Today's post is inspired by a request from my good friend Lauren, who is looking for new wine suggestions. My response: rediscover whites. I haven't been uncorking too many bottles lately, but whenever I have it's been a white. White wine is usually served chilled, so maybe I'm looking forward to warmer days when this winter finally decides to go away for good. But really, white wine is a versatile crowd pleaser (particularly with the ladies, who don't want red wine messing up their pretty smiles).
So what specifically should you reach for? I'd say that depends on the pairing. Yes, that means you should drink whites while eating *something*. I've plugged a few chardonnays on some of my older posts, but I'm going to focus on the lighter side of the spectrum.
First off, there are muscatos. Muscato or muscadet have become kind of popular now, as they are now promoted by the likes of the Barefoot brand of bubbly and embedded in the lyrics of the American urban poet, Wacka Flocka Flame. These wines range from really sweet to just sweet (think Asti, in sparkling wine comparison). They often have a very floral nose. Sometimes it is bottle with a little bit of bubbles in it. I think that's the big appeal of the wine for ladies- it's like a bouquet of flowers AND a bottle of wine. Pairings are good with some lighter fare, like a cheese platter or for sipping after a meal. In my opinion, most muscato is a little too sweet to constitute a proper pairing while eating an entree.
Next on my trip down the "sweet to dry" scale are sauvignon blancs. These wines have a little bit of fruit on the nose and some mild sweetness. I really like ones with melon or grapefruit flavors (check the label), as they provide a more rounded pairing that still gives you a slight bit of acid to cut through the food. Probably my favorite sauv blanc pairing is with Chinese food. I can usually fry up a quick chicken or pork dish with some vegetables, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and a squirt of spicy siracha. Nothing too fancy. The wine's sweetness balances the saltiness picks up on the sweetness of things like hoisin and sauteed carrots/onions, and provides a little relief from the siracha burn.
Lastly, I highly recommend Italian pinot grigios. Pinot grigio is a fairly easy drinking wine, and is very available. I specify Italian because I have rarely been disappointed with the cheaper Italian pinots, relative to their American counterparts. the affordable American pinots I've tried tend to be a little unbalanced, usually too acidic or lacking a clean finish. Anyways, pinot grigios can go with an array of entrees: chicken, pork, fish, pasta, roasted vegetables, etc.
Here, I've got a quick, low maintenance date-night spread going on. It's basically some bread, cheese, and wine.
Step one: Get bread. The bread is homemade using Mark Bitman's recipe for "
no-knead bread." It's a dummy-proof recipe for making some pretty tasty, artisan-looking bread with little effort. If you aren't into making your own bread or you have last-minute date plans (lucky you!), then a good round loaf or baguette from your local bakery or grocery store will suffice. The wow factor is certainly higher if *you* pull the bread that *you* made out of *your* oven though.
If you've got some good olive oil laying around, I would also recommend setting up a small plate of seasoned bread oil. Nothing fancy here: just kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper and some diced herbs if you have any laying around (I used rosemary). Pesto mixed in olive oil is also a winner. I recommend either some regular (non-XV) olive oil if you made your own bread, as it won't overwhelm all of that natural fermentation flavor you developed. If you bought a baguette, I guess some room-temp butter is more traditional (as are some sliced radishes).
Step two: Prepare some cheese. Brie is always a winner. It's rich and creamy, and goes with both savory and sweet toppings. You can choose to eat the whiter rind on or cut it off, as it can sometimes be too strong for some to eat. Camembert is like brie's stronger-flavored cousin. Goat cheese that has been set out at room temperature also is a tangy and versatile spread.
Step two and a half: Accessorize your cheese. Some high quality jam is a good go-to. I fig, orange marmalade, or even a flowery honey. Something crunchy on the plate is good too, for some contrast. I used roasted almonds above, but something like cashews would also work. Savory options could include caperberries (the ones that look kinda like unpitted olives with stems) or smoked salmon/lox.
Step three: Take your wine out of the fridge, pour, sip, and repeat. There's nothing pretentious about it. Here, the simple but elegant flavors of the food and wine play a supporting role to some conversation and company with your date. This is the sort of dinner that is great in front of a movie at home, or in case you two are still full from a late lunch. This setup won't weigh you down, but it will certainly give you enough energy for any late night activities that you might find yourself in- after you polish off that bottle for two.
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