Make Any Meal Special
Links for Wine and Food Enthusiasts
Quick Seafood Alfredo
Seneca Shores Pork Roast with Spiced Cabernet Franc
Arcadian Estate Vineyard Arcadian Venison Stew
Amberg Wine Cellars Baked Scallops With Fresh Herbs
Red Newt Cellars Pork Tenderloin Medallions With Onions, Garlic and Fennel
Glenora Wine Cellars Famous Glenora Cabernet French Onion Soup
Chateau Lafayette Reneau Chicken with Red Wine
Lakeshore Winery Lakeshore Pumpkin Soup
Lakewood Vineyards Long Stem Fettuccini
Fulkerson's Chocolate Chili
Some of our favorite markets

Make Any Meal Special

Whether you are the host or a guest at the table, you can make the meal more memorable. Serve wine if you are hosting, bring a gift of wine if you are a guest.

For many of us, choosing among wines is a challenge, especially if we are choosing wine for someone else. Yet for others, it's as natural as choosing among water, milk or iced tea with a particular meal. How can it be so easy for some and so difficult for the rest of us? Is it a set of rules? You may have heard that, "Red wine goes with red meat, white wine goes with fish . . ." The problem with such a rule is that it ignores your preferences, your recipes and your experience. Do some people have more perceptive palates? We don't think that accounts for the difference either. What about practice? How does one practice wine selection? We recommend a three-part approach.

Step one: Recognize that you are already an expert in food pairing. You have been planning, or at least eating, meals for years, matching foods with one another thousands of times. How does this help you to choose the right wine? Consider wine as a food itself. Pretend that the wine will be right on your plate, next to the meat and veggies!

Step two: Taste some wine. You have been tasting other beverages all your life, and pairing them with foods. Consider how a glass of milk tastes. Now consider that glass of milk with tollhouse cookies, then meatloaf, then white rice, then fish sticks, then nachos and salsa. Did each pairing leave a different impression? Some were appealing, some not-so-appealing. Perform the same exercise while tasting wine. When you taste some wine, take your time, savor it and think about other foods. You'll likely identify some foods that will be great matches. With practice, deciding which wine to pour with supper will be as easy as deciding among milk, water or iced tea is today.

Step three: Go to the wine store. To gain experience and confidence with wine, you need to keep some wine in the house. If you already have a favorite wine, buy a bottle if the taste seems at home on the plate with tonight's supper (step one). If you need something different, find a salesperson, tell him/her what you're having for supper and ask what wine they recommend. If you get a blank stare, or only expensive choices, or a careless reply, you didn't find someone who has sufficient experience with step two. Keep shopping until you find someone with enthusiasm.

Because practice takes time, we would like to share with you some of our observations about wines and foods we have paired in the past. Generally, we match rich-flavored dishes with robust style wines and more delicate foods with subtler style wines. The food and wine balance, complementing each other rather than competing for attention.

If turkey or ham is tonight's entree, you may wish to consider Chardonnay and Riesling. We have tasted many from the Finger Lakes, Long Island and Hudson Valley Regions of New York. Dr Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars, Chateau LaFayette Reneau and Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars offer a variety of gold medal winning wines to choose from.

Chardonnays come in a wide range of styles to match a wide range of recipes. Barrel aging and malolactic fermentation bring out vanilla, oak and buttery flavors. Stainless steel fermentation puts the accent on crisp apple and pear flavors. Which of these flavors sounds best with the side dishes that you'll be serving?

Different styles of Riesling are at home at the beginning or end of the meal. Dry Riesling is excellent to sip before the big feast. It's crisp with a flowery, apple blossom aroma. It freshens your palate and whets your appetite. At the end of the meal, we like a semi-dry or Johannisberg style Riesling with apple pie. Gewurztraminer has a spicy finish that complements a spicy pumpkin pie recipe. Late harvest Rieslings or Vignoles are richer, sweeter wines, easily holding their own next to a slice of cheesecake. If you want to forgo the pie and serve a decadent chocolate dessert such as chocolate truffles, consider a rich Port wine.

If you are serving a heartier entrée, such as beef, lamb or wild game, you may want to pour a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. Chateau LaFayette Reneau and Hosmer offer excellent vintages. Try substituting a cup of Pinot Noir in place of a cup of water in your next pot of stew.

