Wine

Wine
Page 9
Crisp & Refreshing: 19 Fabulous White Wines for Summer
It is hot out there, and while I do love a full-bodied red wine with dinner, these days I am all about refreshing whites, rosé or lighter reds that I can serve slightly chilled. This week let’s talk about the whites that are great for these hot summer days.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Jul 15, 2010
On Pouring Wine: How Full Should a Glass of Wine Be?
When pouring a glass of wine how much do you pour? How full do you expect the glass to be when buying a glass of wine a in a restaurant or wine bar?I have asked various sommelier friends about this. In the US, the measure poured for a glass of wine is not regulated. Hence, restaurants and bars are pretty free to take it upon themselves to decide what constitutes a single wine glass serving.While some bars and restaurants do indicate the serving sizes on the drinks menu, many do not.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
May 6, 2010
Delicious Dessert Wines for Dessert Week
It’s dessert week here at The Kitchn. Dessert wines are often over-looked, as many of us don’t bother with wine if we are having dessert, or find the challenge of pairing too complicated — but few simple guidelines should make it a fun exercise!Firstly, back to the golden rule for pairing wine with desserts – the wine should be sweeter than the dessert. Secondly, match the flavor intensity of the dessert with the flavor intensity of the wine.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Apr 29, 2010
Reserva, Riserva, Reserve: What Do They Mean for Wine?
These terms: Reserva, Riserva, Reserve, Grand Reserve, Vintner’s Reserve and so forth — what exactly do they mean on a wine label? And is there any consistency between them? Simply answered, these terms mean different things, depending on the origin of the wine. Old World Wines In general, the use of these terms in the old world is fairly regulated. Firstly, it is supposed to indicate a superior wine, a wine made from riper grapes, resulting in a higher minimum alcohol.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Mar 25, 2010
River Café Wine Dinner: My Tribute to Rose Gray
It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Rose Gray last week. Rose was the co-author of the iconic River Café Cookbooks as well as co-owner of the River Café restaurant in London. In the early nineties Rose was my icon – my Alice Waters. She may not be as well known on this side of the Atlantic but in the UK and Ireland she and her partner Ruth Rogers were possibly the first of the great modern chefs where simplicity and good ingredients were everything.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Mar 11, 2010
Cooking with Alcohol: The Science Behind the Scenes!
You learn something new every day! We’ve always thought that using a splash of wine to deglaze a pan or adding beer to a braise was just about boosting flavors and adding some intrigue to our dishes. Well, according to an article in the latest issue of Fine Cooking, there’s actually something more going on in there!This article explains that alcohol actually enhances the flavor of foods in two ways.
Emma Christensen
Mar 9, 2010
Can I Also Store Food in My Wine Refrigerator?
Q: My partner and I live in a small NYC apartment. One thing we couldn’t part from when we moved here was our 50-bottle wine refrigerator. It keeps a temperature of around 45-47 degrees. Half of it is always empty and we were thinking of putting some food items in here – what do you suggest?Our thoughts run from artisan cheeses, potatoes, onions, garlic, fruits…?Sent by MichaelEditor: Michael, you can definitely double-task your wine refrigerator for certain food items.
Faith Durand
Feb 24, 2010
Oaked White Wine: Dated, Timeless, or on a Comeback?
