Demystifying Bordeaux
August 6, 2011
Bordeaux is a city, a region and a wine- many wines- that have captured the attention, if not affection of wine drinkers around the world. Even as a seasoned wine aficionado, sometimes when the subject of Bordeaux arises, I glaze over with a similar confusion and impatience toddlers show when they are being told why they can’t do something they want to. There are misunderstandings of the formalities and confusion of the classifications of Bordeaux that I will try to demystify so that next time you are standing in the Bordeaux section of the liquor store, you can have a look more of understanding on your face than of intimidation.

Bordeaux is located in south-west France about 300 miles south west of Paris. It is located near the European Atlantic Ocean. The city of Bordeaux is built on a bend in the Garonne river, a river accessible by ocean freight-liners. Bordeaux is the largest source of high quality wines in the world with 22 000 vineyards producing over 66 million cases of wine annually. The grape varieties from this area are not up for discussion or experimentation. To produce wine under the Bordeaux appellation system, it must be from the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, the lesser used Petit Verdot and Malbec for red wines and Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, Muscadelle for white wines. The vineyards of Bordeaux always plant a variety of grapes to ensure against weather conditions: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot are all grown and blended in a Bordeaux red. Whether the blend is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot depends on the appellation (see below).

At the city of Bordeaux, the river is divided into two parts: the right bank to the east and the left bank to the west. The summarized version of Bordeaux is that it is a wine region that has four districts and within these districts are appellations. Within these appellations are houses (or chateaux) that produce wines that hold both their appellation and the chateau name. The four districts are: from the left bank Médoc, Graves, from the right bank Libournais and in the middle Entre-Deux-Mers (which literally means between two seas). Because of where each of these districts and appellations are situated on the river, the soil type changes and supports different grape varieties. Where an appellation is located on the river should be shed some light as to which grape variety is predominant. For simplicity sake, wines from the left bank are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon blends whereas right bank wines are primarily Merlot blends. The wine bottle labels will not tell you this, if one decides to peruse the Bordeaux aisle, it is assumed that one already knows this (the labels do need to express certain information like Chateau, appellation, vintage, volume and alcoholic content).

Within the left bank district of Médoc there are appellations that are recognizable to many and within these appellations there are houses producing wines. Some appellations are: Médoc, Haut Médoc, St Estephe, Pauillac, St Julien, Margaux, Listrac, Moulis. These wines are usually predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon for the blend. Chateau names you might recognize within these appellations are Châteaux Rothchild, Château Lynch Bages, Château Beychevelle, Château Léoville Barton and Château Kirwan.

Within the left bank district of Graves there are the following appellations: Péssac-Leognon, Sauternes, Cérons, Barsac. Some of the chateaux you might recognize are Château Haut-Brion and Château d’Yquem. One of the best-known wines from Graves is Sauternes, an exception to the rule that the wines are Cabernet Sauvignon based. Sauternes is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes that are literally left to rot on the vine. The process of which is called Noble Rot, this process allows a fungus called botrytis cinera to overtake the grape and it rots on the vine increasing the natural sugars in the grape. When grapes are “noble rot affected”, Sauternes is made. Sauternes is made from Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc grapes and has a famously honeyed apricot, pineapple and peach aroma. Any Sauternes you pick up is a rich and sweet wine that is labour and time intensive and often holds a higher price tag than other Bordeaux whites.

Within the right bank district of Libournais there are the most recognized appellations of St Emilion and Pommerol. Some chateaux from there you may recognize are Château Cheval Blanc, Château Pavie, Château La Serre and Château Pétrus. These wines use predominantly Merlot blends. A safe assumption of that grape is that it will be a little lighter and more feminine than a wine predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon.

Entre-Deux-Mers is the largest district in Bordeaux and has appellations most may not recognize: Haut Benage, Cadillac, Graves de Vayres, Loupiac, Ste-Croix-du-mont and Ste-Foy. Wines from Entre Deux Mers will only be white, only white wines are allowed from this large district. Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc are the predominant grape varieties from this region.

