What's better with white wine. The right gastronomic pairing for wine

Properly selected snacks and main courses help to reveal the taste and aromatic qualities of alcoholic liquids. Therefore, wine etiquette includes several recommendations for choosing gastronomic products for various types of drink.

If you are interested in what true gourmets drink wine of one sort or another, you must first study the information about the harmonious combination of food and this alcohol.

Main rule

The main rule, according to which one should drink red and other varieties of this drink, states that food served as a snack should not interfere with the perception of the taste and aromatic bouquet of wine liquid.

Following this recommendation, when drinking expensive and high-quality wines, it is necessary to order or prepare simple neutral dishes. If the choice is made in favor of a table drink that does not differ in original taste, it is better to serve gourmet food with it. This will help to maintain a balance of taste characteristics and allow you to enjoy alcohol to the fullest.

What do they drink red wine with?

If you do not know what to drink with, you can completely abandon the snack or choose a universal option. Many manufacturers of quality wine drinks list suitable dishes on the label, so you should carefully study these recommendations. In addition, when buying alcohol produced in a particular territory, you should make a choice in favor of local traditional products.

All types of red wine go well with fried and baked foods, dishes cooked on an open fire, charcoal or grill. Spicy foods, fatty meats and game (pork, duck, lamb), as well as high-calorie fish (trout, catfish, salmon) are suitable for fortified drinks.

What do they drink red semi-sweet wine with?

When wondering what they drink semi-sweet wine with, one should remember its features: flowery-fruity aroma, bright saturated color and excellent taste with a predominance of sweet notes. The following types of snacks are suitable for such alcohol:

1. Dishes from red meats (veal, lamb, beef). They can be fatty, cooked with numerous hot spices and spices.
2. Fish snacks from tuna, trout or salmon. Slightly salted food is allowed.
3. Bird. Duck, chicken, partridge or turkey dishes will harmoniously complement a glass of semi-sweet drink.
4. Sliced ​​vegetables or cooked vegetables (cauliflower, asparagus, mushrooms, artichokes).
5. Various desserts (cookies, cakes, pastries, all types of chocolate except bitter black, ice cream). The sweeter the wine, the more neutral the dessert should be.
6. Fruits. Preference should be given to apples, pears, grapes. Semi-sweet wine should not be combined with melon and watermelon.
7. Noble cheeses with mold. The product must be mild and well ripened. Avoid serving light cream cheeses.

Sweet types of wine alcoholic products can be served with strong freshly brewed coffee: the drink will well set off the taste of alcohol. Semi-sweet red wines perfectly complement Spanish, Italian and Mexican cuisines.

What do you drink dry wine with?

Red dry wine is characterized by a tart sour taste and low alcohol content. It is harmoniously and balanced combined with the following types of products:

• meat delicacies (ham, sausage, boiled pork, prosciutto, bacon, smoked lard and meat or poultry rolls);
• ripe fruits and berries (oranges, mangoes, peaches, nectarines, cherries, strawberries);
• mature types of hard varietal cheese;
• meat and fish pates, tartlets, white bread toasts.

It is customary to serve at a hearty lunch, so dishes can be high-calorie and satisfying.

Semi-dry wine contains a relatively small amount of sugar and therefore often has a light, neutral taste. It is considered a universal table alcoholic drink. It is recommended to serve traditional food with this alcohol:

• vegetable cream soups;
• sweet fruit salads and ripe berries dressed with cream cheese;
• light seafood;
• blue cheese;
• meat snacks and game;
• steaks or kebabs from lean meat;
• desserts (flaky sweet pastries, ice cream, cookies).

It is desirable that the taste of snacks and meals served contrast sharply with alcohol. In this case, the semi-dry drink acquires brighter taste qualities.

What goes with white wine

If you decide to serve white wine at home, prepare food that will bring out its great taste. These dishes include:

1. Light fish snacks and seafood. White wine can be combined with squid, shrimps, mussels, clams, octopuses, oysters. It is advisable to choose lean sea fish. It should be fried, baked, steamed or charcoal. Dishes can be seasoned with gourmet sauces such as sour cream or mayonnaise. In addition, this alcohol goes well with red and black caviar, crab meat and crayfish, sushi rolls.
2. Fresh vegetable salads. It is recommended to use a dressing made from olive oil with the addition of herbs and spices, sesame seeds, seeds.
3. White poultry meat (chicken and turkey). You can make pâté or foie gras.
4. Delicate soft goat cheese. Cheese with white mold or creamy types of product are perfect. Many professionals advise serving cheese fondue with white wine.
5. Juicy fruits and fruit slices. Alcohol goes well with pineapple, peach, apple and pear. Citrus fruits should be avoided.
6. Sweet desserts (ice cream, chocolate biscuits, jelly, pudding, homemade cakes). Dessert dishes should be served with fruit and berry sauces. Alcohol is often combined with cheese crackers, cookies, sweets.

White wine perfectly complements Chinese, Japanese, French and traditional oriental cuisines.

White wine is a delicate and multifaceted product. Only in combination with certain dishes, it reveals its true taste. To the question about what they drink white wine with, tasters answer that the simpler the dish, the fuller the bouquet is felt. Admirers of the vine argue: - Food should not clog the taste and aroma of wine. It should contain a minimum amount of spices.

