Tag Archives: Robert Oatley

Somm Things I Think About: Easy wine sauces for easy wine pairings

“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.” 

The Famous W.C. Fields quote has a lot of truth to it  – if you want an easy way to make a wine pairing, it’s certainly easier if it’s added to the dish. The rule of thumb is whatever wine you use in the recipe, drink with the recipe! I am however, not asking you to use the 20 year old Grand Cru Burgundy, but a cheap(er) Pinot Noir in the sauce and a nice Pinot Noir at the table and you will make magic happen! The following recipe is more of a guideline that I’ve learned working in the restaurant industry and will make the perfect wine pairing really easy! Feel free to expand the recipe for a larger amount and you can certainly use a cheaper wine for the cooking process and a nicer bottle to drink.

The wine:

One of my favorite things to do is use the same wine in the dish and the pairing. You only use a few ounces of the bottle so there is plenty left to have with dinner. I love this because it is a perfect scenario for a couple on a weeknight when you don’t want to make it a big deal but want it to be nice!  Here are a few of my favorites to use, just make sure it’s not too oaky, it will come off as bitter in the sauce.

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Seeking value wine for the wine lover

14_07_03 1630 The Crusher, Sterling Anniversary_4000_BlogGrocery stores often have the strategic marketing technique of placing their alcohol selection near the check-out registers.  On, say, a Monday morning, this would make little difference to me.  But I don’t grocery shop on Monday mornings.  I grocery shop when I’m out of food and I’m hungry, and for whatever cruel reason that tends to be at the end of a long day, usually a workday—the sort of day when dinner is much better complimented with wine or beer, rather than water. Continue reading Seeking value wine for the wine lover