What's Chocolate Got to Do with Port?

With our upcoming Savvy Cellar wine class "Port & Chocolate" Monday July 13th, it got me thinking why does chocolate and port (or other dessert wines) go together. Here's some fun facts about two of my favorite, most decadent of delights:

1. Aroma Sympatico. You can smell aromas in chocolate just as you do in wine. Chocolate can be described as "winey." Wine can be described as "chocolatey."
2. Quality Designations. Both wine and chocolate can be called "Premier Cru". A Premier Cru vineyard in France is one of the best single vineyards in the world. A Premier Cru cocoa plantation is a single-origin source of the finest cocoa.
3. Terroir. With both wine and chocolate, you can taste “terroir” or a sense of place. One can often tell where a wine comes from by just its taste; and chocolates from different countries have distinct tastes (e.g. blueberry or smokiness).
4. Fermentation. Both wine and chocolate are fermented foods: wine is fermented grapes, and chocolate is fermented (then roasted) cocoa.

Enough talk. If you want to learn more and taste some exquisite pairings of port and chocolate, be sure to come to our Port and Chocolate class on Monday July 13th.

Champagne For My Real Friends

"Champagne for my real friends and real pain for my sham friends."

Tom Waits

As I prepare my material for the wine class "All About Bubbles" I will teach on Monday June 22nd at Savvy Cellar, I got reflecting on why I love Champagne and Sparkling Wine.

Part of my love is based on how Champagne embodies celebration; although I love also how it brings pizzaz to mundane days of the week and simple foods . . . popcorn and bubbles, anyone? (See blog post: It's Tuesday . . . Pass the Bubbly!)

Part of my love is based in the richness of history and tradition of Champagne - dating back centuries.

Part of my love is for the winemakers who are artists, creatively challenged to make the right "blend" from 30 - 60 still wines.

Part of my love is for Dom Perignon (the 17th Century Monk), who was attempting to actually remove the bubbles from Champagne!

Part of my love is for the (approximately) 56 million bubbles contained in a bottle of Champagne (once opened).

Finally, whether it be Cava, Cremant de Loire, Franciacorta, Prosecco, Sekt, Sparkling Wine or Champagne itself, it looks so incredibly beautiful and is plain fun to sip!

Feast on Wine & Movies

As part of our Savvy Night Live (SNL) series, we show an interesting movie once a month at Savvy Cellar. While the wine-related move fare is limited (one can see Sideways only so many times!), we do our best to find movies that lend themselves to drinking wine and feasting on scrumptious food pairings.

This coming Saturday June 13th at 8pm, we will be showing "Babette's Feast." The movie is billed as a sort of wine/foodie flick - our favorite genre!

Here's a brief synopsis (compliments of "Chillin in NM" on Netflix):

Yum! To bring the simple but elegant pleasures of a beautifully cooked meal to those living a bland exsistence...how incredible. Babette creates a feast most generous and one I would love to indulge in! My mouth waters just thinking about each delectable course. And the love and joy she brings to the table as well is life altering for those who are lucky enough to take part in this magnificent meal. Not to be missed!!

Hope you can join us for an SNL movie and wine "feast" on Saturday at 8pm!

Food & Wine Pairing Tips

The Savvy Cellar is back with one of our most popular classes: Introduction to Food & Wine Pairing. This 2-night series will run consecutive Mondays - June 8th and June 15th. More information and registration at www.savvycellar.com/classes.

Students will run through a wine tasting primer and then learn basic principles of food and wine pairing, such as:

Balance flavor intensity. Pair light-bodied wines with lighter food and fuller-bodied wines with heartier, more flavorful, richer and fattier dishes.

Match flavors. Match flavors. An earthy Pinot Noir goes well with mushroom soup and the grapefruit/citrus taste (and acidity) of Sauvignon Blanc goes with fish for the same reasons that lemon does.

If it grows together, it goes together. My personal favorite tip. Regional foods and wines, having developed together over time and taken on characteristics of the earth from which they grow or graze, often have a natural affinity for each other.

There's much more to it. But the best part is that we will do lots of tasting and experimenting with food and wine flavors to reinforce concepts and have fun in doing so!

