A Guide to Wine

"Wine exists for food"

It is not necessary to be concerned about selecting or matching a particular wine to a certain dish. The enjoyment and fun of having wine with the meal is like adding music.

How wine is served
Wine can be served in a glass, a bottle, or a carafe. The tulip glass is the ideal all purpose wine glass. although there are various shaped glasses which have been considered appropriate for different types of wine.
The carafe is the traditional European style of wine service, available in litres and half-litres.

The tasting
When the wine is served, the following are the key tests you make before you approve the wine:

Appearance - Hold the glass of wine by the stem up to the light. Wine should always be "bright," not cloudy or murky.
Smell - Swirl the wine a bit to give it some air (enable it to breathe), then smell it. It is correct to put your nose in several brief times so that the senses don't become over-exposed. Bouquet is the aroma that is emitted from the wine.
Taste - After you have really enjoyed the smell, take a good mouthful. Swish it around the mouth. Notice how it tastes as it rolls over the tongue, passing some of your keenest tastebuds. A wine should never be sour or bitter.

RED WINES

Cabernet Sauvignon(Cab bur nay saw vin yaw)
Most popular of the red wines. Fruity and dry with a wonderful bouquet. Perfect with red meat and veal.

Merlot (Mayer lot)
Medium dry with a luscious taste. Goes well with meats and cheeses.

Petit Sirah (Pa teet sir ah)
Heavy dry wine, robust. Fine with prime rib and red meats.

Pinot Noir (Pea no nor)
Medium dry, a hearty wine. Excellent with red meat and cheeses.

Zinfandel (Zin fan dell)
Medium dry, a super grape, with a powerful flavor. Recommended with prime rib and red meats.

WHITE WINES

Chardonnay (Shar doe nay)
Highly prized flavor, rich apple taste. Delightful with seafood and white meat.

Chenin Blanc (Shinin blonk)
Soft with a touch of sweetness, crisp and fruity. Good with seafood, pasta, and chicken.

Johannisberg Riesling (Jo annis berg reese ling)
One of the classiest white grape varieties, sweet to dry. Excellent with grilled seafood and vegetables.

Mouton Cadet (Moo tan ka day)
Light to gold color, pleasantly crisp. Perfect with shellfish, poultry, and white meats.

Piesporter Michelsberg (Peas porter mick l berg)
The most versatile of all Rhine wines, sweet yet crisp. Superb with any type of food.

Pinot Noir Blanc (Pea no nor blonk)
Copper color, smooth and semi-dry. A treat with chicken and seafood.

Pouilly Fuisse (Pool e foo say)
A semi-sweet flavor and goes well with any type of food.

Sauvignon Blanc (Saw vin yaw blonk)
A medium dry taste, suggested with grilled poultry & seafood.

White Zinfandel (White zin fan dell)
Pink color, light and semi-sweet but crisp. Truly delicious with all types of food.

This information is from a placemat, of all things, from a great old barbecue/seafood/steaks restaurant where I used to work (Johnny Harris Restaurant). Sorry, but there's no other source information on it. I can't say I agree 100% with the pronunciations, but it's a good starting primer on the basics of vino.

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