The laid-back, ‘que sera, sera’ café lifestyle of Italy can teach us many things about how to enjoy life. But perhaps one of the most important rules is not to fuss, and do what makes us happy. And that applies doubly to picking your next bottle of wine…
Doris Day got it right when she sang, “Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to see. Que sera, sera…” That was 70 years ago, in the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much. But it’s as true now as it ever was. So many aspects of our lives today are controlled by others that we have little opportunity to exercise our much-cherished free will. Especially when choosing what we eat and drink.
At the same time, there are huge food companies out there – not t0 mention social media – which are trying to influence our food and beverage decisions – not necessarily in our best interests.
A simple question
So it’s all the better when someone like lifestyle writer Nicole MacKay speaks out, encouraging us to assert ourselves.
MacKay begins her dissertation on stress-free living asking the simple question: “What if the goal of wine with dinner wasn’t finding the perfect bottle, but finding one that makes you want to keep eat-ing and chatting?”
In those few, well-chosen words, she challenges everything we think we know about choosing the food and drink we consume. And gets us thinking about how the concept could apply in others as-pects of our lives…
The crux of the matter
“That small mindset shift is at the crux of how people drink wine across the Mediterranean,” MacKay points out. “In Sicily, Greece and coastal Spain, they’re choosing wines that enhance the experience and keep the conversation going. It’s a simple philosophy, and it’s surprisingly easy to borrow.”
MacKay insists, the physical manifestation of that philosophy is not the ‘red or white’ question, nor is it the weight of the wine (red = heavy; white = light). It’s the acidity.
Folks like me, who live in regions where seasonal shifts bring shocking changes in weather, already pay some homage to the ‘weight’ factor, for that reason alone. MacKay says it’s the acidity of a wine that really determines what it should be paired with. Starting with nothing…
A breezy afternoon
The sun is getting closer to the horizon, the breeze is freshening as the heat of the day eases. You’re aware of the natural essences in the air that surrounds you. And the right glass of wine will complete the idyll.
The ‘right’ choice in this setting will be one with light acidity. After all, you’re not tempering the flav-our of the wine with food. Just sitting, sipping and – we hope – smiling. A smoothy, light flowery white – like Riesling or Anjou Blanc would fill the bill nicely.
But add snacks and you’ll want something a little more assertive. Light, sweet foods, or mild cheese and bread cry out for higher level of acidity. Try a Côtes du Rhône or Pino Gris.
Go all-out for Tapas, in the Spanish or Portuguese manner, and you’ll want something even bolder; classic Rioja, Burgundy or Merlot. Depending on the tidbits you choose, you may even want tradit-ional dry Sherry.
And so it goes…
My take
Thousands of ‘wine writers’ have weighed in on the issue of pairing wine with food. Of all such efforts I’ve read, MacKay’s hits the spot for me. It’s a simple. commonsense approach that just works.
But there’s another angle she doesn’t cover. That involves assaying all the wines each of us loves, and considering them – maybe for the first time – in relation to their acidity, as opposed to their many other characteristics and qualities…
I can’t think of a more pleasant, elegant, obliging way to spend a long hot summer!
~ Maggie J.