Wine tasting party

[grumpygirl]

I would like to have a wine tasting party, does anyone know where I might get some reliable info on doing this? I want to have the right foods to compliment without being overwhelming.

[Innkeeper]

Get three whites: Light, med, full.
Get three reds: Light, med, full.
Taste them in that order.
See your retailer for recommendations.

Be sure to have food.

[grumpygirl]

Thanks Innkeeper-Do you have suggestions for the food?? I mean for the reds I'm sure I'll need something other than cheese, but not a meal??

[wineguruchgo]

My advice to you is to pick out the wines first and then match the food to them.

One of the best matches is Champagne and Pizza. They are wonderful together but most people don't think of them.

I did a quick Google search with the phrase: "Food Pairing Champagne" and this is what came up. Granted I had to go through a couple of articles to get there, but it was there none the less.

Experts and amateurs agree: champagne is much more versatile than any single wine to drink with a wide array of foods, beyond the predictable pairings with caviar and oysters on the half shell. The following food pairings are recommended for traditional brut champagnes, unless otherwise noted.

- Scrambled eggs
- Any mushroom dish
- Nuts, especially almonds
- Popcorn and potato chips
- Cheese. The best are aged, hard cheeses such as parmesan, gouda or cheddar. Goat cheese goes very well with blanc de blancs.
- Any pasta or risotto, especially with cream or mushroom sauce. Avoid heavy tomato-based sauces. The tomatoes clash with the high acidity of the champagne.
- Pizza, with thin crust, easy on the tomato sauce.
- Vegetables
- Fish and seafood, especially lobster.
- Poultry and game birds such as duck. Rose is a particularly good pairing with these meats.
- Other white meats, such as veal, pork, ham and lamb. Lamb that is slightly pink in the middle and ham go very well with rose.
- Deep fried foods, such as fried chicken, french fries or calamari, for the same reason beer goes well with these foods.
- Asian food. The acidity of champagne stands up very well to the spiciness of these foods. A light brut or extra-dry is ideal, but not a very dry brut. Ask your wine merchant for advice.
- Sushi is best for the driest bruts or blanc de blancs.
- Mexican food is good with fruity extra-dry champagne.
- Dessert that isn't very sweet, such as berries, shortbread, pound cake, angel food cake, or tart, lemony desserts, are appropriate for demi sec. Chocolate is OK with an extra-dry or demi sec, if it's dark or bittersweet and not gooey. An Italian asti is better for desserts, because it's sweeter than French champagne.

All the information you need is out there for you to search. Why did I do this? I don't cook!

Hope it helps.

[grumpygirl]

Neat idea! Pizza and champagne. Thanks

[staceyc80@gmail.com]

Hi there!

A local store (Grapes) helped me select the food items and which wine to go with that and stuffs like that when I had a tasting party.You can call them at 800-434-WINE (www.grapeswine.com)
I'm sure that you can get some good info on this from them, otherwise you can ask your local stores.
Good Luck!!
Stacey