When all else fails just remember "red wine with hamburgers and white wine with fishburgers." See the Savvy Sommelier's Top 5 Food & Wine Pairing Myths.

How to Order Wine in a Restaurant

"His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy . . . . He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready."

I'm pretty confident that Enimem was not referring to his feeling prior to having to place an order for wine at a restaurant. But many mere mortals can be pushed to feel such emotions when thrust into the spotlight that accompanies wine ordering for an important meal.

Even for those of us with moderate wine knowledge, taking charge of wine selection can be nerve wracking, particularly if one is trying to impress a date, family members or their boss or work colleagues.

There are some simple rules to follow. (For more on How to Order Wine in a Restaurant, Savvy Cellar is offering a class on Monday June 29th, 7pm, $49):

1. Ask for input. Most decent restaurants will have at least one person staff who is somewhat wine knowledgeable or at least knows what is decent on their wine list. In addition, you can sample your dining companions as to their basic preferences - white or red, chardonnay or cabernet, etc.
2. Don't buy low (or high). Often times the cheapest wines on the wine list are the most highly marked up. Don't waste your money - look for moderately priced wines.
3. Food (generally) loves acid. If you are not an expert on food & wine pairing, a good rule of thumb is to select wines that tend to be higher in acid - sparkling wine, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir.
4. If it grows with it, it goes with it. Given that wine comes from the earth, it often will pair well with food that also comes from the same region. Argentinian beef? Go with an Argentinian Malbec. French game? Try a Burgundy.

Read more about food & wine pairing myths "Red wine with hamburgers, white wine with fishburgers".

To learn more about How to Order Wine in a Restaurant join us for our class offered this Monday June 29th at 7pm. Put your knowledge to practice with tasting. $49. Savvy Cellar Wine Club Members pay for one, bring a guest for free!

It's Cool Whip Time, Baby!

It's time for the obligatory blog post about wine to pair with your Thanksgiving feast. But alas it is Thanksgiving eve, the short week has slipped away, you've probably bought your wine already and the real Savvy Sommelier has gone out with the girls.

So now that this lowly spouse has grabbed the reigns of this blog, what could I possibly add to the conversation?  Check out "What to drink for Thanksgiving dinner" and "Can't-fail guide to Thanksgiving wines" for a more traditional set of Thanksgiving wine recommendations.

One of the joys of being married to a Sommelier is that I never have to sweat what wine to bring to a party, order at a restaurant or to pair with holiday meals. (Plus I get to drink all sorts of half opened bottles on a daily basis). Let's take a sneak peak at the dozen wines that Jennifer brought home from the Savvy Cellar for our Thanksgiving celebration.

Knowing how the Savvy Sommelier thinks, my guess is we'll start the festivities with a little bubbly - Cremant Brut Reserve from Blason de Bourgogne. (Secret: this one is from Trader Joe's and is cheap! I'm guessing under $10/bottle). Should be crisp, fruity, acidic and refreshing - just what I need to imbibe as the in-laws walk through the door!

Next up will be some white - nothing buttery or oakey in our house. She has some intriguing possibilities:

• Handley Gewurtraminer (2005) from the Anderson Valley. Crisp, dry with aromas of rose petals and grapefruit. I would pair with Asian food myself but I'm not in charge.
• Crios de Susan Balbo Torrontes (2008). This is one of our favorite whites of late. Torrontes is an aromatic grape from Argentina. It shows floral, citrus similar to Viognier and the dry crisp taste of Sauvigon Blanc. A solid possibility but my guess is she's saving that bottle for just the two of us.
• Morande Terrarum Sauvignon Blanc Reserva (2007) from the Casablanca Valley of Chile. I'm betting this is what she'll lay on us as an aperitif as we move from appetizers to the main feast. Orange blossom and magnolia with grapefruit and tropical fruit, topped with a clean and refreshing finish. (Plus there are 2 bottles of this!)
• Wildcards: There is a Kerner from Abbazia di Novacella (2007), Alto Adige, Italy. I have no idea . . . .  Also from Italy, she also has a Falanghina Sannio from Feudi di San Gregoria (2007). I could be in for an Italian surprise.

