Wine for (Most) Occasions

Dear Ask Molly,

I live in Philadelphia, and BYOBs are very popular here. Problem is, I never know what my date is going to order! What wines are versatile enough to be predictably tasty when eating unpredictably?

-Never knowing what to expect in Philadelphia

Dear Never Knowing,

There is no one magic wine that would suit if your date is picking at the house salad while you carve up a lamb shank, and that's a fact. Your fondness for each other might bridge the gap, but no wine could do it. But there's hope! White Burgundies and unoaked reds have light weight and bright acidity in their favor, and should serve unless you plan on going to a restaurant that specializes in spicy cuisine. In which case, bring beer.

White Burgundies are steely and racy, with subtle toast notes, whiffs of gravel and agreeable, fresh fruit. There are few foods (and few dates!) that couldn't succumb to its charms. To paraphrase Sarah Palin, they grow good grapes in the small villages of Burgundy, though unlike Palin's small-town people, Burgundian wines can be unapologetically elitist, fetching universal admiration and high prices. If you're careful to buy from a wine store with a commitment to quality, you can find good ones for under $20. Look for wines from Chablis, Mâconnais, Pouilly Fuisse or simple Bourgogne Blanc. While they're awesome with seafood, vegetables, and light meats, these wines would be rotten with a steak. You need to consider red wine if your date is a committed carnivore.

Freshness distinguishes a food-friendly red, and by "freshness" I mean tingly acidity and vibrant fruit flavors. For wines in the under-$20 range, this quality can reliably be found in unoaked reds. Aging wine in oak can add complexity and toasty, spicy flavors to wine, as well as additional tannins and texture. It can make a wine taste bigger, but big wines tend to be harder to pair. Unoaked reds aren't be as great with a steak as a big California cabernet or Bordeaux blend, they'd do the trick if you're also planning on eating vegetables or lighter meats.

Some unoaked or lightly oaked wines I've enjoyed recently are Marielle et Frédérique from La Tour Boisée, in Minervois, France, and a wine made from the Agiorgitiko grape from Domaine Harlaftis of the Nemea region in Greece. Since it isn't possible to know the wine making process by looking at a bottle label, you have to ask your trusted wine seller.

Have a burning question about wine & wine drinking, perhaps in ways that relate to your love life? Post it in the comments!

(Cross posted at http://laasinvineyard.wordpress.com/)

Comments

[MissCupcake]

Bring beer for spicy cuisine?
No, bring Riesling! Many wine drinkers will scoff at this noble grape, saying its too sweet. But, a well made German Riesling will be balanced with crisp acidity and lush fruit. Riesling can range from sugary sweet to bone dry.
These jewels of the Rhine pair perfectly with spicy foods- Indian, Thai, Tex-Mex. Reisling is much more food friendly than an over oaked Cali Chard!
I also find it strange you didn't mention rose, not white Zin plonk, but real rose. Dry and wonderful rose. With Thanksgiving right around the corner you won't go wrong with serving this with turkey or ham.
You could say I'm a bit of a cork dork.

[bluprojekt]

IMO, nothing compares to a 5+ year old bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. Oregon grown and bottled Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris seem to be the most versatile of wines and you can't go wrong with a 2003 or older.

Several premiere wineries in northern Oregon fetch upwards of $85/bottle or more - and some of them are as good, if not better than their French counterparts.

"Now Go Away Or I Will Taunt You A Second Time"

[Molly Laas - Huffpost Blogger]

A solid case can be made for Oregon pinot as the #1 top pinot noir produced in the U.S., no doubt, bluprojekt. I do wonder if American wines are a bit overpriced, though - for my money, $85 could buy a real experience in red Burgundy, one that I'm not sure I'd be willing to pass up for an Oregon wine. I wrote in the context of (more or less) budget wines in this case - so, sub-$20, and therefore none of the better Oregon reds.