What do they drink white wine with?

The basic rule of pairing wine and snacks: drinks with a bright bouquet go with insipid food, drinks with a weak and neutral aroma go with food with a rich aroma.
If the wine has been aged for several years, it is better to refuse snacks altogether. The only exception is white or grain bread.

What foods should not be consumed with white wine

There are foods that should not be consumed with white wine at all. These are nuts, as they have astringent properties, and vinegar, which dulls the taste buds. Therefore, canned and pickled snacks, as well as salads seasoned with table vinegar, are not suitable for white varieties.

Salted and too fatty fish (eg sole, halibut) also do not harmonize with these drinks. It gives an unpleasant metallic tint. Fresh tomatoes, sorrel, spinach, artichokes and asparagus can be distinguished from vegetables and herbs. Tomatoes contain acid, which interrupts the bouquet, the rest of the products contain cynarin, which gives the drink a sweetish or metallic taste.
To better understand what to drink white wine with, let's find out the features of its bouquet.

Popular varieties

White wine is made from grapes without skins. It has a light shade, since the juice of most varieties is colorless. The taste is soft, the aroma is bright and diverse. The bouquet depends on the grape variety and growing conditions. Consider the most popular types.

1. Chardonnay. These are dry and semi-dry wines made from Chardonnay grapes. If the berries are grown in a cool region, the bouquet is dominated by notes of apple peel and citrus. After aging, the product acquires a nutty and oatmeal flavor. If the grape grows in a warm area, Chardonnay made from it has the aroma of exotic fruits.
2. Sauvignon Blanc. This is a semi-sweet drink made from the grape variety of the same name. The main shades are red currant, gooseberry, dried green grass, orange and lemon. After aging in oak barrels, Sauvignon Blanc is enriched with aromas of honey and ripe pears, and acquires a tart, sour aftertaste.
3. Riesling. Produced from grapes of the same variety. The product, made from berries grown in cool climates, is filled with aromas of green apples, flowers and lemon. Riesling from warm countries is sweeter, with honey and orange notes.

What dishes go well with white wine

Tasters recommend drinking white dry and semi-dry wine with meats, poultry, game, fish, liver and meat pates, and various cheeses that are neutral in spiciness. Herring and pickled seafood are not suitable for this drink. A glass of Riesling is offered with stewed pike perch or other low-fat fish, and more sour drinks are served with oily fish. The bird is stewed in sweet and sour sauce, stuffed with green peas, apples or cereals.

Semi-sweet varieties of white wine are drunk with seafood and river fish. Also, these drinks are in perfect harmony with grilled sausages, veal and poultry. When semi-sweet, semi-dry or dry wine is served for dessert, it is drunk with crackers, cakes, chocolates, fruit and ice cream. Coffee and tea are a welcome addition. Apples, oranges and pears are pre-peeled and cut into slices. Dry and semi-dry varieties are cooled to 12 ° C before serving, semi-sweet - to 8 ° C.

The benefits of the drink

White wine stimulates metabolic processes in the body, strengthens blood vessels, improves the functioning of the circulatory system, improves appetite, and normalizes the production of gastric juice. Food consumed with dry, semi-dry and semi-sweet varieties is well and quickly absorbed.

Wine is the nectar of the gods, a drink that accompanies us throughout our lives. In some countries it is an element of culture. Even in ancient times, people believed that grape wine is a sunny drink. After all, the grapes from which they are made collect and absorb the sun's rays, accumulate energy in their berries, and then transfer them to people. Therefore, it is absolutely correct to assume that everything bright and wonderful was given to this drink by nature, and bad and dark (the same alcohol) - people.

More about wine

Today you can find red, white and Their color depends on the grape variety from which they were made. So, grapes of dark shades are used for. Moreover, the longer the drink is kept, the darker it becomes. The most aged wines have a bright, rich, ruby ​​color. In turn, white wine is obtained from light grapes. This drink has a golden or yellow-green color. And the amber hue can tell that the wine is strong and very old.

The taste of wine depends not so much on the grape variety from which it is made, but on the soil on which the vine was grown, on the climatic conditions of the region. Therefore, wines with the same name, produced in different countries, differ significantly in taste. Even a drink that was produced in the same place, but in different years, will have a different taste, because the breed was different.

What are the wines?

All wines - both white, and red, and pink - are divided into the following categories according to their purpose. Table semi-sweet and semi-dry): they are used as flavoring additions to the table. As well as dessert (fortified, liquor): they are used as desserts. How to figure out which wine is semi-sweet and which is dry? Look at the percentage of sugar and alcohol indicated on the label.

So, table wines are classified as dry if the sugar content per 100 ml is from 1 to 2.5 grams. That is, the sugar fermented almost completely. On the palate, these wines are light and sour. Alcohol content - from 6 to 14%.

Semi-sweet wine, it is also semi-dry, contains from 3 to 8% sugar and has a delicate peculiar taste. Unfortunately, such wines are less persistent than dry ones. The fact is that even after bottling, the biochemical process continues in the drinks due to the presence of sugar in it. So, the wine continues to ripen, age and decay further. Semi-sweet wine has the fastest decay cycle.

Alcohol is added to slow down these processes. This is how fortified and liqueur wines are obtained, containing up to 30% sugar and 20% alcohol, respectively.

