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Cool Winter Wines

Posted November 30th, 2010 | 0 Comments

The colder weather generally brings on traditional comfort foods like roasts, stews and hearty soups. Therefore our wine pairings with these dishes naturally adapt to the change of pace. Much as you might enjoy a glass of Rose with your Summer BBQ to cool things down, there's nothing like a full bodied rich red to heat things up during the cooler temperatures. But by no means does that mean the exclusion of our beloved white wine. There is one beauty that can hold up to all of these wonderful reds.

Let's start with the Reds:

First up is Cabernet Sauvignon which is a bold, hearty red wine also known as "the king of red grapes". This is a fruity wine rich in tannins and heavily oaked. A typical Cabernet will have notes of dark fruit like cherry, plum, cassis, blackberry, boysenberry as well as flavors of vanilla and coffee. As for a good food pairing, there is nothing quite like a nice Cabnernet with any kind of rich beef dish.

Next up we have Shiraz. Shiraz is big, bold, complex and very flavorful. This wine doesn't have a problem standing up to rich dishes such as roasted leg of lamb and hearty mushrooms but it's also perfect all on its own. With notes of ripe berry fruits, smoke and pepper, the versatility of the Shiraz is undeniable.

Now lets talk about the Zinfandel. Here we have an extremely versatile wine that is a great choice for savoury dishes such as spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant parmesan, and lasagna but also serves extremely well with cheese platters and even chocolate.

Is the cool weather only reserved for our big reds? Absolutely not. The last thing we would want to avoid during the Winter months are our white wines. They have a fantastic place no matter the season and that's exactly where a full bodied Chardonnay comes to play. Chardonnay is your big hitter white that pairs well with those cold weather dishes such as chowders, roasted chicken and pasta with cream sauce. With overtones of tropical fruits, vanilla and smoke, it is a great choice for the offerings of this time of year.

(Photo Credit: Italian Food Net.com)

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