Napa Valley White Wines And Seafood Dinner Pairing

Growing up in Napa Valley California, I remember touring the vineyards with relatives and friends. My Aunt worked for a very well known Winery so wine has always very much been a part of my life. As a child, I remember playing hide and seek in the cellars with my brothers and cousins as the adults toured and tasted. As an adult, I now very much appreciate wine and food and the delicious flavors each can create with the other when paired right.

White wine is best paired with some of my most favorite dishes, most of which involve seafood. And most of these dishes I tend to create more in the spring and summer months. A good wine pairing brings balance to the dish, and therefore enhances the flavors of both the food and the wine.

My favorite white wines are versatile and varietal. And the wines I have chosen are very common and very easy to pair. Chardonnay is a rich, creamy, and velvety. It pairs so well with strong cheeses as well as appetizers. The flavors are excellent when having a lunch or dinner party which I immensely love to put on for great friends and family. My favorite dishes to serve Chardonnay with are shrimp and scallop orzo, linguini with white clam sauce, or linguine with tomatoes, basil, and shrimp. It's best to keep it paired with seafood, light sauces, grilled fish, or poultry. Pinot Grigio is recommended for salmon, oysters, mussels, anti pasto, as well as Chinese foods with spice to them. It is crisp, dry, aromatic, and fruity. Sauvignon Blanc wine pairs well with mild or strong cheeses, poultry, and pastas with cream sauce, as well as salads. Riesling is fresh and sweet and I usually pair it with desserts. A Gewurztraminer also pairs well with dessert.

Wine also pairs nicely with desserts and the proper pairing of both really makes the evening or event a real success. A good rule of thumb is to always pair sweets with sweet. The wine in fact should be sweeter than the dessert if possible so that is doesn't seem acidic compared with the dessert. The acidity and sugar levels must be balanced in both. With fruity deserts such as my favorite berry fruit tart, I recommend a Gewurztraminer or Riesling. A good Riesling is also fantastic with a yummy cheesecake or with chocolate. Sparkling wine in my opinion always goes well with dessert. And if you aren't into sweet wines, a Rose wine is good with dessert as well.

When throwing your dinner party it's important not to stress too much over the perfect food and wine pairing. The best pairing by far is the total combination of good food, fantastic wine, and great company.

Top Porter Beers vs. Domestics and Imports

Top Ten Porter Beers

Traditional Porter beer consists of three different blends of old world styles ales, usually those blends are one of each of the following a stale or soured ale, a newer brown or pale ale and last but not least would be the one week brewed mild ale. The Porters with these ingredients are quite strong on flavorful and can contain a higher percentage of alcohol.

My first and far most favorite ale will begin with Black Butte Porter XXI. This is from Deschutes Brewery made in Portland, Oregon USA. This brew is exploding with unbelievable flavors of Bellatazza coffee a slight hint of cocoa nibs with a distant sent of whiskey barrels from the portion of aging. The complexity of this ale will astonish any beer enthusiasts far and beyond. The taste is smooth but stout, and brings a fantastic aroma as soon as you snap open the 22oz bottle. I enjoy the combinations of these flavors together and when paired up with a good steak life is grand. The Deschutes Brewery is a must stop location when visiting Central Oregon, the warm welcoming pub is one of my favorite pubs and you can enjoy a tour of the brewery as well.

A choice for a new comer is my second grand ale from the Stone Brewing Co. 13 Anniversary. This ale has a very nice colorful deep red body with a frothy thick tan head with an amazing aroma. As soon as you take your first swig on this multi malty beauty you begin to taste a well blended roasted toffee flavor and light malts that set this ale apart from many others. The heavy double hops used in the brewhouse is very prominent and lends is extra dry bitter flavors on top of the taste palate. This is seasonal ale so check your local supply stores for availability or contact the Stone Brewing Company located in San Diego, CA.

Goose Island Bourbon Country Stout is third but of course a world champion of the 2006 Beer Cup. What else can be said about this forever classic ale? Well it only takes just one sip for your taste buds to fall in love with the many flavors this port has to offer. You begin your tasty journey with the old world taste of smokey oak flavor followed my rich bitter and smooth vanilla and caramel. This is no standard ale that’s for sure; you might want to stock up whenever you come across this wonderful seasonal ale. I have not had an opportunity to get over to Chicago and visit the Goose Island Pub as of yet, but it’s surely on the top of my list. Luckily for now my local pub has a full supply on hand.

Another refreshing choice for my fourth Porter comes from Oxfordshire Cotswold, UK. Wychwood with its deep historic roots starting back in 1841 this Brewery produces great old world flavors with whimsical style and charm. My choice of brew from Wychwood would have to be their Black Sheep Riggwelter. This uniquely flavored brew brings back the true taste of dark ale and is a delight for your taste buds. A dark brown beer with a snow peeked head is what you will get once you pour this bottle of goodness into a pint. Before you take your first swig, you will smell the aroma of fresh roasted coffee, banana, and licorice. This strong stout beer goes down very smoothly well before or after any good meal.

Drinking a fine glass of this ale will definitely mean you are a well establish beer enthusiast. Number five on my list is Baltika #6 strait from Russia. This might be as strong as any port coming out of England. With its smooth rich roasted malt taste and a hint of dark black coffee, this beer has a lot to offer including dark chocolate flavors. If you can handle drinking a 16.9 oz bottle of this, you are now officially classified as a beer drinker.