About the production of semi-sweet wines

Now let's talk about how semi-sweet wine is made. As a rule, for the preparation of this drink one variety (rarely several varieties) of grapes is used. There is a slight difference in production depending on the color. So, pink and white semi-sweet wines are obtained as a result of not completely fermented without pulp (with berry seeds and skins). In turn, red - with pulp. In the manufacture of semi-sweet wines, the best must is used (first pressure and gravity).

The creation process consists in the fermentation of the must: when the sugar content in it drops to the mark necessary for the finished wine, the finished mixture is cooled or pasteurized, then filtered to separate the sediment. This is how the necessary wine materials are obtained, which must lie for two months in special refrigerators at temperatures up to 2 o. The wine is then filtered and bottled.

How to choose?

Any wines, both domestic production, and imported, and imported from countries where winemaking is an ancient craft and part of culture, can be either excellent or the most ordinary, or even terrible. Paying a lot of money for the best semi-sweet wines from France that you have never tried before, you can be both fascinated and vice versa. The thing is that everyone has their own taste and their own concept of what “real French wine” should be like. And in order not to be afraid to make a mistake, you need to try.

Arrange tastings, at least from time to time. You need to try many varieties to determine for yourself which drink is ideal in taste and price. You should not stop only at classic France, choose other varieties. Italian, Spanish and Portuguese wines are also considered good. Pay attention to Georgian and Moldovan semi-sweet wines (reviews about some of them are simply enthusiastic). Noteworthy are also drinks from Germany and South America.

The numbers on the labels

Read carefully what is written on the labels. And if you cannot be sure that you correctly pronounce the name of a wine written in a foreign language, then you will definitely understand the numbers. Fortunately, they are written in the same way in all languages. So, look at the year of release of the drink. From it you can easily understand whether this wine is vintage or ordinary. So, vintage semi-sweet wine must be aged for at least 1.5 years. Ordinary is consumed in the next year after the release, it is not kept, respectively, it is much cheaper.

The next thing to pay attention to is the percentage of alcohol, it is denoted by Alc. Sugar is also indicated as a percentage. Thus, even without knowing the name, you can always understand how sweet the wine is and how it will be combined with dishes. Well, the color is easily distinguishable through the bottle.

The best semi-sweet wines of Georgia

France is famous for its red and white dry wines, and as for semi-sweet wines, here all the laurels go to Georgia. So, the most popular brands:

"Ahansheni" - excellent semi-sweet red wines, with a strong and pleasant chocolate tint. The drink has a dark pomegranate color and a rare taste harmony.

"Kindzmarauli" is a semi-sweet red wine of ripe cherry color. It is grown in the valleys of Kakheti and is famous for its harmonious, velvety taste.

"Diamond Valley" - red and white semi-sweet wines with a fresh bouquet and soft varietal aroma.

"Khvanchkara" is a real pearl among semi-sweet wines. Thanks to its elegant dark ruby ​​color, strong aroma and velvety taste with a raspberry tint, it has repeatedly become a winner at international

Competitors

Germans, Italians and Americans quite successfully compete with Georgia.

"Tokai" (Tokai) - the famous semi-sweet and dessert wines made in the United States. Nothing to do with Hungarian branded products, which are mostly dry.

Rheinhessen and Rheinpfalz are excellent white semi-sweet and semi-dry drinks with a dense texture. Some of the best German wines made from grapes grown on the Rhine.

"Asti" (Asti) - the best wines produced in the northern province of Italy.

Choosing quality

As the name implies, a good semi-sweet wine should have some sweetness on the palate. Cheap varieties are distinguished by an unbalanced taste and give off sourness, somewhat reminiscent of dry. Some manufacturers, lacking the necessary technology, are trying to correct this defect by adding even more sugar. However, this is not what is required of a real winemaker. The main task is to create a bouquet. Thus, it is quite easy to distinguish low-quality wine - it does not have a bouquet: notes of plums, berries, flowers, sweet peppers and dried fruits.

You can also pay attention to the following figures. Quality semi-sweet wine should contain from 9 to 12% alcohol and 30-80 grams of sugar per liter. If the numbers don't match, you've got a fake.

Combinations

Well, the last, no less important point is the combination. What do they drink semi-sweet wine with? There are no hard and fast rules here. If earlier there were prescriptions: red wine - only for meat, and white - for fish, today the main thing is your imagination. Don't be afraid to experiment! But remember one golden rule of success: the more complex the dishes, the simpler the drink, and vice versa.

You can use already proven combinations. So, semi-sweet wine is good to serve with seafood (crabs, oysters and crayfish), as well as various vegetable dishes (cauliflower, green peas, etc.). In general, semi-sweet white wines go well with fish with a spicy sauce, white poultry and veal meat, delicate cheeses, pates and sausages. An interesting combination - dishes with sour cream sauce. White wine perfectly complements its creamy taste. The main thing when choosing an appetizer for white semi-sweet wine is not to overshadow its delicate aroma. Avoid spicy and pungent herbs with a characteristic odor.

Red semi-sweet wines are a great addition to desserts, which are the following snacks: mild cheeses, sweets, cookies, ice cream and fruits. A great option is to serve wine with chocolate cake, which will emphasize its rich taste.

