It is considered polite to bring a gift for the hostess whenever you are invited to a dinner party. The perfect hostess gift is a gift of wine to accompany the meal. Unfortunately, if you are not a wine enthusiast you may feel a bit lost when deciding which wine to bring. This article will give you the information you need to select a wine gift which will be appreciated by both the hostess and also the other guests.
The first thing to keep in mind when choosing a wine to go with a meal is that you have to match the weight of the wine to the weight of the food served. No, I do not mean for you to serve 6 oz. of wine with a 6 oz. filet mignon. When referring to matching weights, I mean that you should present light wines with lighter foods and more robust wines with heavier foods.
The second factor to help keep in mind is seemingly contradictory to the last idea but you also need to have contrasting elements between your wine and your food. This indicates choosing things that will balance each other.
Tannins are substances found in wine, especially in red wines. These substances are perceived as dryness in our mouth. Wines have differing amounts of tannins so will go with different dishes. Any wine that's high in tannins (sharper in taste) will pair nicely with red meats, cheese and buttery dishes. The animal fats in those foods will soften the dryness brought on by the tannins.
Saltier foods ought to usually be paired with wines with a high acidity level. The salt mellows the acidity from the wine while the acidity from the wine balances the saltiness from the food. Seafood dishes will pair well with wines like Sauvignon Blanc which have high acidity and crispness of flavor.
Another pairing that makes both the wine and also the food more enjoyable is by serving a wine with a high acidity level with foods that have a high acidity level. Although it sounds like it would intensify the sourness, instead the acid in each tends to neutralize each other.
If you do not know what foods will probably be served, you might wish to go for a more neutral or universal wine gift. Some wines have just the right combination of acid and fruitiness that they complement many different kinds of foods.
The first thing to keep in mind when choosing a wine to go with a meal is that you have to match the weight of the wine to the weight of the food served. No, I do not mean for you to serve 6 oz. of wine with a 6 oz. filet mignon. When referring to matching weights, I mean that you should present light wines with lighter foods and more robust wines with heavier foods.
The second factor to help keep in mind is seemingly contradictory to the last idea but you also need to have contrasting elements between your wine and your food. This indicates choosing things that will balance each other.
Tannins are substances found in wine, especially in red wines. These substances are perceived as dryness in our mouth. Wines have differing amounts of tannins so will go with different dishes. Any wine that's high in tannins (sharper in taste) will pair nicely with red meats, cheese and buttery dishes. The animal fats in those foods will soften the dryness brought on by the tannins.
Saltier foods ought to usually be paired with wines with a high acidity level. The salt mellows the acidity from the wine while the acidity from the wine balances the saltiness from the food. Seafood dishes will pair well with wines like Sauvignon Blanc which have high acidity and crispness of flavor.
Another pairing that makes both the wine and also the food more enjoyable is by serving a wine with a high acidity level with foods that have a high acidity level. Although it sounds like it would intensify the sourness, instead the acid in each tends to neutralize each other.
If you do not know what foods will probably be served, you might wish to go for a more neutral or universal wine gift. Some wines have just the right combination of acid and fruitiness that they complement many different kinds of foods.
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