The whites, while pleasing to my mother-in-law, are strictly the undercard in our house on this day. Onto the main event . . . the reds.

• A reasonable guess for the red we'll be enjoying is the Alma Rosa Pinot Noir (2006) from the Santa Rita Hills. This has been a crowd favorite at Savvy Cellar. Light, fruity, acidic with enough structure and interest to fare well with our bird. Would go over very well at most dinner tables on this day but my guess is the Savvy Sommelier will go bolder (or at least less conventional).
• There are a couple of Chiantis in the house. Actually there were a couple . . . I cracked open the Cantinino from Castello Sonnino (2001) to go with my bbq chicken pizza and Sharks game. (Ok, wine geeks this is technically not a Chianti but made from Sangiovese). The other is a killer Chianti Classico from Brancaia (2002 vintage) - I have no idea why this bottle sat on the shelves at Savvy Cellar and ended up in the sale bin. I won't question the lack of judgement others showed in overlooking this . . . rather I will be very thankful it may end up on my dinner table.
• Monteagrelo Bressia Malbec (2005) from Mendoza Argentina is in the mix. Haven't tasted this yet but have enjoyed many Malbecs from Argentina - though I think beef and bbq not bird when I think malbec.
• Hogue Merlot Reserve (2002) from Columbia Valley in Washington. My bet is on this bottle. Also found in the sale bin at Savvy Cellar . . . perplexing . . . what is wrong with people?  This may be the best Merlot I've ever tasted. Rich and supple with texture and flavor reminiscent of a cab-based blend - yet without the intense tannins. I pulled this one on a "Cab Snob" one time when working the bar - said he hated Merlot. Tasted it blind and loved it!
• Domaine Chanson Beaune-Bastion Premier Cru from Burgundy (2005). On way out the door Jen said this is a "special" bottle and she'd have my head if drank it. I let it be - hope it comes around tomorrow on the table.

Enough wine drivel, I have to watch ice hockey now and polish off some more Castello Sonnino Sangiovese.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Top 5 Food & Wine Pairing Myths

"Red wine with hamburgers, white wine with fishburgers" read the greeting card my husband selected for his mother's university graduation celebration. (She went back to school as a mature student and received her undergrad degree when my hubby was 14 years old). This was his first lesson in food & wine pairing (and not a bad place to start).

However there is much more to this subject and it got me to thinking what are some of the common myths (or mistakes that I find people make) around food & wine pairing.

Myth #1: Serve big red wines with spicy foods. Wines that contain high levels of tannic acid (e.g. tannins) will actually elevate the "heat" in a dish, making it even more spicy! A great outcome for dares but not so much for dates or dinner parties.

Myth #2: Serve only white wine with fish. Not necessarily. Despite my hubby's early pairing advice to his mother, many of today's fish dishes with interesting preparations and sauces can often warrant a delicate red. Think Pinot Noir or Gamay (e.g. Beaujolais Nouveau).

Myth #3: Champagne is for celebrations only. Champagne is actually one of the most food friendly wines because of it's high acidity and palate cleansing properties. Serve it with appetizers or dessert to add a little festivity to your meal.

Myth #4: Sweet wines are best left for dessert. Sweet wines can be a great complement to salty dishes. For example, Sherry and Muscat go well with oysters, olives and nuts.

Myth #5: Food & Wine pairing is an exact science. While there are some guidelines and principles that can be learned and are relatively easy to follow - my favorite is when in doubt choose a wine from the region the cuisine originates from - food & wine pairing is as much art and practice.

I'm not sure that "food & wine pairing is just a big scam", but I do agree that you should learn and then experiment with your own tastes. You might be surprised that my father-in-law's favorite food and wine pairing is unsalted peanuts in the shell with a cheap chardonnay. Whatever makes you and your taste buds happy!

If you are interested in learning more about food & wine pairing, complete with lots of yummy tasting, check out Savvy Cellar's Introduction to Food & Wine Pairing class (2-night) Monday, Nov. 10th & 17th, 7-9pm.

If you get really good at food & wine pairing you may be able to stump professional sommeliers or play parlor tricks on your friends and even know how to tackle pairing wine with the dreaded artichoke!