Matching the right wine with the right food can make a vast difference to the appreciation and enjoyment of your dining experience and some people get so concerned about it that they often choose something else to drink altogether. When people first began to enjoy wine with spicy dishes in numbers, experts with their routes firmly in French tradition, recommended heavy wines and strong spicy wines such as Gewurtztraminer. The problem was that they understood the wines but not necessarily the food as it is just as important that the wine does not drown the spicing as the other way round.

Demand for wine in Indian restaurants is split almost 50/50 between white and red and there are some excellent choices. Recommended white wines include the obvious Chardonnay(which includes Chablis), South African Chenin Blanc, Italian Pinot Grigio or Orvieto and the hugely improved Viognier.
Excellent reds are Merlot, New World Shiraz and Margauz and the offerings of Chile and Argentina offer excellent value at present.

WHITE

Chardonnay – medium to full-bodied, dry
Poultry and game birds, veal and pork, rabbit, fish and pasta preparations which feature cream and or butter, mushrooms and most Indian spiced dishes when served at correct temperature. Possibly the most popular white wine.

Sauvignon Blanc – light-medium bodied, dry
Starters, seafood, most ethnic dishes, pasta, curry, salsa, tomato sauces, oil based dishes, vegetable dishes.

Chenin Blanc – light to medium-bodied, normally off-dry
Chicken, sushi, curry, Oriental dishes, pork. South African and Chilean particularly good at present served well chilled.

Traminer – light to medium body, usually semi sweet, occasionally off-dry
Spicy cuisines such as Chinese, Mexican and Indian but can be too strong for happy marriage. Some labels are excellent.

Riesling – light to medium bodied, semi-sweet to off-dry
Crabmeat, appetizers, pork, salads. Depends very much on the label. Considerably improved of late

Semillon – medium bodied dry white
Fish, foods with creamy sauces such as pasta. Very good for spicy cuisines when blended with Chardonnay.

Verdelho – medium bodied dry white
Grilled fish, fruit platters, pastas with cream based sauce

RED

Cabernet Sauvignon – medium to full-bodied, tannic and dry
Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game, cheeses

Merlot – medium to full-bodied, less tannic than Cabernet and dry
Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game, stews, pizza, pasta, spicy dishes. One of the best house wines

Shiraz – medium to full bodied
Excellent with rich spicy meals. Veal, kangaroo, duck. Some sparkling Shiraz can be very good with pastries and puddings

Grenache – medium to full bodied dry red
Fillet steak, sweet seafood, chicken and red meats. The white Grenache can also be very good with spicy cuisines as a good value wine.

Pinot Noir – medium to light-bodied, dry, low tannin with silky texture
Lamb, duck, turkey, game birds, beef, rabbit, semi-soft cheeses

ROSE

Rose – great variations depending on level of residual sugar
Smoked foods, quiche, pork, some Mexican and Thai food. Can be served with any food

CHAMPAGNE

Brut – dry sparkling

Aperitifs and first courses. Fuller bodied variations go well with any fish or chicken. According to scientific research sparkling wine and champagne in particular stimulate the palate and flow of gastric juices as an ideal aperitif much better than traditional sherry or Martini. Champagne raises the necessary stomach acid to 95% of its maximum level and beer is surprisingly high at 85%. Martini could only score 57% and calvados and armagnac hardly register which is why they are best at the end of a meal as an aid to digestion. Start your spicy meal with a glass of bubbly!

About the Author

Curry Master

If you are in the mood for fine French wine and food, why not consider the Rhone Valley region of southeastern France? You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a Crozes-Hermitage red wine from the northern Rhone Valley.

Among France’s eleven wine-growing regions the Rhone Valley ranks second in acreage. The region extends 125 miles (200 kilometers) along the Rhone River. This region is actually composed of two parts, the north and the south whose wines tend to be quite different. The northern Rhone Valley is quite narrow. Its major red grape variety is Syrah, while its major white variety is Viognier. The northern Rhone Valley produces some of the best red wines in all France, and according to its fan club, some of the best red wines on earth. The southern Rhone Valley produces about 95% of the Rhone Valley wines. This is the kingdom of grape blending. For example the famous Chateauneuf-Du-Pape AOC wine may contain a maximum of thirteen different grape varieties.

Vienne, population about thirty thousand, was a major town in Roman Gaul and still retains a lot of its history and its charm. Near the river you’ll find the Romanesque church of St-Pierre already rebuilt in the Ninth Century. The Gothic Cathedral of St-Maurice was built during the Eleventh to Sixteenth Centuries and largely destroyed in a religious war during the mid-Sixteenth Century. Rue des Orf?es (Goldsmiths’ Street) is filled with Renaissance buildings and the Romanesque church St-Andre-le-Bas (St. Andrew the Lesser).

Vienne’s Theatre Romain (Roman Theater) is one of the largest in France; it spans almost 450 feet (140 meters) and once held thirteen thousand spectators. Excavation started only in 1922. This theater hosts a great jazz festival in July. Other Roman ruins include the Temple d’Auguste et de Livie (Temple of Augustus and Livia) erected by the Emperor Claudius and the Plan de l’Aiguille (Needle Tower), a truncated pyramid that was once part of a Roman circus. Some say that this structure encloses the tomb of Pontius Pilate.

