The Versatility of Wine
Published: 10 Nov 06
Amazing stuff! Suitable for almost any occasion, wine is enjoyed on its own but goes particularly well with food – and there’s no limit to where and when.As with most things in life, when it comes to wine there is good and bad and
a lot in between. No two wines are the same, and what one person may want to
pass up another might drink quite happily. Dry to sweet, light to powerful,
fresh and crisp to well aged and mellow, wooded and unwooded, sparkling, fortified,
etc, etc - the different methods of winemaking and styles of wine are numerous,
and then there are the many different grape varieties that they're made from.
However, choosing a wine isn't really that complicated. It comes down to what you're in the mood for, as well as where and when you want to serve it. Good wines aren't all expensive, and though there are thousands of bottles to select from, there are quality guides to help point you in the right direction and cut down on wastage, minimising the frustration factor. Then again, it can be fun to experiment, discovering for yourself new taste sensations and good-value wines at various price tiers.
After that, it's a case of 'horses for courses'. There are a few do's and don'ts, mostly concerning food-and-wine matches, and some wines can be better suited than others to certain times of the day or to certain occasions and events.
Champagne breakfasts cry out for a fine South African Cap Classique. Cold, fresh and fruity whites or those with crisp acidity can be wonderful between meals, at the poolside and with a variety of dishes. And before lunch or dinner, Sherry and nuts, perhaps a Muscadel cum Jerepigo over ice, or dry bubbles, maybe with oysters, smoked salmon, shrimps, sushi or pâté . . .
Onto the meal proper and you can start with white and end with red, or not. Typical advice is: light before heavy, and generally speaking, youth before age. But when to drink a really old, complex beauty? Too late in proceedings and its elegance mightn't be fully appreciated. Too early and it could prove difficult to come up with a satisfactory encore - unless you go one better, of course.
By their nature, the very best wines, those matured to peak condition - by which time they're rarities - are best appreciated on special occasions, when they share centre-stage rather than playing supporting roles. Classy bubbly for any celebration, reds and ports with vintage dates that correspond with anniversaries, Twenty Firsts and so forth, whites so sublime that wine lovers will beg to see your cellar.
At the table, different foods call for different wines - see page ?? for a chapter on marriage counselling. That unwooded wines tend to be lighter companions and wooded versions make more powerful partners is only half the story.
Picnics cry out for wine in the basket, and braais will have you comparing Cabernet with Shiraz, and with South Africa's 'indigenous' variety Pinotage. At the beach, pool or park, these are times for undemanding quaffable wines, simple pleasures.
To the end the meal, another world . . . Dessert wines of various kinds, on their own or to sip with puddings, tarts and cake, even ice-cream. Noble Late Harvest, Natural Sweet or Vin de Paille - try dunking biscotti biscuits into these, if you haven't already.
Then after the meal, perhaps a spirited finale: Muscadel, Jerepigo; maybe a port or brandy on the verandah or at the fireplace.
However, choosing a wine isn't really that complicated. It comes down to what you're in the mood for, as well as where and when you want to serve it. Good wines aren't all expensive, and though there are thousands of bottles to select from, there are quality guides to help point you in the right direction and cut down on wastage, minimising the frustration factor. Then again, it can be fun to experiment, discovering for yourself new taste sensations and good-value wines at various price tiers.
After that, it's a case of 'horses for courses'. There are a few do's and don'ts, mostly concerning food-and-wine matches, and some wines can be better suited than others to certain times of the day or to certain occasions and events.
Champagne breakfasts cry out for a fine South African Cap Classique. Cold, fresh and fruity whites or those with crisp acidity can be wonderful between meals, at the poolside and with a variety of dishes. And before lunch or dinner, Sherry and nuts, perhaps a Muscadel cum Jerepigo over ice, or dry bubbles, maybe with oysters, smoked salmon, shrimps, sushi or pâté . . .
Onto the meal proper and you can start with white and end with red, or not. Typical advice is: light before heavy, and generally speaking, youth before age. But when to drink a really old, complex beauty? Too late in proceedings and its elegance mightn't be fully appreciated. Too early and it could prove difficult to come up with a satisfactory encore - unless you go one better, of course.
By their nature, the very best wines, those matured to peak condition - by which time they're rarities - are best appreciated on special occasions, when they share centre-stage rather than playing supporting roles. Classy bubbly for any celebration, reds and ports with vintage dates that correspond with anniversaries, Twenty Firsts and so forth, whites so sublime that wine lovers will beg to see your cellar.
At the table, different foods call for different wines - see page ?? for a chapter on marriage counselling. That unwooded wines tend to be lighter companions and wooded versions make more powerful partners is only half the story.
Picnics cry out for wine in the basket, and braais will have you comparing Cabernet with Shiraz, and with South Africa's 'indigenous' variety Pinotage. At the beach, pool or park, these are times for undemanding quaffable wines, simple pleasures.
To the end the meal, another world . . . Dessert wines of various kinds, on their own or to sip with puddings, tarts and cake, even ice-cream. Noble Late Harvest, Natural Sweet or Vin de Paille - try dunking biscotti biscuits into these, if you haven't already.
Then after the meal, perhaps a spirited finale: Muscadel, Jerepigo; maybe a port or brandy on the verandah or at the fireplace.
