mattemendoza86

[mattemendoza86]

Top Wine Blogs for Aspiring Sommeliers

Wine has been a hot topic for millennia; it has entwined with our culture like no other drink. Wine is fun, interesting, desirable, and posh; it’s the one drink for which you actually need to hit the books to fully understand. The complexity of its many faces, whether we talk provenance or grape varieties, wine producers or vintage variations, the wine universe is immense.

It’s no surprise that wine education is mainstream, especially online. Wine blogs abound, and many of them have been running for decades. Both wine enthusiasts and experts share their wine reviews, experience and wine knowledge in many formats and styles, from videos to infographics.

These are our favorite wine blogs online today, but we’re well aware that they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Tell us if we missed your favorite blogs in the comments below.

  Wine Folly

  Wine Folly is THE best wine blog for the inexperienced and intermediate wine enthusiasts on the web. When Madeline Puckette, a graphic designer and certified sommelier merged her talents, she began publishing the most beautiful graphics, maps and charts the world had ever seen, and above all, they were spot-on accurate.

The blog began selling its maps and charts on print, and the vast material eventually became a New York Times Best-Selling book rewarding Madeleine with a James Beard award.

You can browse Wine Folly for hours, learning something new every time. All with beautiful illustrations and comprehensive visual aids. Wine Folly has no competition for her visual, straightforward, wine knowledge material.

  Fernando Beteta

  Fernando Beteta is one of the most respected wine professionals in the industry. He earned the title of Master Sommelier in 2009 after a long history in the hospitality industry. Reaching the highest honor in the wine world didn’t stop Fernando to continue studying, and he shares his knowledge in his blog.

Fernando’s blog is not for the faint-hearted; it’s focused on high-level wine expertise and digs deep in complex subjects like soils and blind tasting skills. Seasoned professionals and serious wine students will find Fernando’s blog a valuable resource. Do you want to assess your wine knowledge? Fernando share’s tests and quizzes regularly, but don’t get frustrated if they’re out of your league, these questions are tough!

  The Wine Wankers

  Two Australians run the Wine Wankers blog with a spirited sense of humor. The blog has half a million followers globally because of their casual, relaxed tone. There are no pretentious takes on wine here; it’s all about personal experiences.

Both Conrad and Drew write their separate blog posts giving the website a refreshing duality that can keep you browsing around for hours.

Wine Wankers will review pretty spectacular wines, and it’s not all mainstream. Buying advice and just fun stories around the two friends traveling to wine country, this blog is famous for a reason.

  Vine Pair

  Vine Pair has taken a business approach to blogging. They’re a self-proclaimed “digital media company delivering accessible, entertaining, and inspiring content about drinks and the experiences you have with a glass in hand,” and they do it very well.

A dozen contributors create daily content at all levels of expertise, from wine regions explained to opinion pieces about rosé. A set of beautiful wine maps and an extensive list of wine reviews complete the picture. Vine Pair is firmly positioned in all social media channels.

Vine Pair sets a standard for serious media platforms, and their expansion to other beverages guarantees that their continuous growth has no limit.

  Wine Library

  If you’re into wine, you’ve probably browsed wine related videos on YouTube; if you have, you already know Gary Vaynerchuk. Gary hosts one of the first video blogs on the web, Wine Library TV.

Founded in 2006, Wine Library is a great way to learn about wine and have fun while at it. Gary’s explosive personality and energy makes his wine tastings and reviews fun to watch.

Wine Library’s YouTube channel has over 1000 episodes in which Gary has tasted it all. His wine store has become a 60 million business, but Gary still keeps it real. Do you want to know what wine pairs well with cereal? Gary’s got your back.

The post Top Wine Blogs for Aspiring Sommeliers appeared first on SOMM • Reviews of Sommelier Courses and Wine Schools.

Source: https://www.somm.us/top-wine-blogs/

from SOMM https://somm3.wordpress.com/2019/11/20/top-wine-blogs-for-aspiring-sommeliers/

[mattemendoza86]

French Food and Wine Pairings

French Food and Wine Pairings

France has one of the broadest cuisines on earth. Its influence on western food is undeniable. It has been the inspiration and starting point of many food trends and styles for generations. Classic French cuisine, as interpreted by talented chefs like Escoffier and Bocuse, will never go out of fashion. 

Distinct regions divide France, each with deeply rooted cooking traditions that revolve around one cornerstone of French culinary tradition: wine. 

Whether we’re talking about the alpine highlands, the Atlantic shores, or the warm Mediterranean basin, food is always remarkable, and pairs heavenly with local wine. 

These are some of the most representative French wine and food pairings. True classics to know and love. 

