Wine Witch – Fantastic, Affordable Wine Suggestions

Posts Tagged ‘Food’

By now I am sure you have heard the basic principle that you should not cook with wine that you would not drink.  However, there are probably a few other guidelines to master before you audition for the next season of Top Chef.

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The answer to this question is a resounding YES!  I might not choose the real stuff from France for this venture, but sparkling wine is very food friendly.  Here are a few tips for matching sparkling wine with food.

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You know how the Wine Witch loves a pun, so I could not resist this one.  Zins, of course, stands for Zinfandel and the reference to 7 is the number of growers that contribued grapes to this effort.  This is an example of a Lodi styled Zinfandel which is usually on the spicier end of this varietal’s spectrum.  The Wine Wtich also loves her spice.

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If you have been keeping up with this blog, you will know that the Wine Witch is not the biggest fan of Chardonnay. I just have this thing about chewing on tree trunks while trying to enjoy my wine. Nothing wrong with it – just not my thing. So beware, if you enjoy big, buttery, oaky Chardonnays – this one is not for you. However, it is just perfect for me.

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The Wine Witch had a totally cool experience the other night. I was fortunate enough to attend the 13th annual Harvest in the Square event hosted by the Union Square Partnership. This was a fundraiser to support the maintenance and beautification of Union Square Park which is a vibrant oasis in Manhattan. There is always something going on there from superb people watching to the magical Christmas Market. Harvest in the Square is the premier event.

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OK – the first thing that needs to be cleared up is the use of the word Champagne.  All Champagne is sparkling wine, but very little sparkling wine is Champagne.  You may recall from other posts that the French name their wines after where they are grown and not the grape in the bottle.  Champagne is a rather small wine region in France, and technically only wines that come from there have the right to be called Champagne.  Wine makers outside of France (especially the U.S. and Southern Hemishpere) hoping to cash in on Champagne’s mystic often call their sparkling wines Champagne.  They shouldn’t, but they do and the Wine Witch is not going to start swimming against the tide here.  If you see sparkling wines in this post or other reviews called Champagne when they are not, just relax and go with it.  We all know what we are talking about here.

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France and Italy are the big boys of European wine.  Germany certainly has a piece of the action, especially when it comes to white.  Probably the most under appreciated European wine country is Spain.  This is a shame because they make some really good wine and there are still values to be found here.  However, it can sometimes be a challenge to find Spanish wines in your local wine shop.

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OK – I know – another New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  The Wine Witch just happens to love them.  Are these among the great wines of the world?  Well no – but there are among the great wine values and just plain fun to drink.

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Submitted by Sabina 

I don’t know that there needed to be specific wine to drink when eating pizza, but apparently someone else did and is probably now getting rich off the idea. Pizza Red, an Australian wine that’s advertised as “the affair between wine and pizza” strikes me as being more like a hasty summer camp sex session between rosé and a wine cooler.  A bit awkward, perhaps, but entertaining enough to be considered a somewhat pleasant experience.
Pizza Red is a touch sweet—not overly so—and has hints of strawberry. It spritzes when opened. This quirky product has no legs to speak of, but if we’re all being honest here who cares how it looks when you swoosh it around in your glass? Remember how mama used to say, “stop playing with your food?” Okay, then what are you playing with your wine and swooshing it around all day for? Just drink what’s put in front of you or pass it to someone who will.
Oh and serve chilled, perhaps with a nice, light fish dinner.

We have always enjoyed the Smoking Loon Viognier, but recently bought a couple of bottles of the 2005 Sauvignon Blanc.  The Smoking Loon label has its roots in the Sebastiani dynasty of vitners, so we were pretty confident it would be a quality offering.  At a $10 price point, we loved it.

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Rosemont Diamond Label is a widely available brand from Australia.  I tend to favor their reds over the whites.  With Shiraz associated with Australia, it is natural that they do this one well.  A good, everday pizza kind of wine.

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The happy, playful monkey on the label is a good indication of what is inside.  This is one in your face Sauvignon Blanc.  I think it will be hard to be indifferent to it.  You will love it or hate it.  I am in the love it camp.  It just makes me smile.  If your idea of heaven is big oaky Chardonnay, this may not be the wine for you. 

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