QUESTION: When visiting wine country, I've noticed that the
grapevines have not only bunches of grapes, but also leaves. Do the
leaves have a purpose?
ANSWER: You bet. In fact, without leaves, it would be impossible for clusters of grapes to ripen.
Put simply... because, quite frankly, that's the only way we know how to put it...
QUESTION: I enjoy vinegar dressings on my salad. What's a good wine to serve?
ANSWER: When wine goes bad, it turns to vinegar. So, good matches are few and far between.
Fortunately, better restaurants recognize this problem, and add ingredients to their salads...
QUESTION: Is global warming going to have any impact on wines from
England? I have a friend who lives there, and she says the wines are
getting better and better.
ANSWER: She's right. As parts of the country get more days of sunshine, growing winegrapes becomes a...
QUESTION: I've heard that I should use different glasses for red wines and white wines. Is this true?
ANSWER: It's not absolutely necessary. After all, traditionally, Italians drank their wine in tumblers.
That said, using the right glass for a particular type of wine definitely can enhance the...
QUESTION: I always had thought that French Sauternes was the
sweetest wine in the world, but when we were dining out the other
night, the server told me that's not so. Is she right?
ANSWER: Yes. The sweetest wine is Tokay Eszencia, which is made each year in Hungary - but only in miniscule quantities.
Whereas Sauternes has...
QUESTION: What is the best kind of cheese to serve with red wine?
ANSWER: That's a very broad question, but that said, red wine in general can be challenging to pair with cheese.
But if there were one "go-to" combination, it...
QUESTION: Why is Zinfandel considered by many to be the "state wine" of California?
ANSWER: Well, for many years, it was believed that the grape
variety was native to the Golden State. That assertion now is in
dispute since DNA testing has shown Zinfandel to be almost identical to
the Italian variety known as Primitivo.
But a good case could still be made for...
QUESTION: Is it possible to move grapevines from one location to another?
ANSWER: Possible? Yes. Advisable? Well...
A few years ago,
Langmeil Winery in Australia's Barossa Valley saw
the land cut out from under its vines -- figuratively and literally.
The land owner wanted to sell, so the winery...
QUESTION: I've heard that red wine should be served at room temperature. Is this true?
ANSWER: Yes, assuming you live in a cave.
For generations, we were taught that while white wine should be
cooled down prior to serving, red wine was best enjoyed at room
temperature.
Only one problem: When that advice initially was given, the man
giving it probably lived in a drafty castle that was not equipped with
a heating system -- other than...
QUESTION: I'm planning a party for friends, and we're going to put
out a number of dishes along with a number of wines, and just have
guests eat and drink what they like. Are there any ingredients that I
should avoid in the food so that as many of the wines as possible will
be enjoyable?
ANSWER: A similar question was put to food-and-wine expert Karen MacNeil, and here's the list...
