fambs.  I currently work and manage a boutique Napa Valley Winery located in St Helena/Rutherford Appellations.  
First of.  A lot of what you see in the wine lists back home are mainly the big production distributed wines.  Most of the specialty wines (lower production, higher quality, selective) would be found at the winery itself.  Production sometimes limits wineries to what they can sell retail and what they should keep in house.  I'll give you a small run down on what goes with what and how to taste/drink wine to fully enjoy it a bit more and how to let the wine breathe to enhance and flourish it's aromas and flavors.

All wines can be crafted in various different styles.  Mainly stainless steel fermented, all oak fermented or a mixture of both.  Each style will contribute to a very unique flavor profile.  

Sauvignon Blanc- The  SB (short term for Sauvignon Blanc) i'am more fond of are the lightly oaked ones.  The one we produce is a BLEND (mixture of several grapes, in this case 2) with Semillon (a white grape varietal that is sweet but easily compliments other grapes nicely if used in the proper volume).  It is 91% SB and 9% Semillon.  The sauv blanc grape is acidic, has a citrus ,green,grassy feel but it is very crisp,clean and refreshing.  I would recommend having it with appetizers such as salads.  White wine is a great way to start a meal as it wakes up your pallet and gets you started.  It's a great pallet cleanser in between wines as well.  Great for the summer time ,by the deck,pool.

Chardonnay- Very well known as "buttery and lots of oak flavors"- again, depends on style.  Ours is a mixture of both stainless steel(helps the wine retain its complex fruit flavors) while the oak part allows the wine to pickup the toasty smokey flavors.  It goes through a process called Malo lactic fermentation which turns the MALO Acids(found in skins of green apples) and turns them into LACTIC acids (the creamy acid found in milk) and creates that creamy buttery characteristic.  So Being a little bit heavier and more textured it requires something a little bit more solid.  Like, seafood...

Pinot Noir- depends on style. But pinot is fragile and very very easy to overpower. Short term wine and very light with flavors.  Lamb,Turkey,chicken. (heavier reds easily take over these types of foods)

Merlot- all depends on how its built.  But commonly, merlots are very mild and not so much full bodied.  I would reccomend having merlot with Pizza, Spaghetti.. more casual foods.  burger works

Cabernet Sauvignon-  Standard cabs are built a little bit round edged where the tannin's aren't as obstruct or intense.   These wines go great with heavier red meats .  Steak,ribs, french dip style sandwhiches.

Reserve/Specialty reds- usually are heavier.  More structured and bolder bigger tannin's.  I reccomend having big hearty foods with these speacialty reds.  Reserve doesnt mean it is better.  it's a word commonly used in the wine industry to translate a "special batch", selective grapes used to make that wine, less production, totally different barrel aging program, diff more specific oak. and so forth.

Muscato aint cheap.. its a dessert wine, easy to make and less maintenance to keep up.  Less expensive wines take less time/less oak or no oak at all to make therefore prices will be less expensive.

I hope this  helps OP




PM with any questions. sorry for the Spelling,.  tried to do this quick before heading out.




-UNDFT-

 

[mojodmonky1]

^ what winery do you work at?

ill be the first to admit that i dont know poop about poop when it comes to wine, but boy is it some tasty stuff. the wife and i go wine tasting a few times a year and i think its great. for me, its more a personal taste preference thing. i will just taste a buncha wines and i kinda know what i like and what i dont. its difficult for me to pick up the subtle flavors like when someone will say "oh it has a slight hint of currant and tobacco and just a little bit of rasberry on the finish" como what? i taste wine.

 

[solexsup]

Wined and dined and 69ed. That is all i know.

 

[troymcclure]

worked as a fancy waiter for a few years so I know a good deal.

$@$+%*+ hate all of it though. White Zin is doable, so is most whites, but wayyy tooo sweet. I'll take my Jameson and Ginger-ale please.

 

[ground king]

lobster and shrimp and a glass of moscato

 

[ham city]

Originally Posted by Focused22

White wines usually go with Chicken, fish, some pastas...

Red wines go with steak and red meats usually.


Moscato isn't anything special, one of the cheaper wines that has been mainstreamed thanks to Hip-hop.


Just ask your waiter or go to Google.....

OR keep an eye out for local wine tasting events in your area.

This.

Sometimes they're free and you can make a fun date out of it.

 

[lazyj10]

Damn, forgot bout that Retro707...still need to take you up on your offer to visit the winery...totally lost track of that.

 

[retro707]

Originally Posted by LazyJ10

Damn, forgot bout that Retro707...still need to take you up on your offer to visit the winery...totally lost track of that.

anytime bro.  If any of you guys trying to come out to Napa Valley, hit me up.  I will set you up for comp tastings at several places.  Dat wine life bruhs

-UNDFT-

 

[asianplayer]

Originally Posted by Focused22

White wines usually go with Chicken, fish, some pastas...

Red wines go with steak and red meats usually.

Just remember this.

Moscato is aight. I think its too damn sweet though.

 

[mojodmonky1]

so do people seriously drink moscato with dinner?

talk about buying into hype.

 

[smokey13]

Originally Posted by Retro707

Originally Posted by LazyJ10

Damn, forgot bout that Retro707...still need to take you up on your offer to visit the winery...totally lost track of that.

anytime bro.  If any of you guys trying to come out to Napa Valley, hit me up.  I will set you up for comp tastings at several places.  Dat wine life bruhs

-UNDFT-

I will definitely be hitting you up.  I have a voucher for a 2 night stay at Meadowood that I plan to use sometime in the next couple months. 

 

[retro707]

Originally Posted by Smokey13

Originally Posted by Retro707

Originally Posted by LazyJ10

Damn, forgot bout that Retro707...still need to take you up on your offer to visit the winery...totally lost track of that.

anytime bro.  If any of you guys trying to come out to Napa Valley, hit me up.  I will set you up for comp tastings at several places.  Dat wine life bruhs

-UNDFT-

I will definitely be hitting you up.  I have a voucher for a 2 night stay at Meadowood that I plan to use sometime in the next couple months. 

love meadowood...place is straight LUMBRE.  LMK for sure, I can plan out your day and show you dat NT love.  Of course you would have to start off with my place and go from there! hah.  But def bro, pm me whenever..  
Moscato can be like syrup, or cleaner more toned down.  Depends on STYLE.  Just like, SODA, there's cheap soda, good soda and flavored soda.  ALL different types.  Moscato, same thing.  There's a ton of different type of moscato grapes.    Pour it over vanilla ice cream, fresh fruit, peach cobbler, apple pie, cheesecake.. with dinner...i suggest thai food or indian food, something spicy if that's your thing brawseffphs

-UNDFT-

 

[albooboo5]

Not big on wine but I don't mind Yellowtail red wines. Pretty cheap too.

 

[stringer bell 32]

everything I know about wine I learned from the movie Sideways 

 

[chiang2k6]

Originally Posted by Retro707

Originally Posted by LazyJ10

Damn, forgot bout that Retro707...still need to take you up on your offer to visit the winery...totally lost track of that.

anytime bro.  If any of you guys trying to come out to Napa Valley, hit me up.  I will set you up for comp tastings at several places.  Dat wine life bruhs

-UNDFT-

Oh shiiiiiiit, I've always wanted to go to Napa with my girl and wine taste but did not know where to start. I would thoroughly appreciate tips on exactly where to go and all haha.