Within France, there is a “place of origin” system called Appellation d’origine Contrôlée (AOC) that regulates geographically based wines and spirits. This helps to legitimize wines’ prices and factors of production to keep a wine indicative of a certain area. French AOC controls decide if a wine is to be named after the appellation area (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire Valley), the district (Entre-Deux-Mers, Côte de Beaune, Sancerre) or village. Within each district of Bordeaux, there are several additional classifications called Cru Classé, this phrase means a “classed” growth from Premier Cru (first growth), second growth, all the way to fifth growth. To add another dimension of potential confusion, Bordeaux’s current system of classifying wine is also based on a list of wine chateaux in 1855, which has only been changed slightly. Wikipedia explains the 1855 classification as such: “The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world. Brokers from the wine industry ranked the wines according to a château's reputation and trading price, which at that time was directly related to quality”. To clarify; the highest ranking wine chateaux may produce a wine that has been pre-selected (in 1855 due to the chateau name it bears) to carry a high ranking classification. This classification has been criticized for being antiquated, and rightfully so since this list is over 150 years old. With changes in the climate, wine-making technology and more years of wine making experience, the wines in Bordeaux have changed drastically. Now you can buy wines from countless appellations and chateaux from Bordeaux that are equally good without the same classification. So, while experience and appointed title from the 1855 Classification seemingly guarantee a great wine, there are certainly marvelous wines available that have not fallen into such a category and are available for a fraction of the price.

The prices and quality of French wines are extremely varied. It is sometimes an unspoken rule in the wine world that, especially in Bordeaux, you get what you pay for and this is particularly true when shopping for Bordeaux wines. Invest in a high price tag and highly researched wine purchase and you will reap its benefits with a perfectly balanced, wonderfully fruity and complex, age worthy wine. Do a little research on vintage year and chateau and you could have the perfect wine to open up.

While doing some polishing-up research I realized how vast of a topic this is and I have barely scratched the surface of Bordeaux. I have tried to give a little direction so that if you are interested in broaching the world of Bordeaux wines, it might not be quite as confusing as it might have originally looked. Wine selection should not be a daunting task, but like any investment or purchase, a bit of research could make the situation a little less confusing.

Once you make your decision, make sure to open up the bottle with plenty of time for it to breathe and then enjoy! Add the mature and complex aromas and flavours of a Bordeaux wine to your memory bank the next time you are tasting a wine.

And as always if you have any other wine or food questions drop by our website at www.ninetynineone.com and drop us a line in the Q&A section of the site. We’re always happy to answer any questions you have.

Cheers & happy quaffing.
Rebecca Tibbitts

Discovering the Delights of Brandy
September 6, 2011
 
What do distillation and savoring have in common? From the wine connoisseur’s point of view brandy. But sippers beware, the word “brandy” is about as ambiguous as the word “wine”!

Since I have (bi-weekly) spent the last year trying to demystify the word wine and introduce the many levels and facets of wine, I think it is important to note that a single attempt at explaining brandy is a bit overzealous. However, from the beginning I have attempted to debunk some myths and provide some basic tips and tidbits so when you arrive at the liquor store to buy something to enjoy, you can make a better informed decision so the bottle you are about to open is something you decided to buy instead of something you stumbled upon.

The word brandy is derived from the Dutch word “brandywijn” which means burnt. This is because to produce brandy, one needs to distill fermented grapes and to distill, the fermented liquid must be heated (hence the descriptor “burnt”). Distillation is based on the fact that water and alcohol boil at different temperatures: water boils at 212F (100C) and alcohol at 176F (80C). When the fermented liquid is heated, the first vapor that is released contains the alcoholic constituents. This can then be trapped and cooled and condensed into a different alcoholic liquid. Distillation had been an experiment in many ancient cultures and there are many claims of who actually was the first (the Chinese, Arabs, Egyptians, Spanish) but for our purposes a distinct winner is not essential. It was the breakthrough in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries in France that is important. In the Cognac region of France, it was discovered that distilling the sharp white wines produced on the slopes in western France resulted in spirits which, after as few as two passes through the distillation stills, produced a drinkable liqueur, especially if aged for a few years in oak casks. The aging of the liqueur in oak casks is done mainly to impart color on the spirit and to allow aeration- a large percentage of the spirit evaporates during aging. The amount that evaporates is often called the “angel’s share”.
Brandy is an agricultural spirit; its production is dependent on harvesting, fermenting and distilling fruit (grapes). The production of the wine from which Brandy is made is region and season specific thereby creating regional specific products. There are officially three areas in Europe that are designated for Brandy: Cognac and Armagnac in France and Jerez in Spain. These three areas produce what most would call brandy, although the definition of Brandy allows for many beverages to be called Brandy: Eaux-de-vie, Grappa and fruit based liqueurs like Kirsch, Schnapps, Poire William.

