A Few Thoughts
Since I've gotten a few new readers lately let me go over a few things that I think are important for the upcoming summer. As the summer arrives, we will tend to eat and drink lighter and as good Canadians, we will spend as much time as we can being mosquito food.
Wine temperature.... White wines need to be chilled, but not to Bud levels. Too cold kills the flavor and to warm is not too nice. I tend to use a cool sleeve on my whites and this works well on the deck. It maintains a cool temp without having to start with frost on the bottle... Reds....well here is where I really differ with a lot of people, except Mario Batali (which means I am correct). Reds should be cellar temp ie: cool, not room temp. Remember that a wine cellar is deep in the ground, like in your Burgundian castle (of course) and it is rather cool, not 90'. This will smooth the wines out nice and take the alcohol taste away.
Aerating... please aerate your red wines. That really smooths it out, softens them and basically makes them taste better. Treat yourself and get an aeration funnel and a carafe. You will enjoy your reds so much more. You may even find it changes the mouth feel of the wine. Some manage to actually feel like they grow in volume and become physically softer. The two that really came to mind were the CREW and the Mastronardi Cab Sauv. These just changed dramatically. They were/are good to start but they became really good after aeration.
Glasses...I wish I had the money to have specific glassware for each type of wine. Well even if I did, I'd rather spend it on wine. I've recently discover the wonder of box wine glasses which look like the 'designer' ones. Now if my friends demo a few, I really don't care (other than the glass I always seem to step on) and just go buy more. Face it, they hold wine and don't leak so they meet my needs. A nice bowl-type, ie:Burgundy type for reds and a nice white wine glass. Simple. OOPS.. remember nice Champagne glasses. Its a shame to serve Champagne in Dixie cups, so I found some 'cost effective' hollow stem glasses. They are a pain to clean, but they look really nice. Also, remember the classic Italian Bistro glass which is nothing more than a little juice glass, quaint, but it really doesn't work for me. I really like to smell my wine and it can't be done with one of those.
Wine choices....its summer and the time for Rose, Vinho Verde, Sangria and lighter reds. Trust me and go and get some Vinho Verde, some seafood for the barbie and enjoy. You don't need the expensive stuff as the $8 stuff is wonderful. Make Paella and just enjoy. I know I have friends who don't drink whites but this is the time of year for them.
And this one really irks me. I read wine reviews and everyone seems to drink wine in an isolation chamber. I don't know about you, but my best wine has been drank with friends, over meals and conversation, or on a deck with Tso. Its there to enjoy and be part of something. I had a marvelous time at a wedding Saturday and I drank a wee bit of wine. It was marvelous and I've had that wine several times. Well, we were at the winery and the wine tasted the best it ever did. Same wine, but the event, the people, the lovely setting and food made it way better. You couldn't make me trade Saturday's Pinot for a bottle of Opus One, Nuff said. Share your wine with friends and enjoy. Wine is made to drink, not be an investment.
All in all have fun and raise a toast for the great wine we have been given.
