Tag: fine wine

Chianti – The Perfect Wine Pairing for Any Dish

Chianti wine

As a wine, Chianti is as essential to Italian cuisine as extra virgin olive oil. Indeed, there are few pleasures as distinct as a tart, spicy, herbaceous Chianti wine paired with a plate of sliced prosciutto (cured ham) or one of your favourite pasta dishes. 

Once traditionally served in a basket-encase bottle, the Chianti is considered to be one of the best wines to be served with a meal. A blended red from the Chianti region of Tuscany, it is made primarily with a thin-skinned grape called Sangiovese, which is found only in this particular part of central Italy. 

Known for its mouth-watering acidity and coarse tannin, the grape bestows a transparent ruby hue and flavours of black and red cherry. With such a savoury blend, the wine can be paired easily with food as its high acid level cuts through the richer fatty dishes and stands up well to tomato sauces. Other popular Chianti pairings include pizzas and such meaty fare as a well-seasoned steak.

Also Read: Organic, natural, biodynamic wines, explained

Chianti wine

In addition to the Sangiovese grape, Chianti may contain traces of other red grapes, notably Canaiolo and Colorino, as well as such white grapes as Trebbiano and Malvasia. It is, however, the Sangiovese grape that dominates while also being seen as the most authentic embodiment of the Chianti terroir.

As with many fine wines, Chianti is subject to many requirements and has spawned a number of variations. There are, for instance, several categories of Chianti that vary depending on how long it has been aged as well as in accordance with the precise sub-region of Tuscany it originated from. 

Also Read: Sustainable Wines: Ethically sourced ingredients offer imbibers healthier options

Chianti wine

Ageing and Classification of Chianti Wine 

In many ways, it is the ageing process that determines exactly how an individual Chianti might taste. For example, “Chianti” is aged for six months and has a young and tart taste, while “Superiore Chianti” is aged for a year and has a taste that is smoother and more acidic. “Riserva”, meanwhile, is aged for two years, and the “Gran Selezione” is aged for more than two years and is used in such top-of-the-range Chianti wines as “Chianti Classico”. 

Chianti wine

Chianti wine also has several sub-regions. The original is Chianti Classico. Each subregion or subzone has different minimum ageing requirements, which is said to be an indication of quality. Variations in soils and elevations; and proximity to the sea also give rise to the distinct flavours of a particular wine.

  • Colli Senesi: Aged for 6 months
  • Colline Pisane: Aged for 6 months
  • Montalbano: Aged for 6 months
  • Montespertoli: Aged for 9 months (minimum)
  • Classic: Aged for a year (minimum)
  • Rufina: Aged for a year (minimum)

With its highly acidic, tarty-juicy attributes, this ruby red wine with flavours of cherry and earth, Chianti is the ideal accompaniment for a diverse array of dishes. To fully appreciate this, though, it is highly recommended that you try it for yourself.

Also Read: Champions of the Cape: Spotlighting South African Wines

(Text: Peter Chan)

Six tips to make you an expert at cheese and wine pairing

Cheese, that oh so richly flavoured and deliciously textured dairy product that often take part during the second or last course of the meal. While they are typically served as is with accompanying bread, honey or fruit, its various distinctive aroma and tastes  makes each one makes for a dining experience that merits special attention. Making the most of pairing wine and cheese will often mean selecting a wine that veers off course from the bottle served throughout the meal, but pairing  the right one will make it worth the while. If you’re curious to know just how to nail down the perfect cheese and wine pairing, read on…

 

1. Find the right balance
Balancing the intensity of the wine and cheese is crucial to tasting the unique flavour profile of each one. Typically, wines over 14.5 percent ABV are taste better with equally or more intensely flavoured cheeses, while wines under 12 percent ABV take on a milder flavour profile that pars nicely with more delicately flavoured cheeses.

Try pairing: Carbernet Sauvignon and Cheddar or Pinot Noir and Gruyere

2. Pair aged cheeses with bold red wines
Aged cheeses are higher in fat content, which matches well with the firm tannins in bold red wines (new world wines that can be aged). Imagine a creamy cheddar countering the mouth-drying of a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Try pairing: Monte Pulciano and Parmigiano-Reggiano or Chianti and Grana Padano 

3. ‘Funky’ cheese  taste better with sweet wine

Funky cheeses are best described by their strong smell, which often are hard to put into words. Indeed, when it comes to cheese, stinkier is better, if paired well with the right wine. The key here is selecting sweet wines which help balance the “funk” in these type of cheeses — resulting in a creamier texture and sweeter taste. 

Try pairing: Port and Stilton or Sauternes and Roquefort

4. Pair soft cheeses with sparkling wine
With soft cheeses, because they are mild and delicate by themselves, pairing a richly flavoured wine with this type of cheese would easily overpower its flavour profile and texture. Sparkling wines, however feature a high acidity and carbonation that elevates soft cheeses such as Brie, Muenster and Camebert off the plate and serve as a palate-cleanser for their creamy and sticky  texture.

Try pairing: Prosecco and Gorgonzola or Brut champagne and Brie

5. Pair wine and cheese from the same region
It is often said that, when in doubt, pair wine and cheese made from the same region. This is because local traditions of each country typically adapt their food to the wines they produce, and vise versa, which we can confirm, is the case for several of the French and Spanish wines and cheese we’ve tasted.

Try pairing: Sauvignon Blanc and Goat Cheese (Loire Valley, France), Chardonnay and Époisses de Bourgogne (Burgundy, France), or Garnacha and Manchego (Spain).

6. To pair a variety of wines, pick a nutty cheese to match
Turning things around to select a cheese type to accommodate the wine rather than the other way around, as is the case above, nutty cheeses are often safe bets when enjoying a variety of different wines. These cheeses are firmer, longer-aged cow or sheep’s milk. These delicately flavoured cheeses such as Swiss or Gruyere balances the tannin in red wines while also complimenting delicate white wines, making it a versatile option.

Try pairing: Pinot Noir and Beaujolais, Swiss and Reisling, Emmental and Chardonnay or Gouda and Cabernet Sauvignon

 

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Justerini & Brooks MD entices and educates at exclusive wine event

With over 260 years under its belt, Justerini & Brooks’ expertise in fine wines is legendary. It boasts a portfolio of over 3000 different vintages and holds upwards of £200 million of wines for its customers. Last week, oenophiles were treated to an exclusive tasting of standout vintages from J&B’s current portfolio at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

J&B’s Managing Director Chadwick Delaney was on hand to lead the tastings, which showcased a titillating variety of wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Germany, Italy, Spain and more.

Wine enthusiasts will easily recognise the more famous French vineyards on display: Chateaux Margaux, Pichon Lalande, Chateau de Meursault, Rene Rostaing, etc. But Delaney also educated attendees on upcoming regions such as Piedmont, and relatively unknown (at least in Hong Kong circles) producers such as Bernhard Huber in Baden, Germany.

The latter is a perfect example of J&B’s ability to judge and select bottles with unique provenances for its clients. Bernhard Huber’s 2014 Bienenberg Spätburgunder Grosse Gewächs, one of the bottles selected for last week’s event, has seen prices increase by a staggering 300% in just one year.

So if you’re an aspiring collector or a seasoned wine investor looking to expand your private cellar, a gander at the Justerini & Brooks website or chat with one of its experts may be worth your while!

Text: Tenzing Thondup