Cognac
The Cognac region is located north of Bordeaux in France. The region is divided into six growing zones, the first two the most recognizable: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Bois Ordinaries, Borderies, Fins Bois, and Bons Bois. The primary grape variety for Cognac is the Ugni Blanc grape. Ugni Blanc produces a white wine that is high in acidity, low in alcohol and somewhat neutral in taste and aroma, a wine that will only improve with distillation and aging in oak casks. Prior to aging, Cognac is distilled twice. There are three designations of aging: VS (Very Superior), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), XO (Extra Old). Much like Scotch, a bottle of Cognac has many vintage years combined, and the age on the bottle represents the youngest spirit in the batch. Many times the spirits are aged longer than the minimal requirements. VS is the most immature age designation and the youngest spirit available is aged about two years although the spirits are typically three to six years aged. VSOP contains spirits that are no younger than four years, typically five to fifteen years. XO is regulated to have no spirits younger than six years, although when you see the designation XO, spirits in that release have been aged up to 40 years. All Cognac has a bright amber hue, aromas of butterscotch, vanilla and caramel from the oak aging process. Fruit characteristics vary by the age designation, but some of the aromas are orange, peach, apricot, pear and white flowers like jasmine. Distinctive to all Cognac is the smooth texture and warmth of the distilled spirit. Some producer names you might recognize from the Cognac region are: Henessey, Louis XIII, Remy Martin and Courvoisier.

Armagnac
The Armagnac region is located about 100 miles south of Cognac, a warmer inland region than Cognac. The region is divided into three appellations: Bas Armagnac, Ténarèze, Haut-Armagnac. The Armagnac region also uses Ugni Blanc as the primary grape variety but uses the Picpoul grape as well (under the appellation up to nine grape varieties are allowed). Due to both the warmer climate and the terroir (local conditions that denote a certain area of origin like topography and soil) Armagnac creates a more earthy and “grapey” spirit than Cognac. Distillation of Armagnac occurs once, as opposed to its northern neighbor Cognac that is distilled twice before aging. The single distillation maintains more of the aromas and characteristics of the base wine grapes themselves (creating the “grapey” flavor of Armagnac). The aging designations have the same names as Cognac (VS, VSOP, XO) but the magic number for aging is slightly different. VS in the Armagnac region is minimum one year, VSOP four years’ minimum and in the XO, the youngest spirit is no younger than six years. Like Cognac, Armagnac has an amber hue from the aging process. Because of the single distillation, more fruit flavors are present: peach, apricot, pineapple and grape. The toasty, oak aging smell like toasted pecans, pumpkins, butterscotch and vanilla are less prominent than those aromas in Cognac.

