» wine talk with rossana
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LET THE ENTERTAINING BEGIN ! As summer finally meanders into our lives , it ’ s time to kick back , relax and begin entertaining . Whether you ’ re catering a party indoors or grilling out in your backyard , the wine selection often becomes a challenge . The question is what to serve , red or white ? Why not serve both ! Take the confusion out of the equation and make life simple . People tend to be reluctant about serving their guests a mix of wines at their table worrying that reds and whites won ’ t go well together if they ’ re serving a variety of foods . But , you can easily mix reds and whites at the same meal ! You just have to follow a few simple rules :
ONE - serve whites before reds TWO - light-bodied before full-bodied THREE - dry before sweet FOUR - young before old
You want your guests to savour the delicate wines before enjoying the more intense ones . If you ’ re still unsure about your choices , you can ’ t go wrong with serving sparkling wines with your meal . Sparkling wines are refreshing and cleanse the palate . When you sip this type of wine throughout your meal or in between different courses , it prepares your palate for whatever flavours are coming next . �ou can pair sparkling wines with any kind of food – steak , seafood , quiches , spicy Thai , �exican or �sian cuisine � you name it . That ' s how versatile they are . So don ' t be afraid to serve your favourite reds , whites and even sparkling wines at your next event .
If you have a question , email me at mailbox @ magnotta . com
BY ROSSANA DI ZIO MAGNOTTA
Ask Rossana
Q WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE MY WINES THAT I DRINK EVERY DAY ? HOW SHOULD I STORE THE WINES THAT I PLAN TO KEEP FOR MANY YEARS ?
A If you only buy a few weeks ' supply of wine at a time , you can store it in any convenient corner away from heat and light . Wines to be stored for up to a year will keep well in any reasonably cool , dark place like an unheated spare room or a cupboard where the wine will be well clear of hot pipes or exterior walls . For long-term storage of fine wines - a period which can range from five to 20 years - a good cellar where the wine can develop at its own pace , free from the harmful effects of heat , light and vibration is crucial . The ideal wine cellar should have a constant , cool temperature between 10 to 14 degrees celsius , be fairly humid and well-ventilated . Such an environment occurs naturally in traditional underground cellars or it can be recreated with air conditioners , humidifiers and state-of-the-art wine cellar cooling units . Temperatures that are too low will slow down a wine ' s maturation while higher temperatures will cause the wine to age too quickly . Rapid temperature fluctuations will definitely harm the wine and be sure your wine cellar is odour-free . Strong smells and stale air can taint the wine so do not store your wine in the same area that you are aging your cheeses , hams and other meats .
72 • fredi spring 2016 FOOD & DRINK //