Wine Food Pairing & Exploring

Wine and Food Pairing Characteristics of the Food and the Wine must be considered Do they mingle or complement each other? Goal = Keep the flavors in balance Elements of - Fat, Acid, Salt, Sweetness, Bitterness, Texture In the end -Trust your palate

Wine and Food Pairing FAT Meat and Dairy Products high in fat The tannins come from the grape skins & barrels – they help to strip the fats/cleanse palate Cabernet & Zinfandel - pair with red meats Dry Rose- pair with Rich Cheese Dishes

Wine and Food Pairing Acid Both foods and wines have acid Adds lift and freshness to flavor If a meal is acidic then wine must be at least equal in acidity Sauvignon Blanc – great with tart acidic dressings & sauces Avoid Acidic wines & cream sauces

Wine and Food Pairing Salt The high salt content in some foods may make some wines taste stripped or bitter Sparking Wines – pair well with salty foods as the carbonation helps to cleanse the palate Oysters and salty fried foods

Wine and Food Pairing Sweetness Fruit sauces over a meat Touch of sweetness- matches well with Chardonnay Sweet Desserts – make sure the wine is sweeter than the dessert - Moscato Chocolate & Wine

Wine and Food Pairing Bitterness Bitter foods – mustards, olives, lemon peel, radishes, broccoli rabe Bitter Wines – higher tannin or can occur from unripe grapes or not removing stems The two combine

Wine and Food Pairing Texture - How does it feel on your palate? Contributing factors are Alcohol, Sugar & Tannins Alcohol content – Higher % = Heavier Light foods – Light Wines Heavy Foods – Heavy Wines Words to describe: creamy, smooth, rich, lean, velvety, supple, silky, voluptuous and succulent

Wine and Food Pairing Pinot Noir – Earthy flavors (mushrooms) Malbec – Spicy BBQ sauces Syrah – Spicy food Dry Riesling – Sweet & Spicy (hot Asian) Pinot Grigio – Light Seafood Wine & Food Pairing Chart Try different pairings & see what your palate likes

Atlantic County Wine Trail ( 9 ) Cape May Wine Trail (4) Gloucester - Salem Wine Trail (5) Shore Wine Trail (4) Sussex Wine Trail (3) Warren - Hunterdon Wine Trail (7)

Exploring NJ Wineries Late summer & Fall events August 31 and Sept 1, 2013 Times: Noon to 5:00pm September 7 and 8, 2013 Times: Noon to 5:00pm

Dates: October 5 and 6, 2013 Times: Noon to 5:00pm. Event will also feature live music, crafts and food vendors. Location: Fosterfields Living Historical Farm Morristown NJ Dates: October 12 and October 13, 2013 Times: Noon to 5:00pm Location: Cape May - Lewes Ferry Terminal Cape May, NJ

Journaling your Tasting Apps available to keep notes & find wines iPhone Apps for Wine Enthusiasts Wine App - Mobile Apps for Wine RecommendationsWine App - Mobile Apps for Wine Recommendations Use flavor terms to describe the wine – acidic, sweet, oaky, crisp, dry, fruity etc Wine ratings Wine Spectator vs Your rating Everyone’s palates are different

Wine Spectator 100-Point Scale 95–100 Classic: a great wine 90–94 Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style 85–89 Very good: a wine with special qualities Good: a solid, well-made wine 75–79 Mediocre: a drinkable wine that may have minor flaws 50–74 Not recommended

Classes & Making your own Wine WINE MAKING IN NJ - Make your own wine NJ - NJ winemaking brew on premise schoolsWINE MAKING IN NJ - Make your own wine NJ - NJ winemaking brew on premise schools

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