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Does the old guideline "white wine with fish and white meat, red wine with
red meat" still apply today?
Yes and no. Our diets have become more varied than before;
ingredients and the way in which they are prepared have migrated into our kitchens from all over
the world. But the selection of wines has also broadened and wines from, for example, Australia,
New Zealand, California and South Africa have now become commonplace. There is certainly still some
justification for the principle mentioned above, and it can be a good
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Is there a sequence for wine during meals? |
Food and wine should complement each other and their flavours should not "fight" with each
other. This also applies for the various wines served throughout a meal.
Light wines are best enjoyed before the more full-bodied, since otherwise their flavour will be smothered.
This means that, generally speaking, white wines should be drunk before red wines, since they are generally
lighter. Dry wines should be drunk before sweet sweet ones, since they could taste sour otherwise; likewise, young before old, and simple before exclusive.
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Can wine also be drunk with desserts?
By all means - but the wine should always be sweeter than the dessert.
Sweet dessert wines are ideal here: Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese wines, Eiswein, Tokay,
Madeira, sweet sherry and port. But not all of these drinks suit every dessert. There's only one
solution - try them!
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What does "decant" mean?
In some of the older red wines with a high level of extracts, a sediment can
form caused by the tannins. To prevent this from getting into the glass, it is a good idea to
carefully pour the wine into a carafe, for example, first in order to decant it
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At what temperature does wine taste best?
The various aromas can be best appreciated when the wine is served at the right tempera- |
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ture. Here are our tips on wine temperatures:
Type of wine and recommended temperature:
Rose wines:
9-12”ĘC
Dry white wines:
9-11”ĘC
Light red wines:
12-15”ĘC
More full-bodied red wines:
17-19”ĘC
White Beerenauslese
12-14”ĘC
Port, Madeira:
15-18”ĘC
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Which food does not go well with wine?
Ultimately, it's a matter of taste. Some people love Madeira with Chocolate
Mousse, whilst the mere thought of it makes other people's hair stand on end. But you should probably
be careful with certain combinations: with acid foods containing vinegar, lemon or other citrus
fruits, oily foods (where the wine can take on a metallic flavor) or egg dishes
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What do "dry/medium/sweet" mean?
One of the methods of categorizing wines is by their residual sugar content.
With dry wines, the residual sugar content may not exceed 4 g/l, or 9 g/l if the total acid
content is higher and is 2 g/l below the residual sugar content. Medium dry wines must contain
at least 18 g/l residual sugar, but may not exceed 45 g/l. With sweet wines, the residual wines
may be over 45 g/l.
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What is the "bouquet"?
The characteristic smells and aromas of a wine, which also determine the taste, are called
the "bouquet". They may come directly from the grape - "primary aromas" - or
be created by fermentation - "secondary aromas". The combinations of all the different fragrances
and aromas create a wealth of up to 800 different aromatic substances. Depending on the degree to which the
fragrance develops, we talk about wines being finely fruity and flowery, with a full bouquet, perfumed or
even overwhelming. The more intense and clearer the bouquet of a wine is, the easier it is to tell the grape
variety and wine-growing area. A Scheurebe often smells of blackcurrants or passion-fruit, whilst a
Grauburgunder may have a fragrance of pears and pineapple. Limestone soils produce wines with a more exotic
aroma, like passion-fruit or mango, whilst soils with more clay produce fragrance notes such as sour apples
or grapefruit. Young, cool fermented wine often smells of bananas, pineapple or peach with the aroma of fresh
fruits; the older the wine, the more its bouquet is reminiscent of dried fruit.
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”°What does it mean to let the wine ”°breath”±?
If you've ever had a long wait for your entree at your favorite restaurant,
I'm sure there has been a clever server to explain the mystery of letting the wine ”°breathe”±
before dinner. This isn't altogether a simple stall tactic. Uncorking a young red gives the surface
of the wine exposure to air and this softens its puckery tannins and makes it smoother and much more
drinkable. To achieve the best results when letting a wine aerate, pour it into a carafe or a
decanter. If no container is handy, at least pour the wine into your glasses a couple of minutes
before serving. The exposure of wine to air in each glass is considerably greater than if it
simply remains in an open bottle.
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