The delicate taste of white wine can be easily spoiled if you put salads with vinegar and spicy dishes on the table. But simple products: bread, cheese, some fruits - will perfectly complement the exquisite bouquet. Sommeliers, answering the question of what they drink white wine with, say that a similar drink is served with white fish and white meat.

General rules

Before serving, alcohol is cooled to a temperature of 12 degrees. Pour it into tulip-shaped glasses on a thin stem. As snacks, simple products are offered. But if table wine is served on the table, which does not have a multifaceted bouquet and taste, then something more interesting and unusual can be offered.

White wine is traditionally served with:

• White bread;
• fruits.

As a hot dish, onion soup or cheese fondue can be served on the table. These dishes have a delicate texture that won't clog your taste buds.

If you need a light snack, then make pasta from Mascarpone and Dor Blue. Serve it on tartlets or saltine crackers.

Dry wine is served with white fish and seafood. Semi-sweet is served with fruit sorbets and buns. Fortified wines are drunk with ice cream or sweet fruits.

Doesn't pair well with white wine.

• nuts;
• salads with vinegar;
• fat meat;
• pickled fish;
• hot sauces and spices;
• sour citrus.

The listed products make the taste of the drink too sour and tart. Under the influence of vinegar and spicy marinade, the wine acquires bitterness and an unpleasant aftertaste.

During the tasting it is not customary to smoke and use perfumes with a strong smell. These aromas will drown out the delicate wine bouquet.

Do not combine the drink with other types of alcohol.

Popular white wines

Each type of wine has its own unique taste and aroma. Some brands have a fruity taste, others absorb the aroma of flowers and herbs. If you put the right snack on the table, then the drink will only win.

Chardonnay

It has a fruity taste with honey notes. Sometimes in it smack of a nut and dried fruits is guessed.

Chardonnay will be accompanied by salmon or seafood. It is eaten with tartlets with fish pate and grilled chicken. You can serve meat with a drink - game or roast pork.

Gewürztraminer

White wine is spicy and bright. The first sips reveal a light taste, but gradually the drink becomes heavier and sweeter.

Before serving, it is cooled to a temperature of 10-11 degrees. Oily fish is offered as an appetizer. From seafood, shrimp with fatty sauce are put on the table. You can combine the drink with sushi.

Gewurztraminer is often put on the table as an aperitif or poured into glasses immediately after the main meal.

Riesling

A quality drink has a long aftertaste and has floral, honey, mineral and steel notes.

Dry Riesling will soften the bright taste of spicy and spicy food. Therefore, it is served with Asian and Indian dishes.

Semi-sweet wine is combined with game, and sweet with fruit.

Sauvignon Blanc

White wine has a fresh and lively taste with floral notes, which perfectly complements grilled chicken.

The drink is served with white meat and fish with sweetish sauces and gravies. Sauvignon Blanc will emphasize the taste of real sushi and seafood.

Grüner Veltliner

The most famous Austrian wine has a pleasant and not too sour taste. This is the only drink that goes perfectly with asparagus. Other green vegetables would also be good company for the Grüner Veltliner.

The drink is served with dishes with vegetables and aromatic herbs.

Muscat

Wine is complex. Its oily taste goes well with a small amount of food. The drink is usually served with desserts, but they should not be cloying. The taste of wine is complemented by sweet fruits.

You can not combine Muscat with spicy dishes and fatty foods.

Champagne

A drink of celebration and fun is drunk immediately after opening the bottle. It is combined with light salads, sandwiches with caviar, cheese.

Salty dishes give an interesting combination: olives or herring.

Exceptions to the rules

“White is for fish, and red is for meat” - everyone knows this rule. But sometimes white wine goes well with meat dishes.

• Reserva Chardonnay is served with a young calf or appetizers with chicken and chicken pate.
• Carmel Merlot will sparkle with new facets in combination with beef tartare or carpaccio.
• Tokay Pinot Gris Cuvee Sainte Catherine is eaten with goose dishes or foie gras pate with white bread.
• Reichsrat von Buhl Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling is served with cold cuts.
• Josmeyer Pinot Blanc Les Lutins is served with poultry or fatty pork.

Champagne goes great with white meat and grilled meats.

If you have any doubts about what kind of snack to buy for a noble drink, then you should give preference to cheese. Put a cheese plate on the table or prepare cheese dishes: chips, gougères, fondue, cheese soup.

The use of wine is provided for a gastronomic lunch. Thanks to this wine etiquette, an alcoholic drink will prepare taste buds for the perception of a new dish, normalize the digestive process and reduce the calorie content of products.

The taste of a wine drink is fully revealed only in combination with the right snack. For a simple wine, original dishes that complement its taste are well suited. When drinking exclusive wine, simpler dishes are recommended.

What do they drink semi-sweet white wine with?

Fish dishes with slightly spicy sauces are perfect for this wine. The cool taste of the drink will bring real pleasure in combination with well-cooked fish. In addition, its combination with various cheeses, low-fat sausages, flour products, fruits and desserts (ice cream, cookies) will be very useful.

From meat snacks, preference is given to tender white meat of poultry and veal. Also, this wine is combined with some dark meat (game for this purpose is a great addition), but in no case with pork, lamb or beef skewers.

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It goes well with dishes with sour cream sauce. Creamy delicate taste is well complemented by white wine.

