Pair It Right

First Time Around:The Wine Drinker's Guide

It may have been to toast a fellow minion, to compliment that beautifully cooked dinner you've been cooking all day, to enhance the pleasures of a romantic evening under the stars or to simply indulge in some self love on a weekday night, unfortunately we have all craved for that one glass of wine…..and been disappointed. Well, who can you blame? After all, you did grab the nearest bottle off the shelf just so you could escape that labyrinth of labels and colors and textures that made you question your IQ and especially if you’re a girl, the judging eyes of the next aisle aunties who made you feel like you should apologize for your mere existence. 

Let us make the battle a little easier for you and give you some basic tips that would help you choose your wine the next time you brave yourself to hit the liquor store.

Wine is mainly Red and White, add to it Rosé and Sparkling. Knowing that is just the first step and wont help you choose a wine for a specific purpose, say pair with a certain dish or compliment an occasion. Remember that wine can also be categorized as sweet or dry based on the amount of residual sugar that you may find in it.
 So striking the right balance between the flavors of the food and the wine is an art that  tends to require a bit of experience. Since your guests wont wait for your artistic muse to descend, the following should help you get a basic idea of what to serve with what.

    
    Sparkling

    
    Sparkling Wine
    Champagne

Prosecco

Cava

Colour: Almost clear –light yellow

Best served with Salty food,fish, 
shellfish, chicken/poultry

Alcohol percentage 9-14%
Serve cold (7°c-9°c)

    
        Light White Wine

Pino Gris

Sauvignon Blanc

Colour: Green yellow-Platinum yellow

Best served with salads/sautéed or roasted vegetables/pasta/flaky fish

Alcohol percentage 9-14%

Serve cold (6°c-8°c)

   
        Sweet White Wine

Riesling

Moscato

Chenin Blanc

Torrontes

Colour: Platinum Yellow-Pale Gold

Best served with spicy cuisine: Lankan/Indian/Chinese/Thai

Alcohol percentage 9-14%

Serve cold (5°c-7°c)

Rich White Wine

Chardonnay

Roussanne

Viognier

Marsanne

Colour: Pale Yellow-Deep Gold

Best served with creamy dishes/soups/pasta/lasagna/French cuisine/cheese

Alcohol percentage 9-14%

Serve cold (10°c-12°c)

    Rosé

Rose Wine

Colour: Pale Salmon

Best served with Mediterranean cuisine/Moroccan/Spiced/Rich flavored dishes

Alcohol percentage 9-14%

Serve cold (9°c)

     Light Red Wine

Pinot Noir

Counoise

St.Laurent

Gamay Noir

Colour: Pale Ruby

Best served with mushroom based dishes/cream based pasta
seafood/pies and French cuisine

Alcohol percentage 10-15%

Serve cold (8°c-11°c)


Medium Red Wine

Merlot

Zinfandel

Barbera

Red Table Wine

Colour: Deep Violet

Best served with Italian/Spanish Dishes/White meat

Alcohol percentage 12-17%

Serve cold (13°c-14°c)

     
      Bold Red Wine

Cabernet Sauvignon

Shiraz

Malbec

Pinotage

Colour:Deep Purple

Best served with Red meat/Roasted|Smoked Venison/Barbecued|Cured meats

Alcohol percentage 12-17%

Serve cool (16°c-17°c)

   
        Dessert Wine

Port

Sherry

Madeira

Late Harvest Wines

Colour: Tawny

Best served with Cakes/Cookies/Icecreams
Chocolates
Fruits

Alcohol percentage 14-20%

Serve in room temperature

This is only a light sniff and there is much tasting left to do. 
From the dryness to the sweetness to the aromatic complexities to geographical and climatic impacts, a wine carries the tales of harvests, lands and the songs of its makers. 

If this has caught your interest, this just might be the beginning of a new journey into discovering the earthly secrets the next glass holds for you .