Selecting Wine for Winter
As snow cascades over the cedar pines encircling your cabin branch by branch, fireplace roaring inside to keep you and your significant other toasty warm, what better way to enjoy yourselves than opening a perfectly aged bottle of wine as evening turns to night? Ok, perhaps there’s no need to be in the midst of a winter wonderland, but no matter, wine can be a great way to not only keep and enjoy yourself, but evoke an appropriate taste for the season.Though wines may not be seasonal in the same sense as Stone Crab, per se, certain bottles do maintain characteristics intended to be consumed during the warmer months of summer, just as others are more predisposed to the chillier temperatures of December through February. While Hot Chocolate might be readily available in the dog days of August, there are few among us who might enjoy a heated glass before October. Similarly, winter wines can be both purchased and poured at any time of year, but for savvy wine connoisseurs looking to get the most out of their dining or drinking experience, the patience to wait a few turns of the calendar will be well rewarded.As you might imagine, in a time of the year trademarked by rosy cheeks, poinsettias, cranberries and a bearded man in a big red suit, red wines come out in full force as leaves begin to fall. Technically, red wines do not contain any higher alcohol content than their lighter colored counterparts, thus suffice equally well when keeping warm, however, wine selection is often a byproduct of properly pairing your glass with what’s served for dinner. It is customary for most individuals to prepare or order heavier meals, from meatloaf to turkey to hearty, beef stew; a lighter wine might be overpowered, with a full bodied, full flavored wine more prone to likely to hold its own, no matter the main course.Of course, the primary exception to the red skewing season would be occasions in which creamy, thick consistency pasta dishes are in question, as many pastas, particularly cheese-centric recipes, cater more to a white wine, preferably an intense bottle with a strong presence.
