Is Ordering the House Wine a Good Option?

Often in the past, ordering a glass of wine was as easy as saying "I'll have a glass of the house red" or "I'll have a glass of the house white."  House wines were very common at restaurants and met the needs and expectations of many diners.

Today, ordering a glass of wine can often be downright difficult or intimidating. Restaurants are offering today's wine drinkers a wide array of options, sometimes contained in a multi-page wine list made into a book.

During a recent dinner at a mid-range restaurant, a guest at the table asked the server for "a glass of your house red wine."  The server asked, "What type of wine are you interested in?"  Again, the guest simply stated they wanted "just a glass of red wine." The problem was that the restaurant didn't have a house wine. So the server suggested "Would like something like a Zinfandel or a Petite Sirah?"  The guest, becoming a bit frustrated with the situation, simply repeated, "I'd just like a glass of red wine." It made for a bit of an uncomfortable situation for the guest. Whether it was for lacking of caring, lack of knowledge of wines, or from pure intimidation, it didn't need to happen.

If you fall into a situation where you just want a glass of wine and you really don't care about the grape it's made from or where it's grown, you should first ask if there is a house wine available.  And while "House Wine" may sound very generic, they are wines that are produced and bottled for sale by a winery and ones that the establishment chooses to feature. They should reflect on the quality of the establishment. These wines are usually very drinkable, very affordable, and can be enjoyed before or with a meal.

But, there is another option. If you are just looking for a glass of wine, and a specific house wine is not available, simply ask your server what they'd recommend. Once they understand that you are looking for a house wine, they'll know you are looking for an affordable, easy to drink wine. The server should always be able to tell you about a popular wine that a lot of people are ordering or something they really like that is in your price range. Then, go with their recommendation. Worst-case, if you really don't like what they bring you, tell them and they'll bring something else.

Ordering a house wine can be a great option. Or, your server should be more than happy to help you by selecting a wine that you will enjoy and that will go well with the occasion or with your meal. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week

Charles Smith 2014 Kungfu Girl Riesling ($14)

Another from the amazing winemaker Charles Smith. This Riesling from Washington State is light and fruity with just a hint of sweetness. Chill this one and serve it your favorite hot and spicy dish.

Pairing Wines with Hot and Spicy Foods

When pairing wines with food, the general goal is to make sure that the flavors of the food don't overwhelm the wine and cover up all of the wine's wonderful flavors. And the basic rule of wine pairing says that you should have a red wine with beef and white wine with chicken or fish. But what about a spicy meal? And spicy includes both highly spiced foods and those hot and spicy foods. These foods can easily overwhelm a wine. But pairing options with hot and spicy foods may surprise you because it's not going to be the big bold wines that work best.

One food and wine pairing that works with almost any meal is a sparkling wine. And it works especially well with spicy foods. It can be anything from a sparkling rosé to Champagne. And even an off-dry (slightly sweet) sparkling wine work well with spicy dishes. Putting some sweetness against a spicy flavor is surprisingly good.

The moat common pairing with a hot spicy meal is to go with a Riesling. And it works.  The high acidity of a Riesling will cut through the heat while the lower alcohol won't add to the burn. In addition to Riesling, you might also consider a Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc or an Albariño. These wines all fit into the lighter side of white wines, having lower alcohol and higher acidity. Serve these wines well chilled and they can be the perfect accompaniment for a spicy meal.

Red wine lovers have options too. But stick to a light bodied red wine, especially with a hot spicy food. A slightly chilled Beaujolais or a Pinot Noir would be a great pairing here. The problem with trying to pair a big, bold red wine with a "hot" and spicy dish is that these reds tend to have high alcohol.  And what you'll find is that the higher alcohol level will add to the burn in your mouth, not reduce it.

So next time you are trying to figure out what to have with that spicy Thai food, Kung Pao Chicken, coconut milk curry or Buffalo Hot Wings, try a little bubbly, a well chilled light white wine or a slightly chilled light red wine. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week

2014 Il Tarocco Chianti Classico ($10)

As you can immediately tell from the black rooster on the neck of the bottle, this is a Chianti Classico. The black rooster let's you know this is a nicer Chianti.  While Chianti is required to be made from at least 70% Sangiovese, and Chianti Classico must be at least 80% Sangiovese, the Il Tarocco is 90% Sangiovese along with 10% Canaiolo Nero. This is a great, affordable and attainable Chianti Classico. Enjoy with beef, pork and lamb dishes. Cheers!

Looking for a Nice Chianti? Look for the Black Rooster!

Chianti is a great wine to enjoy with an Italian meal. Whether it is spaghetti and meatballs, sausages or pizza, a Chianti is a great pairing. And it's not hard to find a good one.

Chianti is a region within Tuscany in central Italy, between Florence and Siena. And it produces the best known of the Italian wines. While the wines have been around since the Middle Ages, the Chianti region was officially established in the 18th century (1716 to be exact). But it wasn't until 1967 that the Chianti Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) was created. Then, in 1984, the region reached Italy's highest level of wines, the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). This is important because DOC wines are the most commonly found wines in Italy, while DOCG wines only cover a handful of Italian wines with the highest of quality.

And in case you didn't know, Chianti is a region, not a grape.  The wines of Chianti are made from the Sangiovese grape. Local laws require Chianti to have at least 70% Sangiovese with the more prestigious Chianti Classico having at least 80% Sangiovese.

When shopping for Chianti, look for the black rooster (gallo nero in Italian) on the neck of the bottle.  The black rooster indicates it's Chianti Classico making it easy to distinguish from the more common Chianti.

Some may also think of Chianti as the wine in the straw basket.  While it was a distinguishing trait of Chianti in the past, most producers are now using the traditional styled wine bottle. So, if you're trying to create an Italian look for your meal, a bottle of Chianti with a straw basket base will certainly do. But if you're looking for a nicer bottle of Chianti, go with the rooster. Cheers!