Jerez
The Jerez region is located in southwestern Spain. This area is known for Sherry production and so most of the grape growing is designated for Sherry grapes. Brandy de Jerez is produced by the Sherry producers from wines made from grapes produced elsewhere in Spain. While using the Ugni Blanc grapes like in France, the aging system differs greatly from France. The Sherry producers use an aging system called the Solera system. Wikipedia describes the system as “ a succession of containers…filled with the product over a series of equal aging intervals (usually a year). One container is filled for each interval. At the end of the interval after the last container is filled, the oldest container in the solera is tapped for part of its content, which is bottled. Then that container is refilled from the next oldest container, and that one in succession from the second-oldest, down to the youngest container, which is refilled with new product. This procedure is repeated at the end of each aging interval. The transferred product mixes with the older product in the next barrel. No container is ever drained, so some of the earlier product always remains in each container”. The Solera systems allows for consistency of a product. Because the Solera system speeds up the maturation process, the minimum requirements for aging Spanish brandy are lower than their French counterparts. Basic Brandy de Jerez Solera must age for a minimum of six months, Reserva for one year and Gran Reserva for a minimum of three years. However, like the French aging process, the best Reservas and Gran Reservas are frequently aged for 12 to 15 years. Because of the Solera system aging method, the brandy retains a freshness that is not present in French brandies. As a full-bodied liqueur, with aromas and flavors of plum, raisins, caramel and molasses, Brandy de Jerez is definitely best sipped as a digestif.

The rules of appreciating the aromas of a Cognac, Brandy or Armagnac differ slightly from those of wine. Because this is a distilled product, the alcoholic content is higher. Wine runs from 9-16%, whereas brandies tend to contain 35-60% alcohol. Sticking your nose straight into the snifter or glass will result in a big whiff of alcohol! Instead, keep the brandy closer to your chest and let the delicate aromas waft up to you. Another trick is to stick your finger into the brandy and put a dab on the back of your hand, the alcohol will evaporate from your body heat and only the delicate aromas will be left on your hand to smell much like you would a perfume sample. Cradling the glass in your hands will also allow the brandy to warm and produce another level of aromas. Sip slowly, contemplate and relax, before you know it, you may want to spend every evening with a glass of brandy, Cognac or Armagnac!

The next time you get offered an after dinner drink, you can give an educated response to the question “would you like a VS, VSOP or XO Cognac or Armagnac?”
As with wine, don’t forget about the experience and creating flavor memories. Remember to try to keep track of what you drink, what you like about it and the price so you can make wiser decisions next time you making a purchase.

If a certain type of wine or spirit is of great interest to you, spend some time researching it to become better advised. And as always if you have any other wine or food questions drop by our website at www.ninetynineone.com and drop us a line in the Q&A section of the site. We’re always happy to answer any questions you have.

Cheers & happy quaffing.
Rebecca Tibbitts


Harvest Time at the Vineyards
October 4, 2011
This is the time of year that vineyards work and wait for: harvest time. A year’s worth of decisions, pruning, nurturing and watching all come to fruition at this time. This work and these decisions are all combined under the name viticulture. Viticulture encompasses growing grapes and the decisions made during their growth like training of the vines, pruning of the vines, irrigation, pest management and manipulating the vines’ and grapes’ growth through canopy management.

There are conditions that affect style, quality and price of wine and these are called “factors of production: grape variety, climate and weather, soil type/terroir, grape growing (viticulture) and wine making (vinification). Except for the wine making, these factors of production all affect harvesting.

Here is an overview of what happens to get to the act of harvesting once the grapes start developing.

Veraison: This is the softening, fattening and sweetening of the grape bunches. The little hard green grapes start plumping up with juices and sugar and gain mature hues of color (to golden yellow for some white varieties, deep dark reds and purple for red). Because of different locations in the vineyard and on the vine, not all grape clusters ripen at the same time, so harvesting must be done in stages to ensure grapes are ripened to their prime.

Crop Control: This is the stage where more canopy management is introduced. Because grapes and grape clusters ripen at different times, actions must be taken to ensure the crop can produce the highest quality fruit consistently. Sometimes the green growth (leaves) must be removed to force the vine to focus its energy from the sun and water on the fruit. Big, green leafy vines look nice, but those leaves take away precious energy from the grapes. A struggling plant always focuses on producing fruit in order to reproduce, so a struggling vine produces grapes, not leaves. Other times, there may be too many grapes on each vine. A high yield sounds like a good thing when considering quantity of production, but when vineyards strive for quality, they must pay particular attention to grapes that are better matured. Focus on a yield of quality rather than a higher quantity crop is usually preferred. With quality in mind, significantly immature grape clusters are trimmed to allow the plant’s energy to focus on the ripening grapes.

