When out in a fine dining establishment, ordering wine can be an intimidating experience. Picking the right wine is easy to accomplish if you have some idea of what you are looking for. Not only do you want it to taste good, you want a wine that is going to complement what you are eating.
A good rule of thumb to follow is, for lighter dishes such as poultry or fish choose a white wine. For heavier dishes such as steak select a heav
ier red wine. The heavier your wine is, the better its ability to combat the other tastes in your meal.
You want to select a wine to go with your meal that is going to help bring out the best in your wine, and your food. Not a wine that overpowers you food, or have to live in the shadow of the bold flavors from your dish.
Another option is to have a sommelier at the dining establishment choose a wine for you. A good sommelier can take the customer far beyond the basic rules of red wine with red meat, white wine with fish. He knows about every wine the restaurant has and every dish on the menu and understands when to choose a wine that compliments the food and when to select one that will provide a contrast. Even diners who are familiar with wines can benefit from the expertise of the sommelier. Sommeliers enjoy talking about wine and like to hear about wines that their customers have tried.
Sound like a fun and interesting job? Learn about it at the Epicurean Institute’s Sommelier study program. The program is a collaboration of the Epicurean Institute and master Sommeliers, led by Gabriele Ricci Alumni, President of AIS Umbria. With over 23 years of experience as a Sommelier, Mr. Alunni has fully immersed himself in the wine and food culture of the region. For more information visit www.epicureaninstitue.com.