Archive for May, 2011
Around the world in 12 months: Germany
Stop # 2 on our travels to the world’s great wine regions is Germany, where we’ll visit the Rhine and Moselle river valleys.
These beautiful valleys are home to the majority of the world’s growers of Riesling, considered, together with Chardonnay, the premo white wine grapes.
What makes this storybook German landscape ideal for vineyards also makes it ideal for tourists. You can travel the winding roads linking picturesque villages by car, bike or on foot. Or, my favorite, via barge down the river valleys.
Along the way you’ll discover some of the world’s most spectacular vineyard settings. These hillsides are so incredibly steep it’s a miracle that the grape pickers can keep their balance.
In the past Americans have shied away from Riesling wines because of the misperception that all Rieslings were ultra sweet. In truth, Rieslings range from sweet to fruity to dry. Today Rieslings are fast becoming one of the world’s most popular white wines, and one reason is that these light wines are friendly with so many kinds of foods. They go with dishes on the lighter side, like seafood, and just as easily pair with heavier items like roast chicken and baked ham. Rieslings also go beautifully with international cuisine: Asian, Mexican, Middle Eastern and American Cajun.
While Riesling labels can be confusing, they are worth figuring out. If you’re interested in learning more, visit this site: German Wines.
Though I probably drink more Chardonnays than anything, I’d opt for a Riesling stash if I was headed for a desert island.
Check out the first stop in our wine travels, a visit to Spain.
Kind regards,
John Davis, founder, Wine Insiders
Cooking easy . . .
Dear Wine Insiders,
I’m becoming a more confident in the kitchen. (Several previous blogs, here, here and here explained how I recently took up cooking.) Despite my wife’s urging, I have yet to take a cooking course, preferring to trust my gut, which I’m happy to say has somewhat ebbed, apparently the result of more cardio, fruits and veggies.
I’d like to continue to share some recipes, which are delicious, go well with wine and equally importantly, there are fairly “idiot-proof.” I’m not afraid to screw up; I just don’t want to do it too often.
Here is one I can rely on – fast and easy. I found it on Allrecipes.com.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken – 15 minutes prep time and 15 minutes cook time. Serves two.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup water 2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup sherry, or chicken broth ½ teaspoon ground ginger
(I’ve never used sherry)
¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 (6 ounces) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Directions:
- In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the chicken. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook for one minute. Cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.
Easy enough. With most grilled foods, including hearty seafood, I’ll pair this with a slightly chilled red wine, usually Pinot Noir or Merlot. You may want to cut up the chicken into several pieces to provide more surface area for the Teriyaki marinade.
More to come.
Kind regards,
John Davis, founder, Wine Insiders
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