Crop Protection: Once grapes become ripe, juicy and sweet, it is very important to protect them from pests. Grapevines are always susceptible to moisture, virus, bacteria, pests and mildew but as they ripen, they attract hungry birds, deer, bears and other wildlife. It is important to ensure that these prized grapes are not eaten or fall into any sort of rot or bacteria.

Harvest Decision: There are a few factors that need to be considered before the decision to harvest the grapes is made. Vineyards consider the sugar content, level of acidity, measurement of the Ph level and the phenolic ripeness (maturity of the tannins in the skins and seeds make them less bitter). When the conditions of grape’s character and intensity meet an acceptable level, the vineyard will decide to harvest the grapes. It is very important to base the decision to pick on these above mentioned criteria and not a certain day or week as growing conditions change from year to year- pick too early and the wine will taste “green”, pick too late and the grapes might be rotten and there will be no wine, or the grapes are too ripe which could lead to an unbalanced wine.

Harvest: Once all the conditions for ripening are met, the grapes are harvested. Not all grapes are harvested at the same time, depending on sun exposure, altitude or soil, certain areas might be picked first while leaving other areas to further ripen. Traditionally, grapes are harvested by hand. There are machines that can mechanically harvest grapes, but for high quality grapes, hand harvesting is still used. Depending on the size of vineyard, harvesting by hand can take one week to one month. On this side of the equator, harvest time is usually anywhere from August to November.

Sorting: Also called triage in French, this is the process of separating the acceptable grapes from anything else that might have mistakenly gotten harvested like bugs, leaves, rotten grapes, underripe grapes or dirt. Mechanical harvesting is not as selective as hand harvesting and therefore requires a much more stringent sorting process.

Once the grapes have been harvested and sorted, it is time to start the fermentation process, another adventure in the vineyard- a topic for another time.

As always if you have any other wine or food questions drop by our website at www.ninetynineone.com and drop us a line in the Q&A section of the site. We’re always happy to answer any questions you have.

Cheers & happy quaffing.
Rebecca Tibbitts


Reasons to Love Riesling
November 1, 2011
Originating from Germany, Riesling wines and grapes are produced in many regions of Austria, Alsace, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Riesling is one of the noble grape varieties although it is often given less attention than its more known noble counterparts. Arguably, Riesling is one of the most undervalued and misjudged.

The vine itself is known for its knotty appearance, hard wood vine that is frost resistant, making it a good choice to plant in cool wine regions. The grapes themselves also ripen considerably earlier than most other varieties. Riesling grapes are naturally high in acidity with aromas of green apple, white flowers, honey and minerality.

This aromatic grape is renowned for show casing the terroir (local conditions that denote a certain area of origin like topography and soil) of where it was produced. Because during the wine making process there are rarely additional steps like oak ageing or heightened alcohol levels, Riesling wines are very pure and able to showcase its area of origin. Due to the purity of the winemaking process, the wines can be particularly susceptible to cork taint. To avoid the possibility and guarantee the purity and freshness expected from most Rieslings, producers often bottle these wines with a screw cap closure, not a cork.
An important characteristic of Riesling wines — both dry and sweet — is their high acidity. This acidity increases saliva production in the mouth, which, in turn, makes you want to eat more. This helps Riesling pair very well with a wide variety of foods. Try pairing pork, fish, salads, spicy food, salty food and smoked foods with Riesling.
Several times over the past few weeks I have had people tell me they don’t like Riesling because it is sweet. While there are definitely some sweet varieties of Rieslings, there are even more dry or off dry versions. Riesling wines are of the most versatile because of the range of styles from sweet to dry.