Snacks for this wine should be selected light, with a slight spicy and not spicy aftertaste. The delicate aroma of the drink should not be interrupted by the strong aroma of spices. Goose pate, various seafood (squid, mussels, oysters), as well as mushroom and vegetable dishes go very well with this wine.

The main requirement for snacks will be one thing - the taste of these dishes should not be stronger than the wine aroma.

What do you drink dry white wine with?

It goes well with seafood. These include: shrimp, oysters, squid and mussels. All these seafood perfectly complement the taste. Cold appetizers, black and red caviar, as well as crayfish are perfect for this wine.

Read also: what to drink red wine with?

In addition to them, light dishes made from fish and poultry meat are very well suited to this wine. Veal may also be suitable as a second course. Fish served on the table can be steamed, baked, fried, in brine or boiled. Delicate thin sauces are recommended for such fish dishes, complementing the taste.

For this wine, various salads are served (without the use of vinegar), as well as low-fat varieties of sausages, asparagus, a variety of cheeses, artichokes.

Sweet fruits (pears, pineapples, peaches and tangerines), chocolate-based desserts and, oddly enough, ice cream serve as an excellent addition. It goes well with charlotte, jelly, sweets, nuts and pudding.

What do they drink semi-dry white wine with?

It goes very well with all types of cheeses, many fish dishes and cold meat dishes. Smoked trout will also go well with the taste of wine. In addition, it can be used in conjunction with chicken dishes, low-fat sausage products, sashimi and sushi.

Pairs well with wine rabbit, goose pate, chicken salad, prosciutto, curry (meat or fish), as well as some Thai, Mexican and Chinese dishes. Poultry suitable for this wine includes turkey and various game, which are served baked or stewed in sweet and sour sauce with apples or vegetables.

Asparagus, cauliflower, artichokes can serve as a vegetable snack. Mushroom dishes, various rolls, casseroles and pastries stuffed with apples are also suitable.

Due to its palatability, this wine goes well with some rather fatty dishes: roasted duck, foie gras, as well as cream cakes. With a not very sweet taste, it goes well with several salty and spicy dishes of traditional oriental cuisine.

The main exceptions to this wine are marinated fish dishes and herring.

What do you drink sweet white wine with?

This wine is intended for desserts. These can include all kinds of cakes and pastries. Chocolate should not be consumed with wine, as it is an irritant to the taste buds. After drinking it, it will be quite difficult to enjoy the taste of fine wine.

Slightly sour fruits (with the exception of grapefruit and lemon) and jerky dishes will be a good addition to wine. Crackers and various varieties of mild cheese go well with it. As a snack, you can use cookies, sweets, all kinds of biscuits and ice cream. The best choice for this wine would be a cake (preferably raspberry), creme brulee, and apples or pears.

This wine is served at the end of the meal, and very chilled. You can drink these wines without any snacks, sipping in small sips. It is undesirable to combine them with coffee and chocolate desserts, which interrupt the wonderful taste of wine.

Any dessert served with sweet wine should be slightly sweeter than this fine drink.

The best appetizers for white wine

You can eat them with a huge variety of all kinds of dishes, but there are some rather interesting dishes that well emphasize the taste of these drinks.

For dry white wines, shrimp with pepper sauce are perfect. This dish will remind you of the sea coast with a light breeze. Shrimp skewers combined with lemon, rosemary sprigs and pepper sauce will be a great addition to the dinner table.

Another interesting dish is cheese biscuits. Cooked on a baking sheet and having a layered structure with a wonderful aroma of fresh cheese pastries, seasoned with spicy dry herbs and dried hot red pepper, it will allow you to enjoy a wine drink to the fullest.

Salmon cream is a good addition to cheese cookies. To prepare it, you need cream cheese, salmon fillet (slightly smoked), Dijon (mild) mustard, as well as ground black pepper, green onions and a little bit of salt. Blending the ingredients in a blender and adding pieces of salmon, this culinary masterpiece, combined with croutons and cheese cookies, is ideal for a bottle of good wine.

Chicken strips with coconut breading can serve as a light and at the same time hearty snack. It goes great with tender chicken breasts. Fried in vegetable oil, hot chicken strips, lightly peppered with a crispy coconut crust, will create a unique taste effect in combination with a glass of delicious wine.

Beauty and Health Health Nutrition

It so happened that in Russia red wine has always been more popular than white wine, but today we are learning to understand the types of wine, and there are enough opportunities for this. If you do not rush and show enough patience, you can become, if not a true connoisseur of wines, then still learn how to choose and drink them correctly - the quality of life will definitely improve from this.

To begin with, we know little about white wine: for example, many of our fellow citizens think that it is made only from white grapes, but this is not so. After all, wine acquires its color thanks to the skin of grapes, and not its pulp: if you remove the skin from red grape berries, the wine will turn out white, although its shades can be different - golden, beige, greenish, creamy, yellow and pinkish - it just depends from the grape variety.

And, of course, properties white wine(however, like red) have been known to people since ancient times: Hippocrates could not help but notice it, and said that it helps both the sick and the healthy; Galen also rated him highly. It is believed that white wine helped the Greeks take Troy.