If you would like some assistance in choosing a wine to serve or give this holiday season, have a look at the tasting notes in our wine store. If you put a food term into our search page, you'll likely hit on several wines that include it.

Bon Appetit!

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Quick Seafood Alfredo

When you have a wine store to tend, supper happens just after closing time. Most nights, restaurant meals are not an option. We like a meal that's quick to prepare, but still tastes special. The right wine makes it complete.

Try this on a busy evening. Serves two. Rich could eat it every week.

• One 12oz box of spinach fettucine. Ours was half plain, half spinach.
• Half a jar of Five Brothers Creamy Garlic Alfredo sauce.
• One small can of tiny, cooked shrimp.
• Two tsp of butter.

Start your water boiling. Drain the shrimp. Add fettucine to boiling water. Melt the butter in in a small sauce pan, stir in the shrimp and then the alfredo sauce. Warm slowly over low heat. Stir often.

Pour a glass of Lucas Blues. Savor the aroma before your first sip. I smell crisp apple and toasted english walnut. Have a sip. Blues is medium-bodied and slightly more acid than sweet, nice with seafood. Now, you're hungry!

When the fettucine is done to your liking (we like al dente), take it off the heat. Add some cold water to the pot, then drain. Put the fettucine on two plates, put the Alfredo sauce on the fettucine. Eat, relax. Back to work tomorrrow.

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Seneca Shores
Pork Roast with Spiced Cabernet Franc

• 4lb pork loin joint on the bone
• 3/4 cup Seneca Shore Wine Cellar's Cabernet Franc
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground caraway seed
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed with salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chicken stock

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Strip the skin off the pork joint and prick the fat all over with a knife point. Mix the spices, garlic and seasonings into the Cabernet Franc and rub the meat all over with the mixture. Lay the joint on a doubled sheet of foil big enough to enclose it. Fasten the edges of the foil around the meat, then close the foil parcel.

Cook the joint at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degees. Allow 20 minutes per pound and 30 minutes over. Open the foil for the last 30 minutes to brown the surface of the meat; turn up the heat a little if you wish. Lift meat carefully out of the foil parcel.

Scrape any drippings and wine mixture from the foil into a sauce pan and stir in the chicken stock. Simmer it a few moments. Adjust the seasoning if required, strain into gravy boat and serve with the meat. Mmmmmmm, excellent on a chilly evening.

Courtesy -- Finger Lakes Wine Festival

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Arcadian Estate Vineyard
Arcadian Venison Stew

• 8 medium potatoes
• 2 lg onions, chopped
• 3 carrots
• 1 green pepper
• 1 cup peas
• 1 tsp. oregano
• olive oil
• 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups of Arcadian Pinot Noir
• 2 cups of water
• 2 lbs. of venison

Place cut venison into a shallow pan or dish and marinate in a solution of wine, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper for at least 1 hour. Brown onions in oil until translucent. Add and brown garlic. Add marinated venison to mixture of onions and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes to brown meat slightly.

Combine meat mixture with water in a crock pot. Add vegtables, chopped into bite size pieces.

Simmer at high for 4 hours. Stir if possible each hour. Add water if necessary.

Serve with wheat bread, a green salad and Arcadian Pinot Noir.

Courtesy -- Finger Lakes Wine Festival

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Amberg Wine Cellars
Baked Scallops With Fresh Herbs

• 1/2 lb. sea scallops
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. Amberg Wine Cellars Dry Riesling
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp. frech chives
• 2 tsp. fresh basil
• 2 tbsp. bread crumbs
• salt & pepper to taste

Melt the butter and mix with wine. Mince the fresh herbs and add to butter/wine mixture. Wash and drain the scallops and place in baking dish. Pour the butter mixture over the scallops and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with bread crumbs. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes or until frothy but not overcooked. To brown topping, uncover last few minutes or brown under broiler. Serve with cooked rice and Amberg Wine Cellars Dry Riesling.

Courtesy -- Finger Lakes Wine Festival

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Red Newt Cellars
Pork Tenderloin Medallions With Onions, Garlic and Fennel

• 3/4 cup chopped fennel
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tbsp. fennel seeds
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup Red Newt Cellars White wine
• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. pork tenderloin
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper
• 3 tbsp. olive oil

• fresh fennel greens

Saute fennel, onions, garlic and fennel seeds in olive oil until the onions are transparent. Add chicken stock, white wine, sour cream, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until reduced by about 1/2 cup.