A “rule of thumb” is that a Riesling from a cool climate will be less sweet than that from a hot climate. In a warm climate (like California, for instance) the grapes on the vine get very ripe and contain a lot of natural sugars. These natural sugars can either be left in the wine as sweetness or turned into alcohol. Because, as discussed in my previous article on champagne, fermentation is sugar + yeast = alcohol + carbon dioxide. If the winemaker decides to create a sweeter wine, the natural sugars are not turned into alcohol, thus creating a sweet wine with a lower alcoholic content. Because it is balancing a chemical equation, a winemaker must decide to have either higher sugar or higher alcohol. In a cool climate, the grapes will not get as ripe as grapes in a warm climate and there is less natural sugar in the fruit to use to ferment into alcohol. A safe assumption to make is that the cooler climate wines (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region in Germany, for example) will produce a drier style Riesling and warmer climates will produce a sweeter style Riesling. Rieslings range from 6% alcohol to 13% alcohol and in addition to the region of origin, the alcoholic content is an indicator of sweetness. Generally speaking, the higher the alcoholic content, the drier the wine and the lower the alcoholic content, the sweeter the wine.

If you are buying a German Riesling, there are certain terms that are on the label that will help guide you to the right decision. German wines are divided into two categories: Tafelwein (table wine) and Qualitätswein. You rarely see Tafelwein sold outside of Germany, most wines you see outside of Germany are under the Qualitätswein designation. The Qualitätswein designation is broken down into two categories: Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (much more commonly know by its abbreviation of QbA) and Prädikatswein (or Qualitätswein mit Prädikat, commonly known by its abbreviation QmP). Most importantly when looking at the label for a German Riesling is the six levels of Prädikatswein (these levels are based on ripeness level).

1. Kabinett: Light, semidry wine made from grapes of the lowest level of ripeness, so this category is the driest wine of them all.
2. Spätlese: The word “spät” means “late” and “lese” means “picking” so this category of wines have more ripeness in the grapes producing an off dry to medium dry wine.
3. Auslese: Auslese means “out picked”, the grapes are individually hand picked from especially ripe bunches of grapes, which results in a medium to full-bodied style of wine categorized as medium dry to sweet.
4. Beerenauslese: “beeren” means “berries, “aus” means “out” and “lese” means “picking”. Again, these are exceptional grapes that are picked out individually, but vintners are FAR more selective about the grapes for these wines and they seldom produce enough grapes of sufficient quality to make it. These wines are typically very rich desert wines at a higher price point.
5. Trockenbeerenauslese: this is a step above beerenauslese, but it also uses grapes that are dried (trocken) and look more like raisins than grapes. These dried out grapes have lost most of their water and therefore can only have a small amount of juice squeezed from them, but that juice, as you might imagine, is very rich and highly concentrated with sugar and flavors, resulting in an exceptionally sweet wine that is also very expensive.
6. Eiswein: (Icewine) The ripe grapes are allowed to freeze on the vine and are picked while frozen. Because the water in the grape freezes, and the sugars do not, when frozen pressed, only the sugar syrup is extracted, eiswein is the sweetest of the wines.

Make some notes, do a little research and make an informed decision on a Riesling to enjoy with your next meal or company. And as always if you have any other wine or food questions drop by our website at www.ninetynineone.com and drop us a line in the Q&A section of the site. We’re always happy to answer any questions you have.

Cheers & happy quaffing.
Rebecca Tibbitts



Holiday Pairings
November 28, 2011
The weather has changed, we have Thanksgiving under our belt and work and family parties are booked- this marks the beginning of the holiday season. And, for most, this means more trips to the liquor store!

Holiday gatherings tend to be large, family, friends and co-workers gather with a revolving door. There are definite staples of the holiday season served at some point during the holiday festivities- anticipating that, you can arrive at a party with the perfect wine pairing for your host or hostess.

Hors d’oeuvres literally translates to “apart from the main work”; small offerings to tide over the diner until the main meal is served. These can vary from crudité and dip and cheese and crackers to more composed one-bite selections called canapés. Often there is a large range of themes and tastes with an hors d’oeuvres selection making wine selection a difficult task. Serving a nice, light white is the safest route to take when pleasing the masses: try a Washington or Oregon Pinot Gris, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, a South African Chenin Blanc or an Italian Soave. These wines are rarely, if ever, oaked and their freshness can offer a suitable companion to many hors d’oeuvres from cheese to chicken to beef carpaccio.

