Selecting The Right Wine For That Special Occasion

Do you find it hard to pick out the perfect wine for a special dinner or event?  We have a checklist of particular things to look for in a good wine.  This should help you make a great choice in your next wine purchase.

1. The White Wines:  Most commonly served as the first course, these wines do not have a really strong flavor, therefore leaving the taste buds relatively unaffected for the next course.  Do not be afraid to ask the wine salesman for his advice.  They will know exactly what year and which grape is best at this time.

The Cadillac of the whites would be a sparkling champagne.  A good champagne would be served at only those very special events in one's life.

2. Red Wines: A good red wine is great anytime, but when considering which wine to serve with a particular meal, a red is normal chosen for the heartier meals of beef, pork or lamb.  A good Merlot, Burgundy, or Cabernet would all be perfect choices.

A really nice red wine produced mostly in Oregon is the Pinot Noir.  With its blend of plum, vanilla and blackberry flavors it would be a nice addition to any meal.

The spiciness of the Shiraz would make it a great addition to a spicy Mexican dinner.  It would enhance the flavors a make a simple meal of enchiladas and tacos seem elegant.

The perfect wine to complete an Italian meal would be a Chianti.  With its rich flavor and deep red color it blends easily with ravioli and pizza.  When you finish the wine, the beautiful raffia wrapped bottles make great candle holders and set the mood for your romantic Italian dinner.

If you are serving a tender rib roast, tenderloin steak, Chateaubriand, filet mignon, or tournedos of beef, a robust Burgundy would be just the ticket.

As you can see from the suggestions above you may wish to have both a white wine and a red wine on hand when hosting a dinner. Some guests will most likely pick the wine they prefer and stay with that choice for the entire evening. Another may choose a white for the start of the evening and finish with a red. So always be prepared.

You may enjoy making your own wine.  You could start with one of the fruit wines.  They are relatively easy to make and go great with desserts.  Wouldn't your guests be impressed.  Visit a fruit wine making website for some recipes.

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