Before reviewing the Cotes du Rhone wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Foie Gras avec Gelee de Viognier (Goose Liver Pate with Viognier Jelly). As your second course savor Chevreau a l’Ail et Herbes Sauvages (Baby Goat with Garlic and Wild Herbs). And for dessert indulge yourself with Granite aux Pommes et Calvados (Apple and Calvados Ice).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage 2005 13% about $25

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Until 1992, Florent Viale and his father sold all of their grapes to negociants. As Crozes-Hermitage came into its own, the Viales decided to make their own wines. The results have been nothing short of spectacular. Layers of blackberry, tar and black pepper dominate their finely made Syrah-based wines. A very good match for roast leg of lamb.

My first meal was a barbecue including a rib steak marinated in a homemade ketchup-based sauce with chunks of garlic, corn on the cob, and red-skinned potatoes. The wine was powerful and mouth-filling. It was quite long and had no trouble maintaining its flavors. I didn’t used to be a fan of tannins but these Crozes-Hermitage tannins melted in my mouth along with the meal.

My next meal involved a combination of marinated barbecued beef and veal ribs, red-skinned potatoes, and a garlic-based Moroccan salad. First I tried the more subtle veal ribs. The Crozes-Hermitage was very powerful with a lot of tobacco. While this wine was very powerful it complemented the veal very well. The taste of dark fruit was predominant with the beef ribs. While there was quite a change in the wine, with both types of ribs it was simply great. Dessert consisted of blueberry fruit juice candy. I was somewhat surprised but the wine was a good accompaniment. I tasted blackberries in the wine.

I know how much this wine likes beef and veal, so I decided to try it with barbecued chicken marinated in a commercial Mediterranean-style light sauce. The wine was careful not to overwhelm the meat. Once again the meal included barbecued red-skinned potatoes and this time, perhaps because the meat was subtler, the potatoes had more effect bringing out the earthiness of the wine. Interestingly enough the intensive Turkish Salad was the least successful accompaniment to the wine. One might have expected the contrary, namely, that the greatest pairing success would be with the strongest tasting component. The Turkish Salad and Crozes-Hermitage combination was good, it just wasn’t as good as the other pairings in this meal.

The first cheese was a mild-tasting Italian Pecorino Fruilano. This wine is so fine that even though the cheese flattened it somewhat, it remained excellent. But believe me, I won’t subject the wine to such an indignity again. The second cheese was a nutty tasting Dutch Edam. This more powerful cheese had less of a flattening effect on the wine. Go figure.

Final verdict. This wine is a definite winner. I went back to my previous article describing a Rhone Valley wine: I Love French Wine And Food – A Red Cotes du Rhone to refresh my memory. I was very happy with that much more modest wine, priced at about half of this one. Is the Crozes-Hermitage better? Yes. Is it twice as good? That’s a hard question. It really depends on how you view wines. The Crozes-Hermitage is definitely a fine wine for its price range, as was the other. I am definitely tempted to taste a Rhone Valley red wine in the $50 range. But I can’t promise you when. Perhaps what I should do is buy a case of this Crozes-Hermitage and drink one a year and see if the critics are right when they say it can be cellared for many, many years.