Muscadet and Oysters

Strong, humid winds hit the Atlantic coast of North-eastern France; home to one of the most underrated classic wine styles: Muscadet. The neutral, acidic, simple-is-beautiful wine pairs well with the oceanic produce of the region. 

Crustaceans, herring, scallops and sole are typical of the area. They all work well with the citric, mouthwatering whites like Muscadet. Tourists and locals classically enjoy oysters, raw on their shell, always with a glass of the cool white made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape. 

Sauvignon Blanc and Soft Cheese

Follow the Loire river into continental France to find vast extensions of Sauvignon Blanc vineyards; the weather is cold enough to produce wines with piercing acidity and enticing sharp flavors.

These wines are perfect for the goat cheeses made in the region like Valençay and Chavignol. Craftsmen also produce Brie and Camembert close by, styles that work nicely with the aromatic Sauvignon too.

The French make goat’s cheese all around the country, this is the original chèvre. Shaped as a crottin, pyramid, or cylinder, either powdery white or covered in ash, styles are limitless. Harder and weightier examples of goat cheese exist, but it’s the fresh, soft examples that shine best with Sauvignon Blanc. 

Alsace and Choucroute

Alsace is a magical region dosed with a German spirit. You can see it in the architecture, and also in the food. Pork sausages, ham, it all mirrors the typical Germanic table. 

Their famous mixed platter of charcuterie with sauerkraut called choucroute garnie is a great example of the region’s culinary tradition. 

Alsatian white wine, whether it’s Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer or Muscat, goes well with the uncomplicated Alsatian dishes. 

A pizza-like dish called tarte flambé, baked flatbread topped with cheese and onion, or the ubiquitous quiche are other classic examples of white food that works great with white wine. Alsatians make excellent beer too, another classic pairing to discuss another time.

Burgundy and Boeuf Bourguignon

Hundreds of years of political, religious and merchant activity have made from the quiet hills of Burgundy a gourmand’s utopia. From escargot to coq au vin, the province has plenty of inspiriting dishes to offer alongside their world-famous wine.

Boeuf bourguignon is a classic beef stew. This one-pot dish might seem like peasant food, but it’s a regal example of the typical French food. Carrots, onions and local herbs give flavor to this dish, but the secret ingredient is wine, from which the recipe gets its second name. 

A good example of Burgundian red, especially sturdier Pommard or Gevrey-Chambertin have the weight, acidity, and matching flavors to tame the substantial dish.

Bordeaux and Canard

Red Bordeaux is almost always a merger of several local grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot leading the way. The structured wine is a well-known match with beef and lamb, but locals love pairing it with another local speciality: duck. 

Confit de Canard consists of flavorful duck meat cooked in its fat. The result is an intense dish matched only by the tannic grip, and generous bouquet of the red Bordeaux wines. Acidity is vital to cut the fatty meat too. The result is a heavenly pairing like no other. 

Beaujolais and Andouillette

Beaujolais is both a wine region and a wine style. The young, lively Beaujolais Nouveau is surely the first thing to pop up on your mind, but dedicated producers make age-worthy examples in the best sites, all from the misunderstood Gamay grape. 

Lyon is the gateway to the Mediterranean basin, still influenced by the intellectual Burgundian cuisine, this city has a rich culinary history. The Andouillette sausage, a regional favorite, is made of pork and veal offal. 

This delicacy is strongly flavored, especially when grilled. It has a wild profile that goes very well with the light-bodied red Beaujolais. The uncomplicated wine plays a secondary role, but a crucial one reviving the palate and boosting a whole array of ripe fruit aromas to the pairing.

Provence Rosé and Bouillabaisse

There’s no better seafood stew than the Provençal Bouillabaisse. Fresh, local ingredients and Mediterranean seasoning makes this flavorful soup an ideal dish to pair with warm sunny days. Ask anybody, and you’ll see that the dry, precise rosé from the region is not just the right way to go, but the only one.

French rosé has crisp acidity and addictive subtle red fruit flavors that work well with any Mediterranean dish and sea produce. Sipping rosé in the Côte d’Azur should be on everyone’s bucket list, and enjoying a warm Bouillabaisse while at it, simply makes it better.  

The list goes on and on; French cuisine was born alongside winemaking tradition. Local pairings have been fine-tuned by time, and recipes transcend generations. The result: Gastronomic heaven.

The post French Food and Wine Pairings appeared first on SOMM • Reviews of Sommelier Courses and Wine Schools.

Source: https://www.somm.us/french-food-and-wine-pairings/

from SOMM https://somm3.wordpress.com/2019/10/27/french-food-and-wine-pairings/