Wine service

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. Mine was busy which didn't allow for much in the way of wine consumption save for a quick glass of red with dinner on Friday. I had a bottle of 2001 Marquis Philips 2001 Shiraz on the counter open for a day. I bought this after having read Robert Parker's (RMP) rave review a few years back. I believe it was $11 on release. Subtle as a 2x4 across the head, it overwhelmed the food and ended up in the drain. It would work well as a cocktail but not for it's intended purpose on this night.

I wanted to talk a little about wine service. Set a good standard at home so you'll know what to look for when you are dining out.

Glassware: There are plenty of high end companies such as Riedel, Ravenscroft, and Spiegelau which offer specialized glasses for every wine type on the planet. The companies claim the shape of the glass influences the taste of the wine. I haven't done an A/B comparison (yet) so I cannot comment as to whether this is true. I can tell you I like the way the glasses look and I own some from each of the manufacturers. What I look for in a good wine glass is enough capacity for me to be able to swirl the wine without it ending up on the walls, guests, and the table. The rim of the glass should also be slightly narrower than the bowl to trap the aroma. When I find myself going back to the nose of the wine all night I know I've found something interesting. Target carries an affordable assortment of Riedel glasses made for them.

Temperature-So easy to control and so often done wrong: When I first got into wine I was told reds should be served at room temperature and whites at refrigerator temp. WRONG!! What is room temperature anyway? In my house it varies from 68 in the winter to 75 in the summer. It's not a huge range but it can change what comes out of your glass. Generally speaking I like my red wines at cellar temperature (55) or a few degrees above. The alcohol is less pronounced and the mouthfeel is rounder. White's also do well at 55 degrees. Any colder and the nose disappears along with the spectrum of flavors.

If you've ever been to Paris and ordered a carafe of house wine in just about any bistro it comes out cold. Most of my friends have said there was no reason to order anything better because the house wine is so good. Cold masks flaws so it SHOULD taste better. Restaurants here that don't have good wine storage will probably make the mistakes I've listed here. Easily remedied in most cases. Ask for an ice bucket with your red and take it out of the ice if it's white. You might want to order a beer while you wait for the temperature to adjust but it will be worth it.

Tasting Note: 2005 Domaine de la Pépière 'Vieilles Vignes' Clos des Briords Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie.

This comes from the Loire Valley in France and could be one of the best $11 bottles of white wine I've had in a year. Flowers, minerals, and salinity on the nose. Medium bodied with a nice amount of zip on the finish. I wouldn't blink at twice the price. A definite buy. The classic match for Muscadet is oysters. We had this with sushi and the pairing was a disaster. Sometimes these things can't be helped as I was in the mood for both....next time not together.

Ciao