Slice tenderloin into 1/2" thick medallions. Coat medallions with the mixture of flour, salt and pepper. Lightly brown one side of medallions in saute pan with olive oil over medium heat. Turn medallions over and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add sauce and continue to cook for about 5-8 minutes or until pork is cooked and sauce is slightly thickened. Place pork medallions on platter, cover with sauce and garnish with fresh fennel greens. Serves 4.

Courtesy -- Finger Lakes Wine Festival

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Glenora Wine Cellars
Famous Glenora Cabernet French Onion Soup

Makes approx. 15 servings

• 4 onions - french cut
• 1/4 bottle Glenora Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 gallon beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• salt to taste

In a heavy stockpot carmelize onions in a tablespoon of oil over medium heat until golden. Deglaze with Glenora Cabernet then add stock, bay leaf, white pepper (more to taste if needed), and salt if needed. Simmer for one hour.

Serve with garlic croutons and melted swiss cheese. Flavor of soup will be enhanced if prepared day before. Leftovers freeze well.

Courtesy -- Finger Lakes Wine Festival

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Chateau Lafayette Reneau
Chicken with Red Wine

• 6 chicken breast halves
• 6 shallots, sliced
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups Chateau LaFayette Reneau Cuvee Rouge
• 1 cup chicken broth
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

Saute chicken breast slowly in olive oil until golden on both sides. Add shallots, mushrooms and garlic to skillet chicken was browned in. Cook until soft. Place chicken, shallots, mushrooms, and garlic in roaster pan. Salt and pepper. Deglaze skillet with wine and chicken broth. Reduce slightly. Pour over chicken. Cover pan tightly. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Courtesy -- Finger Lakes Wine Festival

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LakeShore Winery
Lakeshore Pumpkin Soup

• 2 tbsp. margarine
• 2 small onions
• 1 carrot
• 1 large white potato
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp. powdered coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp. powdered cumin seed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (16 oz.) solid pack pumpkin
• 1/2 cup dry Chardonnay
• Salt and tobasco to taste

Melt margarine in a medium sauce pan or wok. Finely chop (or grate in food processor) the onions, carrots, potato, and garlic. Add the coriander and cumin, and saute the vegetables in the margarine until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add one cup of the broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree mixture in a blender until smooth. Stir in pumpkin, wine, remaining chicken broth, tobasco, and salt. Heat through; do not boil. Serves 8.

Courtesy -- Finger Lakes Wine Festival

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Lakewood Vineyards
Long Stem Fettuccini

• 3 tbsp. butter
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups Lakewood Vineyards Long Stem White
• 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream
• 12 oz. fettuccini
• 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes poached in oil, drained, and coarsely chopped.

In a large skillet melt butter. Add mushrooms and simmer until tender. Add Long Stem White and cream to the skillet and boil, uncovered until the sauce reduces and large shiny bubbles form, 10-15 minutes. While the sauce reduces, cook pasta according to package instructions, al dente. Drain. Stir tomatoes into the wine sauce. Heat until the sauce resumes a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place hot pasta in a large dish or bowl and toss with sauce.

Courtesy -- Finger Lakes Wine Festival

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Fulkerson's Chocolate Chili

Rich and Margot first sampled this great recipe during the Chocolate and Wine tour of the Finger Lakes, Valentine weekend 1998. Always a special meal at our table. Friends are amazed at how this tastes.

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lg. celery stalk, chopped
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 16oz. can tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 cans kidney beans
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of dry musturd
• pinch of ginger
• pinch of cloves
• pinch of allspice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp.chili powder
• 1/2 tsp."hot" pepper
• 1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup Fulkerson's DeChaunac

Brown meat, onion & garlic. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer 4 hours or cover and bake slow in low oven. Serve with Fulkerson's DeChaunac wine.

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New York Wine Cork
217 Glen Street, Glens Falls NY 12801
(518) 743-WINE
nywine@earthlink.net
We open at 11:00am Tuesday - Saturday
Copyright © 2000-2008 Richard & Margot Cirino - All rights reserved.
Updated Sunday, June 15, 2008