The late 80’s and 90’s were boom years for big, oaky white wines, especially Chardonnay. Over the past decade, it has been all about unoaked whites, with Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc taking center stage. Is oaked white wine still a timeless classic? Largely outdated? Or is it primed for a strong comeback? What are your views?Oaked white wines were all the rage 10 to 15 years ago. All those creamy, spicy vanilla aromas and flavors were delicious. These wines made bold statements.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Jan 21, 2010
An Easy Guide to Choosing Lower Alcohol Wines
The feasting and festivities of the holidays is over. Having over-indulged, many of us have made resolutions to cut back on or cut out certain foods and alcohols during January. So how can we reduce our alcohol intake, whilst still enjoying a glass or two of wine? Obviously, one way to cut back on alcohol intake is to stop drinking it. However, if like me you enjoy the way wine enhances food, and vice versa, here are some options. Look out for lower alcohol wines.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Jan 7, 2010
Sweet Wines That Are Cool With Ice Cream
August is Stay Cool! month at the Kitchn. As the temperatures have been rising, so has our frequency of serving ice cream for dessert. This always brings up the question of what are the best wines to serve with ice cream. Of course, you don’t have to serve wine with ice cream, but if you do here are some of my favorites.First, a handy rule of thumb is to remember that for desserts the wine should be sweeter than the dessert. As ice cream is very sweet you need an extremely sweet wine.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Aug 27, 2009
My Favorite Wine Glasses: Best Value for the Money
When I first became serious about wine, I really noticed the difference that a good glass made to my appreciation of the wine. At that time the choice of wine glass was pretty polarized. Either I spent a great deal of money (more than I could afford) or I had to be content with an industrial, heavy, thick-lipped glass. There was very little to choose from in between.Today, I can still spend a lot of money on a great glass, but I can also get a really good wine glass for a modest spend.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Aug 20, 2009
Great Wineglasses: Are They Worth the Investment?
Are good wineglasses worth the money? Does a good wineglass enhance the wine? Should you use different glassware for red, white and sparkling wines? Are all good wineglasses expensive?In my opinion, the wineglass matters. However, as with wine itself, there are many opinions about wineglasses, and, as expected, a great deal of snobbery. From my experience tasting wine professionally for many years, here are a few of my thoughts on what really matters in a wineglass.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Aug 6, 2009
Food Science: Artichokes and Sweetness
Did you know that artichokes can make other foods taste sweet? We’ve never noticed this ourselves, but an article in the March issue of Saveur Magazine mentioned the fact in relation to pairing artichokes and wine. Now we can’t wait to get our hands on some fresh spring artichokes to see for ourselves!The article explains that artichokes naturally contain an acid called cynarin.
Emma Christensen
Mar 31, 2009
Wine: All About Fair Trade Wine
While Fair Trade wine has been available in Europe since 2003, it was only in 2007 that the first Fair Trade wines became available in the United States.Like other Fair Trade products, Fair Trade wine means that the wine was produced in a fair and humane way, to meet the Internationally recognized Fair Trade standards. Farmers are treated with respect, paid a decent wage, and the grapes are cultivated in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Oct 9, 2008
Wine Bottle Closures: Cork vs. Screw Cap
Do wine closures matter to you? When buying a bottle of wine are you influenced by the type of closure? Do you consider screw caps to contain cheaper or lower quality wine? Have you embraced screw caps or are you a die-hard devotee to cork?At its simplest the closure on a wine bottle must keep the wine in and oxygen out. Tradition, regulations, cost, the style of wine, and consumer acceptability all influence the closure selected by the producer.
Mary Gorman-McAdams
Sep 4, 2008
What’s the Difference? DOCG, DOC, and IGT Italian Wines
Pick up a bottle of Italian wine and you’re likely to see one of these designations somewhere on the label. What exactly to these letters stand for and what do they mean? Read on…In the second half of the 20th century, Italy decided to establish a series of laws to safeguard the quality and authenticity of their wine.These safeguards take the form of protected zones where growers and producers must adhere to strict regulations in order to be certified by these laws.
Emma Christensen
Aug 22, 2008
Rosé Wines: Versatility and Affordability in a Glass
I just love rosé wines. I get so excited at this time of the year, as the new vintage arrives on the shelves, and I know that I have a whole four to five months to enjoy them. Over the past four to five years sales of rosé wines worldwide have exploded. Call it the Rosé Renaissance! Whatever, it’s great. Despite this I am still surprised when people tell me again and again “I don’t like rosé wine”, “I never buy rosé wines”.
Faith Durand
May 15, 2008