How to pair wine with spicy foods......

 

Did you know that hot countries’ cuisine tends to be spicier and hotter, because eating hot foods creates a sweating effect that cools you off? I think this a really cool (literally) thing to know. With summer in full swing, it’s time to focus on what wines pair best with those heat-taming, spicy summer foods.
You might be somebody who reaches for a beer at the very mention of spicy food. Beer is an incredibly refreshing complement to a spicy meal. But the right wines can be an amazing addition to a spicy meal as well. According to eatingwell.com, wine can “complement spicy flavors in one of two ways: First, wine’s acidity boosts the layers of flavors in a dish while softening its extremes… Second, wine’s fruitiness or sweetness tones down spicy heat, letting the dish’s other flavors shine.”
On the wine and food-pairing front, I’m a big advocate of experimentation. I love the idea of serving a few different wines with your next spicy meal and having everybody try the wines and talk about which ones they like best with which dishes and why. This is an incredibly fun learning experience that is likely to result in some wonderful new pairings.
While I love experimentation, I do have two gotcha recommendations when it comes to pairing wine with spicy dishes:

1. Avoid Chardonnay. This wonderful white wine just doesn’t work well with spicy food. The exception is a sweet Chardonnay, but these are hard to find.

2. Avoid heavy red wines. These wines are also a bad fit. They will compete with the food in unpleasant ways and result in a very heavy tasting experience.
Now for some yummy recommendations:

Mexican, tropical. Foods with chili spices, lime, citrus and cilantro do well with a similarly tangy, herbal wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc. If your Mexican or tropical dish has a lot of meat in it, you might want to look for a Fumé Blanc, which is a Sauvignon Blanc that was aged in oak.

Thai, curries, Chinese. The sweet-hot flavors of these dishes work beautifully with Riesling. Riesling’s slight sweetness calms down the fire, while its acidity boosts the other flavors in the dishes. Also, Riesling tends to be low in alcohol, which can be very refreshing, given the heat of the food. I am enamored with today’s beautiful rosés, so I would experiment with these too.

Indian, Middle Eastern. The earthy, nutty flavors of lamb, olives and potato blend well with an earthy red wine such as Syrah or Grenache. To bring out the fruitiness of these wines, make sure to chill them to about 60°. If your taste is more to white and pink wines, go with a spunky Pinot Grigio or a dry rosé.

Do you have favorite spicy-dish wines? Please share them with us here. Thanks.
Cheers!

Food & Wine

Pasta paired with a glass of Merlot.

Shanna_Says

Wine novice? Don’t be embarrassed, let us educate you on fine wine and increase your dining experience with red & white Wines!

Your Hostess Has Arrived!

I'm back!

Have you ever wanted to host or attend a wine tasting, but aren't sure where to start?

I'm here today to let you know about how you and your friends can host your very own wine tasting event, all in the comfort of your own home.  (So you can drink all my wine, then pass out on your couch without worrying about driving!)

All jokes aside, if you enjoy a great time with friends and family, along with a huge discount on wine, then let me tell you about a wonderful experience worth over $300 that you can have for just under $60!

Imagine a fun hostess that loves talking about wine showing up at your door, complete with a large selection of exclusive and award-winning wines for you and your guests to choose from.  After two hours of laughter, games, and education on the joy of fine wines, I guarantee you'll be ready to do it again!  Scheduling a tasting is only a matter of sending a quick e-mail, and then you can have six bottles of wine to sample with your friends.

During the hosting event, you aren't merely sampling wines; you are also learning important wine facts that will help you with future wine selections.  Like the region the wine comes from and what year it was made, the best foods to pair them up with, and the health benefits of adding wine to your diet. 

I also love to play games and offer prizes for the winner.  If I threw a surprise pop quiz on what cheese to pair Riesling with, would you be able to win the grand prize after a few glasses of wine?  (You'd be surprised how many are!)  Either way, I have a variety of "wine tasting" games we can all play as you empty your glass!

Want to help out charity?  Of course!  We all do. 

Well, guess what?  Some of the proceeds of your purchases, as well as the cost of the wine hosting,  are donated to Wines for Humanity's charity for the homeless, P.A.T.H. ("Projects for Assistance and Transition from Homelessness"), based out of Los Angeles, California. 

Knowing that proceeds from sales are going to help those in need has only furthered my passion and love for what I do, and I was excited to hear that Wines for Humanity is in talks to expand the charitable organizations they work with.   Since I'm passionate about cancer research and recovery, it will be interesting to see how far our philanthropic efforts can reach.

Wine tasting is not something reserved for the wealthy or those of a particular social group.  It's an exciting culture that can bring various types of people together under a common interest, and with my extensive knowledge on all types of wine (expensive and not-so-much), I can definitely become a permanent source for your wine needs. 

Check back soon, because my next article will talk about how you can become a wine advisor (including taking trips to exotic locations!) and become your own boss.

In the meantime, if you're interested in having me host a wine tasting for you, feel free to contact me for more information!  Just shoot a quick e-mail to sbush@winesforhumanity.com.

I'll answer all the questions you have, and get you all set up for your very own wine tasting night with friends and family!

Swirl Your Glass!

Greetings and welcome to my world of wine tasting!

My name is Shanna and I have been a wine connoisseur for over ten years.  I grew to love wine after the first time I had a glass of red wine with a delicious T-bone steak twelve years ago.  I am a wine advisor for Wines for Humanity, where I host in-home wine tastings for those interested in wine education. 

I started this blog not only because of my love of wine, but also because I want to share all of the wonderful things I've learned about this topic.  This blog is geared towards wine lovers, as well as those interested in learning about wine. 

As for myself, my favorites are Pinot Noir and Merlot, but I can talk all day about the different brands of wine offered, especially the ones through Wines for Humanity. 

In my blog I'll be talking about the many health benefits that wine offers, along with articles and tips on food pairings.  (For example, did you know Shiraz by Pinot Noir is best served with chocolate?  Or that Riesling is a good wine for Brie or Gouda? )

We're going to have fun here, too!  I'm going to share a few of the games we play at some of the wine events I host.  Not only that, but I want you guys to try them out and tell me how you like them!  Plus, I'll be hosting contests with free giveaways and a bi-weekly post called "Wine Wednesday", so you'll definitely want to check back in.

I'll also be updating you on new featured wines, how they're made, and provide you with information on how you can become a wine advisor, easily earning a substantial high income. 

So pop a cork, pour a glass, and remember: I'll never get tired of hearing you "wine" on this site.

Until next time!