Every time people find out I am a Certified Sommelier, they always have lots of questions. Today I figured I would answer some of those questions.
- How long does wine last?
First, let me pass along some advice, a screw cap will not keep wine fresh. Once you break the seal on the screw cap, it may screw back on easily, but it won’t keep your wine fresh. As a matter of fact, if you are keeping the wine, toss the screw cap. Buy yourself a wine stopper. Actually the plainest one I have keeps wine the freshest. I have several wine stoppers, here are a couple.
This wine stopper was given to me at a trade show event. I opened a bottle of Prosecco before Christmas, and this stopper kept the bubbles alive and fresh in that wine for a week. Which is unheard of for a sparkling wine.
I have this rubber green one which I find good for red wine.
And I have this pretty one I bought in Italy. A wine stopper will keep your wine fresher longer, and the better the seal on the stopper, the better job it will do. Oxidation is the enemy of the wine. Putting it in the refrigerator will also slow down the oxidation process. Without a wine stopper, your wine will last about 2 days. With a wine stopper, a white wine will last 3 – 5 days, with wines on lighter side, up to 7 days. Fortified wines can last up to 28 days once opened. Going back to the screw cap, a friend of mine opened a bottle of wine, had a glass, put the screw cap back on and 3 days later, the wine tasted like vinegar. Wine Stopper!
2. Are all sparkling wines sweet?
No. This never ceases to amaze me. I always bring a sparkling wine to a wine tasting. Great sparkling wines do not have to a) cost a lot of money and b) be sweet. If you would like to try some sparkling wines may I suggest an Italian Prosecco or a Spanish Cava. High quality sparkling wines without the high price tag. If you see the word ‘Brut’ on a label, that is the driest sparkling wine. It is crisp, and there is not one bit of sweetness in a sparkling wine marked ‘Brut’.
Here’s a great example. Mionetto Sparkling Prosecco Brut is a beautiful sparkling wine. Dry and crisp, with a price tag under $20.
3. What’s the simple rule to pairing wine
There was a time, many many years ago, restaurants would recommend a wine based on your food choice. Some high end restaurants do hire Sommeliers to do these recommendations. But if you don’t have a Sommelier at home, what are some of the basics.
Here’s the basic rule. Lighter white wines pair well with chicken, fish, vegetables. Red wines, big bold proteins. Sparkling wine, it’s a palate cleanser, great for appetizers, or dishes with lots of garlic. Here’s a chart that may help you. As you can see, there are many wines that go with many different foods.
And now for my wine of the week… Actually there are 2, each in a different price range.
Here’s one smooth operator. And I don’t mean my friend Angie who is holding the bottle. The Fronterra Cabernet Sauvignon out of Chile is a great value wine, trying it this week for the first time. While the rest of Canada pays between $8 – $9 for this wine, it’s still a good value at $10.99 here.
My second wine of the week is a little more of a treat
Lodi California is located between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the San Francisco Bay in California, and it is known for great Zinfandel. Many Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards in Lodi feature un-grafted, un-trellised 100-year old vines, which can give more concentrated wine. And concentrated Zinfandel is a good thing. Full-bodied deliciousness, smooth, with smoky chocolate flavors. This makes it the perfect wine for ribs done on the BBQ.
That’s it for me for this week. Heading to Antigonish to get my nephew set back up at St. FX University.
Till next week, Cheers
Darlene
Wine-It’s Just My Opinion 