The Romans were the first to learn how to grow grapes, and even invented wine treatment - enotherapy, and now this method is used in many sanatoriums of the world. And the Falerno wine - the very one that Pontius Pilate drank - was considered the most noble in Rome, but in fact it is white - it's just that the author in the novel had to show red wine, and he really liked the name "Falerno". True, Bulgakov also mentions another type of wine - cecuba: this is a high-quality white wine, also produced in the Roman Empire, but it can also be red, so let's not find fault with the classics too much.

Taste and varieties of white wine

The taste of real white wine is soft, and there are many shades in it., and the aroma is rich and intense, but what is called the “bouquet” of wine depends on the grape variety and its growing conditions.

White wine chardonnay

The Chardonnay grape variety is known far beyond the borders of France - the wine from it bears the same name. This grape is loved all over the world, and it is not difficult to grow it: it is stable and unpretentious, and grows even on poor soils, and the harvest always gives, although not too plentiful - for this it is very much appreciated by winemakers.

Almost all Chardonnay wines are dry. If the grapes are grown in a cool climate, then citrus and apple tones are well felt in the wine, and the aged wine also has a bready and nutty flavor. The warm climate makes it possible to produce wine with the aroma of tropical fruits, and for the preparation of sweet Chardonnay wines, late-harvest grapes are taken, as well as those that are affected by the so-called noble rot - this is a special rot caused by a certain type of fungus. Under its action, grapes become even more useful, and its juice becomes sweeter; such wine is produced not only in France, but also in Germany - Rhine, and in Hungary - Tokay.

Frozen chardonnay grapes are used to make elite sweet ice wine - ice wine, and it is considered especially noble and rare. In order to make a real ice wine, you need to use grapes frozen on the vine, at a temperature not higher than -7-8 ° C - only such wine is considered "correct".

Sauvignon blanc white wines

Sauvignon blanc wines are not as popular as chardonnay, but now they have become more and more appreciated: this grape makes an invigorating, bright and refreshing drink. The characteristic notes of Sauvignon Blanc are gooseberries and currant leaves, asparagus and freshly cut grass, citrus fruits and exotic fruits. Withstand this wine, like Chardonnay, in oak barrels, and after that it acquires the aroma of vanilla, honey and ripe pears.

In France, several types of this wine are produced: both pure and blended, softened - in such cases, grape varieties are mixed. Austria, New Zealand and California do well here too - the Sauvignon Blanc wines they produce are considered excellent.

White wine Riesling

Riesling is the pride of Germany: although the climate there is not exactly "grape", this hardy and frost-resistant variety tolerates it perfectly. However, Riesling is demanding on soils: if he doesn’t like the soil, the wine will turn out to be inexpressive and tasteless.

Rhenish and Moselle Rieslings - obtained from grapes grown on the banks of the rivers Rhine and Moselle - are considered the best. They can be thin, with a low alcohol content - such wines have an aftertaste of flowers, lemon and green apples; or full and sweet, with hints of honey, orange and toasted bread.

French Rieslings are stronger and sweeter, while Austrian Rieslings have a bright aroma, but in general these wines can be stored for a long time and only get better - their price rises accordingly. Now such grapes are grown in the countries of both Americas, in Australia and New Zealand, but local wines are inferior to European ones in taste and aroma.

There are other white wine varieties worth mentioning, although they are not as widespread. These are Muscat, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Viognier - a rare and capricious variety, as well as German Gewürztraminer - wines from these varieties are fragrant and fragrant, with spicy nuances and an original bouquet, but we know little about them.

Benefits of white wine

Useful white wine for the work of the stomach and intestines: it destroys pathogenic microbes, normalizes the acidity of gastric juice, improves appetite.

It is also interesting that there are fewer antioxidants in it than in red wine, but the body absorbs them more easily, and also the fact that grape juice does not contain all the trace elements that appear in white wine- so don't give up on it. Even older people need white wine: its use prevents the development of cataracts, Alzheimer's disease, has a positive effect on the state of cerebral vessels, improves memory, thinking and perception processes.

What should you drink white wine with?

Wine can be drunk just like that, but we are used to combining any wine with snacks - what to pair with white wine? Most people remember that it is served with fish, and this is a sure option, but far from the only one. By the way, marinated fish and herring in any form are not combined with white wines, but other fish dishes with them become tastier and more interesting, and are absorbed much better.

In addition to fish, game and poultry meat are good with white wine - they should be stewed with sweet and sour sauce, apples or vegetables. Pates and all kinds of cheeses are also suitable for white wines.

The choice of dishes seems not too wide, but this applies to unsweetened white wines - dry and semi-dry.

Semi-sweet wines go well with various vegetable and seafood dishes: crabs, shrimp, mussels, etc. Sauvignon blanc wines, mentioned above, can be served with seafood and fish - experts consider this the best option.

Sweet white wines are served with desserts, they are drunk with fruits and mild cheeses, eaten with chocolate, sweet cakes and even crackers.

White wine should not be too cold or warm when served: dry white wine should be cooled to 14-12°C, and sweet - to 8-6°C. Bottles with white wines should be stored at a temperature of 10-12°C, in a lying position - the cork should be damp from the inside.

Contraindications for white wine

It is impossible to abuse white wine, like any alcohol.- this will turn it from a healthy drink into poison: the work of the heart, gastrointestinal tract and liver may be disrupted, brain cells will begin to break down and mental illness will occur. The amount of wine you can drink depends on many factors: age, gender, health and well-being. Many experts say that 100 g every day will not hurt, and in case of overwork or stress, you can drink up to 0.5 liters, but it is better to adhere to the optimal generally accepted norms - 1-2 glasses per week. White wine contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women, people with coronary artery disease, severe depression, hypertension and pancreatitis.

