Winter is here, and with it comes more than just cold weather. With each season comes a mindset. Suddenly the refreshment that comes with a cold beer on a hot summer day is replaced by the coziness of nice glass of wine at the holiday table. Yes, it is wine season, and Kalamazoo offers some great ways to experience it.
New to Kalamazoo is The Wine Loft at 161 E. Michigan. This downtown wine bar has more than 30 different wines available by the glass. Another wine focused restaurant is the Epic Bistro at 359 S. Burdick. For the casual wine consumer, wine can be a scary thing. There is a certain mystique, and a touch of snobbery, that surrounds it. Demystify it by trying a glass of something you have never had, or heard of, before. Take note of what you like about it, and why? Talk to the bartender or manager about the wines you like, and get some information about the wine, like where it’s from and what food it pairs with. You might be surprised at what you find out about your taste in wine, and you may save yourself a little time the next time you’re picking up a bottle.
One of the most rewarding and fun ways to learn about wine is to buy it at wine focused bottle shops. Introduce yourself to the proprietors and staff and ask them what they like. They are in the business of helping you discover your palate. Let them know what styles you’re familiar with, and why you like them. They can take that information and suggest wines you may never have considered. After drinking it, go back and let them know if you liked it, and why. With this information, they can hone in even more on what you like. This is how you discover your palate. Ask for Saad over at Tiffany’s on West Main, or Sam and Jerre at Salut on Gull Road, or Brian at Bacchus on Oakland.
If you would like to develop your wine knowledge or your palette even more, Kalamazoo has some great wine tasting clubs and events for all levels of wine experience.
The Tasters Guild has a chapter in Kalamazoo that brings together lovers of fine wine and food. The Guild hosts food pairing events, wine judging competitions, and casual tastings. For more information, check go to www.tastersguild.com or call locally at (269) 649-0616.
Food Dance and the Park Club offer regular wine tastings. The next pairings at Food Dance include a Thanksgiving Wine Tasting on November 10th, and an Italian Solstice Wine Tasting on December 17th. Go to www.fooddance.net for more information, or call locally at (269) 382-1888.
For those that would like to see the inner workings of how wine is transformed from grapes, the Kalamazoo area has some great wineries. In fact, in the Orbitz Food & Wine Index, which tracks travel for food and wine related excursions, Kalamazoo was noted as one of the top 10 fastest growing wine regions in America.
The St. Julian Winery, at 716 S. Kalamazoo St. in Paw Paw, offers regular winery tours, and a tasting room open seven days a week. Touring the facility give you a real appreciation for the time and care that it takes to produce that bottle of wine sitting on your dinner table.
Tempo Vino Winery, at 260 E. Michigan downtown, offers a tasting bar for a sampling of their wines. But what makes Tempo Vino really special is that they allow customers to create their own wine, and wine labels. Work with the winemaker on a recipe that fits your tastes, and 6-8 weeks later you can enjoy the finished product of your creation. Visit www.vintnerscellarwinery.com for details, or call locally at (269) 342-9463.
There are all kinds of ways to increase your wine knowledge and enhance your wine experience in Kalamazoo, regardless of your experience with it. There is a saying in the wine world: “The more you know, the less you know.” You could devote your life to the study of wine, and still learn something new everyday. The important thing is that wine drinking should be fun, social, and enjoyably. Kalamazoo has some great places to make your wine experience just that.
Here’s a winter wine tip for the coming holidays: the perfect wine pairing for turkey and ham is Riesling. The slight sweetness in Riesling acts almost like a honey glaze when consumed just after a bite of succulent meat. Additionally, while the sweetness masks it, the acidity levels in Rieslings can actually be quite high. This acidity is what makes your mouth salivate, and enhances the flavor of the food you eat.
No comments:
Post a Comment