Cheeses, dips and salamis- this category tends to be a bit more flavour specific with smoky sausage and salamis, creamy dips and flavourful cheeses. If you want to serve a red wine, you should choose a light, youthful Gamay Noir (Beaujolais) or an Italian Barbera. If you prefer to drink white, a medium oaked Chardonnay is the pefect combination to smoky sausage or creamy cheeses like Brie or Camembert.

Baked Brie with cranberries or raspberries or figs calls for a Californian red Zinfandel or an Italian Chianti. The creamy cheese with buttered pastry and dark red fruits pair perfectly with the dark fruits and body of the Chianti (Sangiovese) or Zinfandel.

Turkey (and it’s various left over stages) pairs well with many wines because it is so versatile. Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work because their light body will not overwhelm the turkey. Chardonnay, especially lighter varieties from Chile or Argentina, pairs well with a creamy turkey soup or casserole. Viognier is a newly popularized wine mostly from California or Australia with notes of pears and peaches with a medium body that works with turkey the first serving and its leftovers. If you want to serve a red, turkey is versatile enough to pair with a Pinot Noir. There are few tannins in a Pinot Noir so the turkey will not be overwhelmed by the wine.

Baked Ham has varying smoky and sweet qualities (depending on the glaze used) making it hard to definitively suggest one wine. An off-dry or dry Riesling is a good way to match a mustard glaze. A slightly oaked Sauvignon Blanc (or as Robert Mondavi calls his “Fume Blanc”) will elevate the smokiness and the fruit flavours will decrease the perceived saltiness of the ham. If you prefer red, try a Syrah from France’s Rhone Valley or a Californian one. The earthy, oaky and fruity characteristics of the Syrah will make the ham taste sweeter and the wine less astringent.

Sweet potatoes (or Acorn or Butternut Squash) have a luscious earthiness to them when roasted, a sweetness when mashed and a sweet-saltiness when fried. If you are making fries out of your sweet potato, pour a Merlot whose warm spice will stand up to the fries. A mash or casserole of sweet potatoes will be complimented by a Prosecco or Champagne. Although the sparkling wines are known for being delicate wines, their effervescence will stand up to the richness of full flavoured sweet potatoes. Roasting these sweet roots will pair perfectly with a Gewürtztraminer or Riesling with their inherent spicy characteristics.

Fruit Cake with sugary rum soaked fruit is a popular treat and gift during the holidays. A general rule for pairing wines with dessert is to make sure your wine is as sweet or sweeter than what you are eating, otherwise the wine will taste bitter. Nice pairings for a rich, sweet and booze soaked tropical fruit cake is a Tawny Port which is a fortified Portuguese sweet wine (try Tayor Fladgate or Graham’s 10 year Tawny). Or try a sweet Madeira from the Portuguese island of Madeira – look for “Malvasia” or “Malmsey” on the label to be sure that it is sweet. An ice wine from Austria, Germany or Canada will also do the trick with their honeyed, dried fruit characteristics.

Shortbread Cookies always grace a holiday cookie exchange party or buffet table. Cookies and tea seems a likely combination, but cookies and wine is a much more adult pairing! These buttery morsels are sweet and salty at the same time allowing several different successful wine pairings. If you like red wine, try a ripe red fruit wine like Zinfandel. Champagne is also a great option because of the innate buttery and toasty flavours of the sparkling gem. Put an Amontillado Sherry to work with its nutty and dried fruit characteristics. If you prefer to drink a sweet wine, use the Tawny Port you had stored for the fruit cake or if your budget allows, open a Sauternes from Bordeaux to allow its honeyed fruit flavours to sing alongside your shortbread.


When you think about holiday entertaining, it’s always best to think about how to easily whet the collective palate and to successfully pair wine to a varied menu. Stick to wines that will appeal to a range of palates by keeping it simple. Take advantage of those extra trips to the liquor store and choose something different every time you go to increase your tasting repertoire.

As always if you have any other wine or food questions drop by our website at www.ninetynineone.com and drop us a line in the Q&A section of the site. We’re always happy to answer any questions you have.

Cheers & happy quaffing.
Rebecca Tibbitts