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Pairing wine and food

Dan Amatuzzi talks about pairing wine and food.

http://wineforthestudent.com/

DAN'S WINE TIPS

*It's easy to find a good bottle of wine under $20.

*Match wine to food weight. If food is heavy, wine should be heavy.

*Always keep an open mind when trying different wines

ADDITIONAL WINE TIPS:

if you want to get into wine, decide how much you can spend per week...and then double it.

Although cheap wine is good on the wallet, some cheap wines can hinder the learning the experience of wine.

Buying tips: start with grapes you've heard of and try different wines made from that grape throughout the world.

You'd be surprised that Syrah grown in California produces wines vastly different form Syrah grown in Australia.

Weeding out the regions that you don't particularly enjoy is a good way to stick to what you like and then discover more wines from those regions.

Pairing tips: No need to argue about white or red with the fish course... anything goes these days...remember YOU'RE the boss.

Just follow this one rule: Light foods with Light wines, Heavy foods with Heavy wines.

They can be white or red, you just don't want to squash the texutre and flavor of delicate foods (crudo, shushi, salads) with overly-oaky whites and inky, robust reds...save these for the heartier fare (soups, stews, rich proteins)

Serving temp tips: Don't have a wine fridge in your tiny apt? You're not alone.

All you need to do is pop the reds in the fridge for 15 minutes, and the white for about 30 mins, and you'll reach the ideal serving temp for most reds and whites, respectively.

As the wines open up to room temp, you'll begin to smell different aromas and taste different aspects of the wine as it breathes and warms up.

If reds are served at high room temps, the alcohol can overpower the fruit and earthy aspects. If the whites are served too cold, the fruit and aromas are masked.

Aging wines tips: Keep 'em on their sides and in a dark, cool place. Sunlight, heat, and exposure to oxygen are the daggers to long-term wines. You also want to keep wines away from washing machines, dishwashers, or any other machines that can cause constant vibrations - which will shorten the lifespan of a wine. Keep in mind though that only 1 percent of all wine made each year is intended for aging longer than five years.

DAN'S FOOD & WINE PAIRINGS - ALL WINES UNDER $16

Brunch/Breakfast - (Spinach and Mushroom Frittata)

Josh Cellars - Chardonnay $13.99

Dinner Valentines - (Cobb Roasted Chicken)

Barone Fini - Pinot Grigio $11.99

Malbec - Ruta 22 - $13.99

Appetizer Valentines (Meat, Cheese & Fruit Platter)

Fontanafredda - Barbera $15.80

Dessert (Assorted pastries)

Enza - Prosecco $14.99