About the Author

Levi Reiss

If you order coffee in a café in France (and I surely hope you do) you will receive a small cup of espresso strength coffee. Some places you can get a cup of filtered coffee, known as café à l’américaine. Here are some more terms to help you get your java order filled the way you want: 1.Le Café-For most people in France the day begins with a hot drink. People do use the aptly named French press coffee pot, as well as other home brewing methods, but lots of people drink their coffee at the local bar/café standing at the counter reading the morning news or chatting with friends. Here you can order: Un Café – A small cup of espresso-strength coffee. Un Double – Twice the amount of the same coffee. Une Noissette – Once again this is an espresso, but there is a hint of cream or milk floating on top. Café au Lait – An espresso with hot milk added. Café Léger – Espresso-strength coffee that has been watered down. Chocolat Chaud – Hot chocolate. Lots of times this will be made without sugar – you add the amount you want. Thé – Tea, usually served in a small pot with a cup and sugar alongside it. Thé au Lait – Tea with a small pitcher of hot milk too. Tisane – Herbal tea. Popular herbal teas in France include verbena, lime flower, mint, chamomile, and sage. 2.Soft Drinks-Well if you have survived all of that, you might be wishing for something a little less strong the next day! As everywhere in the world you can have a Coke, just don’t forget to call it a coca when you order. The French are even drinking decaffeinated and artificially sweetened sodas this days. Not necessarily progress! Drink syrups are extremely popular in France. You will find grenadine syrup and many other syrups, such as mint, fruit flavors, and even nut and almond flavors. 3.Milk-If you buy milk in France you may be surprised to find it in non-refrigerated plastic bottles or cartons. Although you can find pasteurized milk, most of the milk in France is UHT (ultra haute température), or ultra high temperature treated. This gives the milk a shelf life of many months and is a great convenience to French shoppers who can stock up and avoid some of those last minute dashes to the grocery store. You will find that UHT milk has a slightly different taste than pasteurized. 4.Eau And finally there is water. The French, just like a lot of Europeans, have been drinking various bottled mineral waters for years. There are dozens of popular brands include Badoit, Contrex, Evian, St. Yorre, and Perrier. Each has a different taste. Some are carbonated to varying degrees and others not at all. Some have a high mineral content and can be good sources of magnesium as well as calcium. It would be a shame to come to France and not try some of the wines. France has numerous wine regions and each specializes in certain sorts of wine. Here are a few terms just to get you started: • vin rouge – red wine • vin blanc – white wine • sec – dry • doux – sweet • AOC – stands for Appellation d’Origine Control. This signifies the wine has to meet certain standards and have been grown in a certain region. Well if you made it through the meal and still would like to try something else, you could order an after dinner drink. Brandies, known as eaux de vie, are popular. You will of course find Cognac and Armagnac, but you might also like to try Calvados, which is a French apple brandy from Normandy. Many people make their own brandies and restaurant owners will often offer you a small glass of their homemade eau-de-vie (on the house) at the end of a meal. After all that food and drink you might like to try one of France’s herbal teas to help you digest. Herbal teas are known as tisanes and you can find different ones to remedy just about any situation. Some popular ones include verbena, lime flower, mint, chamomile, and sage. Finally, when raising your glass in France remember these words for the toast: For more information visit<a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.freecouponsbuzz.com”>www.freecouponsbuzz.com</a>

If you order coffee in a café in France (and I surely hope you do) you will receive a small cup of espresso strength coffee. Some places you can get a cup of filtered coffee, known as café à l’américaine. Here are some more terms to help you get your java order filled the way you want:

1.Le Café-For most people in France the day begins with a hot drink. People do use the aptly named French press coffee pot, as well as other home brewing methods, but lots of people drink their coffee at the local bar/café standing at the counter reading the morning news or chatting with friends. Here you can order:

Un Café – A small cup of espresso-strength coffee.

Un Double – Twice the amount of the same coffee.

Une Noissette – Once again this is an espresso, but there is a hint of cream or milk floating on top.

Café au Lait – An espresso with hot milk added.

Café Léger – Espresso-strength coffee that has been watered down.

Chocolat Chaud – Hot chocolate. Lots of times this will be made without sugar – you add the amount you want.

Thé – Tea, usually served in a small pot with a cup and sugar alongside it.

Thé au Lait – Tea with a small pitcher of hot milk too.

Tisane – Herbal tea. Popular herbal teas in France include verbena, lime flower, mint, chamomile, and sage.

2.Soft Drinks-Well if you have survived all of that, you might be wishing for something a little less strong the next day! As everywhere in the world you can have a Coke, just don’t forget to call it a coca when you order. The French are even drinking decaffeinated and artificially sweetened sodas this days. Not necessarily progress!

Drink syrups are extremely popular in France. You will find grenadine syrup and many other syrups, such as mint, fruit flavors, and even nut and almond flavors.

3.Milk-If you buy milk in France you may be surprised to find it in non-refrigerated plastic bottles or cartons. Although you can find pasteurized milk, most of the milk in France is UHT (ultra haute température), or ultra high temperature treated. This gives the milk a shelf life of many months and is a great convenience to French shoppers who can stock up and avoid some of those last minute dashes to the grocery store. You will find that UHT milk has a slightly different taste than pasteurized.

4.Eau

And finally there is water. The French, just like a lot of Europeans, have been drinking various bottled mineral waters for years. There are dozens of popular brands include Badoit, Contrex, Evian, St. Yorre, and Perrier. Each has a different taste. Some are carbonated to varying degrees and others not at all. Some have a high mineral content and can be good sources of magnesium as well as calcium.

It would be a shame to come to France and not try some of the wines. France has numerous wine regions and each specializes in certain sorts of wine. Here are a few terms just to get you started:

• vin rouge – red wine

• vin blanc – white wine

• sec – dry

• doux – sweet

• AOC – stands for Appellation d’Origine Control. This signifies the wine has to meet certain standards and have been grown in a certain region.

Well if you made it through the meal and still would like to try something else, you could order an after dinner drink. Brandies, known as eaux de vie, are popular. You will of course find Cognac and Armagnac, but you might also like to try Calvados, which is a French apple brandy from Normandy. Many people make their own brandies and restaurant owners will often offer you a small glass of their homemade eau-de-vie (on the house) at the end of a meal.

After all that food and drink you might like to try one of France’s herbal teas to help you digest. Herbal teas are known as tisanes and you can find different ones to remedy just about any situation. Some popular ones include verbena, lime flower, mint, chamomile, and sage.

Finally, when raising your glass in France remember these words for the toast:

For more information visit<a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.freecouponsbuzz.com”>www.freecouponsbuzz.com</a>

About the Author

Anand