Useful can be and is only the present red wine: not pasteurized, without preservatives and other additives. It costs more, but it’s still not worth saving: cheap red wines do not have useful properties.

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The perception of the taste and aroma properties of the noblest grapevine drink largely depends on how appropriate and successful it is combined with the selected snack. True connoisseurs of its taste are well aware of what they drink wine with and what sort of it is best to choose for cooked dishes. Most tasters recommend following this rule when choosing a drink - table snacks should not interfere with the perception of the bouquet of aromas and taste of an alcoholic beverage. Therefore, you need to choose a simpler wine for gourmet dishes, and the most unpretentious snack is selected for expensive wine.

Tasters adhere to the universal rule: food should not interfere with the perception of aromatic bouquet and taste. The more expensive the wine, the easier the appetizer is selected for it. Exquisite dishes richly seasoned with spices are served only with ordinary (plain) and table wines, which do not have unique organoleptic properties (taste and smell).

In order for the taste of wine to be fully revealed and it can be clearly felt, it is necessary to drink it as follows:

• First, bring the glass to the light and enjoy the color of the drink;
• Breathe in its aroma deeply. Good wine smells like grapes, not yeast;
• Rotate the glass to oxygenate the drink;
• Moisten the upper lip, take a small sip and hold the wine on the tip of the tongue;
• Open your mouth, let in oxygen and only then take a sip.
• It is worth buying quality wine, it is not worth saving. And for a good drink, you should choose the right snack.

Most popular options

1. Skip snacks. It is justified if you have a rare wine of many years of aging in front of you. Its taste can be so unique that any meal will be superfluous. Maximum - a slice of fresh white bread and still mineral water.
2. Appetizer for fortified wines, port wine, sherry, Madeira. These wines belong to the group of aperitifs, ie. they excite the appetite and are served before a meal as the first alcoholic drink. Any dishes are suitable for them, with the exception of herring and other pickled fish.
3. Dishes for red wine. Dry red wines go well with ham, smoked sausages, seafood (crabs, crayfish, oysters), cauliflower, green peas and other vegetables. You can safely serve any spicy and fatty dishes with such wine, they will not spoil the taste, on the contrary, they will harmoniously complement it. Most reputable producers specify what kind of appetizer to serve their wine with, so it's a good idea to read the label.

What do they drink red wine with?

Dark reds are consumed not cold, at a temperature of 16-18 C. Semi-dry reds are consumed chilled, somewhere at 12 - 14 degrees. Dry - before use, it is recommended to cool to 8-12 degrees.

Citrus fruits, chocolate, spicy seasonings do not go well. Canned foods, smoked meats, pickled vegetables are not suitable. These products will change or kill the taste of the drink.

What is good to drink red wine with, you will find on the bottle label. But here are the general rules

Red dessert goes well with meat - lamb, tender veal, fragrant shish kebab. White chicken meat, beef, pates are suitable for dry red wine. Raw smoked sausages, ham are also suitable. Mushroom snacks. Seafood and vegetables such as mussels, oysters, cauliflower, broccoli.

Also, various cheeses and dishes using cheeses - pizza, lasagna - are great for red (any).

Semi-dry and semi-sweet red wines go best with vegetable and seafood dishes.

When using desserts served with red semi-sweet, you need to remember that the drink should be somewhat sweeter than the dessert.

What to drink white wine with?

It is not always possible to determine which wine a particular snack is best suited for, because each drink has its own unique bouquet.

There are several universal products that do not affect the taste of white wine. These include fruits, various cheeses and breads.

What do you drink dry white wine with?

The best addition is sea fish dishes (except for herring), and cold meat appetizers (eg chicken). Mussels, squids, gorgeous oysters, king prawns - seafood that will also perfectly complement its taste. Mild cheeses are in perfect harmony with the taste of dry white.

What do you drink semi-sweet white wine with?

Great addition - liver, spicy cheese, some desserts. The same products are suitable for semi-dry white.

Sweet white wine loves fruit, ice cream, chocolate, liver and other types of desserts. Serve tea, such as rooibos, or coffee - they are also great to complement sweet whites.

With what to drink Cahors

Cahors is a dessert red wine with a distinctive bright burgundy color, slightly tart taste with a magnificent noble velvety fragrant bouquet in the aftertaste. The aroma of creamy chocolate with hints of prunes is especially pronounced in it.

Cahors should be drunk in small portions, sips, lightly holding it in the mouth, enjoying the unusual great taste and delicate aroma.

The main snack for Cahors is fresh white bread with a crispy golden crust.

But Cahors can also be served with a sweet dessert - pies, charlottes, casseroles and puddings. But the most delicious Cahors in combination with chocolate and coffee cake.

Is it possible to drink wine in fasting

Lent is a unique time to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and take care of spiritual and physical health. The benefits of temporary abstinence from food have long been proven, but what about abstaining from red wine.

