By Neil Crain

At our house wine means it is time for dinner.  We almost always have wine with our evening meal.  As a practical matter that means that we tend to buy and drink wine that pairs well with food.  For many dishes that requires a wine that does not overpower you or your food with oak or alcohol.  Food also benefits from a wine with acid.  The acid prepares the palate for food and balances fat in the food.

These are characteristics that are found in wines from Europe, British Columbia, New Zealand and wines from the US that are “old world style”.  Many wines from the US, Australia, and some from Argentina and Chile are made with a much more fruit forward style.  The warm climates where the grapes are grown produce a wine that can be high in alcohol and often lacking in the acid required to pair well with food.  But, these wines still have great merit.  This past Sunday, we had a great day in Austin.  The weather was terrific and we got a lot done in the garden and in the kitchen.  As the sun started to set we opened a bottle of Chateau St Jean Fume Blanc Sonoma County 2004. Just the name sends purist heading for their Poly Fume and some squab.  But this wine was just the ticket.  The wine’s melon, pear and smooth oak went great with the beautiful afternoon, the sense of a day well spent and the company.  At WineEnabler.com we refer to these as C&C wines-Cocktail and Contemplation wines.  These are typically big wines, wines with an attitude that command your attention.  C&C wines that do not always leave room for food but they do leave plenty of room for enjoyment, and isn’t that what wine drinking is all about.

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