Wine - How Much Do You Know About It?

Wine, particularly red wine, is becoming popular here in Malaysia. These days, bottomless red wine has replaced cognac in Chinese wedding dinners which partly could be due to economic reasons.

Wine is widely available in supermarkets or hypermarkets. Wine can easily be purchased online too. You can buy wine from different parts of the world. How much do we know about wine and the terms used? Here are a few common terms:

Dry
The puckering sensation that wine imparts. It is the opposite of sweet. It's often caused by tannins in the wine.

Extra Dry
A sparkling wine that is slightly sweet. This term often leads to confusion since Dry means without sweetness, but Extra Dry means slightly sweet.

Merlot
Less tannic with lower acidity than Cabernet Sauvignon, this grape makes reds that are often rounded and smooth textured. Aromas can be plums, hay, berries, and chocolate.

You can find out more about wine and its terminology or even check out a gold medal wine of the month.

Here's a little extra information about Wine and Food Pairing which is borrowed from the site:

When it comes to matching food and wine, don’t worry about always following the common “rules.” While many wine drinkers stick to popular pairings, you’ll discover that through experimentation, some white wines may compliment a steak and a robust red may add great balance to a grilled fish. So go ahead and throw out the rulebook and have some fun improvising and finding your own personality in paring food and wine.

A simple suggestion to remember is that wine should compliment the food rather than dominate it, and vice versa. Just like you wouldn’t eat a delicate, paper-thin pastry shell with thick beef stew and baked potatoes, the same holds true for wine. You don’t want one to overpower the flavors of the other. The trick to keep in mind is that lighter foods tend to compliment lighter wines, and heavier foods tend to compliment heavier wines. It’s really that easy.

Although there’s always room for experimentation in pairing food and wine, it’s sometimes best to follow the most traditional and widely accepted preferences. Take a look at the popular dishes below and choose a Gold Medal Wine Club wine to accompany your favorite meal.

So there... no hard and fast rules, really. Cheers!