During fasting it is necessary to refrain from eating animal food. You can eat only plant foods, the methods of preparation of which differ during the week. Regarding drinks, the following rules apply:

• In the first two days, try not to drink anything at all;
• In the following days, water is allowed;
• Of alcoholic beverages, only red grape wine is allowed during fasting;
• Red wine can be drunk on Saturdays and Sundays;
• You can not use this drink concentrated - it must be diluted with water in a ratio of 3: 1, i.e. three parts of water must be added to one part of wine;
• A drink is used for better well-being and it is necessary to drink it in extremely small quantities.

If a person adheres to a strict fast before major church holidays, then he can only use diluted red wine on weekends and in small quantities.

White wine is a special category of alcoholic beverages made from light grape varieties. True connoisseurs of quality wine know that white wines require special treatment, and not every appetizer and dish will allow you to appreciate their delicate taste and aroma.

1 How to drink wine

White wine is one of those drinks that require a culture of drinking. It should not be taken in large sips. You need to enjoy every drop, opening notes. The wine glass should be tulip-shaped or in the form of an open bell, with a thin stem, made of transparent glass.

Drink white wines chilled to 6-12 °C. They are served in a small glass filled with about one third of the volume, in a large one - one fourth. This golden rule was not invented by snobs at all! It is this proportion that enriches the drink with oxygen, allowing it to open up completely.

It is better to start tasting by inhaling the aroma, slowly turning the glass in your hand, enjoying the picture of the drink flowing down the transparent walls. The longer the so-called "wine legs" are held, the better the quality of the wine. Under the influence of the temperature of the hands and as the glass warms up, its contents will reveal more and more notes and aftertaste. In general, you can talk about how to drink high-quality alcohol correctly for a very long time.

2 Simple appetizers for wine

Sometimes it is very difficult to decide which of the snacks for your favorite white wine will be optimal. Of course, it all depends on the preferences of the person. But do not neglect the generally accepted recommendations.

It is best to eat white wine with simple foods that do not change the taste of alcohol: cheeses, fruits or white bread.

Dry white goes well with light meat and fish dishes. Squids, oysters, mussels, octopuses and shrimps will set off the pleasant and refined taste of the drink. You can snack on fortified wines with pineapples, peaches, oranges, tangerines, pears and other sweet fruits. It also makes a great flavor combination with chocolate, various types of cookies, sweet desserts, chocolates and ice cream. Sometimes this wine is drunk with tea.

Of course, do not forget that it is strictly forbidden to mix wines of different varieties. And even more so with other types of alcohol. This is simply blasphemous and, except for a headache in the morning, no memories will remain.

3 What soup and sauce goes well with white wine?

Onion soup is a great appetizer. Its most common ingredients (onions, sugar, thyme, olive oil, broth) only emphasize the excellent taste of an exquisite amber drink. Such a dish is prepared for about half an hour, it is set hot in portioned forms.

Cheese fondue with vegetables is also served with white wines. To prepare it, the cheese is mixed with flour, transferred to a saucepan with a thick bottom and poured with wine. For spice, you can add a pinch of nutmeg. After 10-15 minutes, the cheese will completely melt and you can enjoy the great taste.

Pasta from Dor Blue and Mascarpone cheeses, cooked in a blender and laid out on lightly salted crackers, is a great and quick addition to a glass of good wine. Partridge or chicken breast in a mild marinade with fresh vegetables and lettuce, turkey with grilled peppers, black or red caviar - this is what emphasizes the taste of an alcoholic drink.

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4 What kind of seafood eat wine

White wine can also be eaten with Atlantic salmon cooked with dill and vegetable garnish. The fish is soaked for two hours in a sauce of wine, water, black pepper and salt. Cooked in the oven or steamed, seasoned with fresh dill. Grilled marinated shrimp complement the maritime theme. They are served seasoned with white pepper and basil sprigs.

Hot appetizer of squid in sauce is a very harmonious addition to white wine. Boiled squids are cut into small strips. Peeled tomatoes, olive oil, leeks, olives are cooked in a saucepan until creamy. Clams are laid out in the sauce and boiled for a few more minutes. This dish is served with a sprig of parsley.

Crabs on skewers are another gift from the sea, which can be used as a snack on delicate and light white wine. To do this, you need a jar of crabs and very thinly sliced ​​\u200b\u200bbell peppers. We string the ingredients on a skewer, season with white pepper. You can add some mayonnaise sauce. A simple and surprisingly tasty dish is ready! By the way, do not forget about oysters, which are great with various wines.

5 What can ruin the taste of white wine?

Good, aromatic wines go well not only with delicious food. They will complement the joy of communicating with close friends, reviving the most pleasant and tender memories, giving rise to the anticipation of new meetings. In order not to spoil the impression of quality drinks, it is worth remembering the products, the use of which only depresses the taste of alcohol. After all, many varieties of wines can be drunk in their pure form and not eaten.

Salads and other dishes with a pronounced taste of vinegar are categorically not combined with white wines. They will only drown out their delicate and delicate taste. Nuts are another taboo! The oily base and bright taste completely switch the attention of the receptors of the tongue, preventing them from reacting to other products.

Tobacco smoke is another enemy of wine taste and aroma. Therefore, it is better not to smoke during the tasting in order to fully enjoy the bouquet of alcohol. Strong spices, sour citrus fruits, fatty sea fish, mint and curry complete the list of white wine's worst enemies. The same rules apply to non-alcoholic wine.