wine basics to live by

[m brown]

can someone help find a basic wine primer for dummies?
a list to carry around and help us pair food and wine together, for those of us who don't have a lot of wine knowledge, but need to know what to with wine and food. great for folks who can't/don't drink.

thanx, from the one who doesn't have disposable income, just disposable diapers.




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bake first, ask questions later

[mudbug]

Hey guys, they're already on the board, but I'll post them again:

"The ABC's of Wine Tasting: Skillful tasting unlocks wine's treasures. This step-by-step guide gives you the keys."
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Sp...9-30-96f1.html

"Matching Wine with Food" http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Sp...odwineFAQ.html

For specifics, check these out:

Find food matches for Cabernet Sauvignon: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Sp..._wine#Cabernet

Recipes from Mondavi for their Cabernet Sauvignon: http://www.mondavi.com/recipe_archiv...sbrand.html#cs


Find food matches for Chardonnay: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Sp...ine#Chardonnay


Other people's opinions: http://www.epinions.com/fddk-review-...9-384FD668-bd1

Food menus by wine: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Sp.../menus_by_wine

"Wine Basics" from the industrys most revered periodical: http://www.decanter.com/learningroute/default.asp

For a quick glance of where your wine is likely to fall in ratings, here is the Wine Enthusiast1999 Vintage Chart for wines from
1978-1988 http://www.wineenthusiast.com/cgi-bi...intage.html&UI D=2000020717244372

[cape chef]

m brown, Food and wine magazine does a yearly pocket guide for food and wine pairings. Most book stores carry it,And it cost less then disposible diapers!!!!Also as cchiu indicates,the wine specator is a good publication to get,They always have a section on a meal matched with wines.They also give alterate selections.Anything bye Robert parker, Hugh Johnson, Micheal Broadbent,Clive Coats would be helpful as well.

[mudbug]

Yes, cape chef, and mbrown, if you don't want to buy the mags, the websites are very thorough!

Decanter is the most revered trade mag for that industry. http://www.decanter.com/learningroute/default.asp

Here is a site with a "wine calculator", you can input your needs and it will give you suggestions: http://food.homearts.com/food/drinks...00wnst11.htm?p

[David Jones]

I like Oz Clark's wine books, but they are out of print. Maybe ebay would have one.

I think that Italian food and wine culture is the best vehicle by which one can learn about food and wine pairing. In my opinion, Italian cuisine is driven by simple preparations of local ingredients. The same is true of their winemaking - and even better, there are many winemakers who follow very traditional methods. In other words, if you read a book about Tuscan cooking and the wines of Brunello and San Giminiano, you can extend to other wines and cuisines.

The overall best way, though, is to taste as much as you can, with a CONSISTENT tasting process. Don't overload your buds or brain with too many wines at once. Taste every wine following the same steps. Choose a wine pairing strategy - to compliment or to contrast - and then follow it while noting the results.

Regarding the basics of wine appreciation: my Dad (82 years old-wine lover) lives by this addage--"Wine is an acquired taste. Acquire a taste for cheap wine." I'm sure he means wine that fits your wallet, not Mad Dog 20/20.

Regarding the basics of wine appreciation: my Dad (82 years old-wine lover) lives by this addage--"Wine is an acquired taste. Acquire a taste for cheap wine." I'm sure he means wine that fits your wallet, not Mad Dog 20/20.

My rule of thumb is, if I like it, it's good, if I don't like it, it's not. I don't look for the cheap stuff, but I also don't think wine is better just because it's expensive. As for wine-food pairings, much of the old rules are being softened. It is much more acceptable to drink whatever you like with whatever you like to eat. Granted, there are some wines that go well with certain foods, but I like a big cab with my grilled chicken, so that's what I order.

An old friend of mine from Memphis wrote this one:

The Redneck Guide to Wine Snobbery. Victor Robilio, fwd. by Robert Mondavi. 1992. 53pp. Paperback. A colorful little book which is actually a serious and interesting introduction to wine history, labeling, and varietals, debunks "The Great Grape Conspiracy".

I kinda like the title.