Embracing diversity

Diversity is a hot topic these days, but for most wine consumers it never really has been all that controversial. As regular readers know trying all the different wines we have available in North Idaho is my favorite part of the adventure. From the somewhat predictable and familiar big muscular California Cabernet to the light bodied and subtle French Beaujolais, to the esoteric Carménère and Bonarda of South America, they all have their place in the wine rack. In whites, I can embrace the full butter oak bomb Chardonnays all the way to the steely Gruner Veltliners and everything in-between. Producers from the New World appellations of the US, New Zealand Australia and South America, as well as those from the Old World like France, Italy, Hungary, Spain, and even those from the Middle East will all find their way into the shop.

It is, in short, great fun! It goes further though, especially once food gets involved. There are wines that are built to be enjoyed strictly as a cocktail, nothing more than a lovely aperitif before dinner. Once we sit down to eat, when wine and food interact is when the changes start, both for the food and the wine. Not coincidentally, this is when the diversity of wine we have available really becomes enjoyable, but also kind of important.

One of the really great parts of the shop and the wine business is when we have customers come in with a request to pair wine with what they or their hosts are planning for dinner. Similarly, when folks ask us if we know someone who has invited them to dinner, as they really want to bring a wine that they know their hosts will like. Again, this is when the full spectrum of wine available in North Idaho and what we carry in the shop becomes really vital.

There are always times when the familiar and somewhat predictable are perfect. You know everyone will like it, and it will go well with the food. Chardonnay and shellfish, Merlot and grilled steak, Pinot Noir and poultry, crowd-pleasing for a reason and reliable. But then there are times when breaking the mold is kind of fun too, and when with just the right group and menu, you want to break out and try something unpredictable.

One of the best approaches to selecting something for a dinner party is to match up food and wine by region. Choose a wine and a producer from the same area where the food comes from. Italian is perhaps the easiest example. There is a reason that the wines from Tuscany go so well with the food from that area. Rich and protein-laden Tuscan cuisine is magnificent, the reds from there are mostly Sangiovese-based, with bright acid to cut the richness and dry tannins to frame the food, they are some of the best pairings to be found.

France is similar, if you have the chance to travel to Burgundy the food is similarly rich and delicious. The native grapes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay both have fairly high acid, again cutting into the richness of the meal. Add in the earthy character of Pinot and the bright cherry notes, and the mystery of why they serve so much duck in Burgundy is solved. One of the most memorable food wine moments for me was in Burgundy. Our dinner mates ordered an appetizer for the table that was marrow bones topped with escargot, and the wine they ordered was a well aged (over 30 years old) Meursault. The Chardonnay was perfect with this decadent dish, and both the food and wine were breathtaking.

All wine consumers have stories that are similar, from great burgers to simple pasta to foie gras, and from a really great $10 red blend to lovely and ethereal Champagne, there are moments and meals that are made better by the diversity of food we enjoy and the diverse wines we have to choose from. For wine consumers of all preferences, the trick is to just keep trying some things. Not every occasion or at every meal, but from time to time, reach out and break into the big diverse world of wine we have right here in North Idaho. Your favorite wine professional and all of us here at the dinner party can’t wait to help!

If there is a topic you would like to read about, or if you have questions on wine, you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com, or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d’Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner (with his wife Mary Lancaster) of the dinner party, a wine and tabletop décor shop by Costco in Coeur d’Alene. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions, and his articles are published around the country. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles and other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.