Food and Wine Pairing by sommelier Charlie Arturaola

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Wine anyone? Let us twist your arm...here at Fabulously 50+ we would bet our bottom dollar that our readers are avid foodies or winos and most likely a little of both. So we spoke with one of the World’s most loved and renowned wine experts Charlie Arturaola, Charlie was awarded the prestigious IWSC Wine Communicator of the Year; he is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Italian Sommelier Association, a Chevalier de L’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne and a member of the Confraria do Vinho do Porto. We caught him just before he took off for his Winery tour in Spain for the harvest to promote his new movie “The Duel of Wine” a road show of family wineries in Italy, France and the Basque Country, currently screening at International Film Festivals. Yep he is an wine actor too! (This guy never stops “doing” wine.) We asked him to share with you his techniques for pairing wine and food as our master connoisseur. We hope you enjoy the wine pairing guide and Charlie’s personal tips and advice for enjoying the sensual pleasure that wine brings to our lives and our food!

Charlie’s Wine Tips when pairing wine and food

The scenario: Hors d'oeuvres at home with friends...smoked salmon, genoa salami, prosciutto, petite crackers, and pate champenoise. Not sure what wine to serve with the food? Of course you want your guests to have a great "eno gastro" experience. This small menu calls for rose sparkling (my choice) or Prosecco and leads up to a bold Chardonnay. Perhaps your palate is not up to a sharp crispy bubbly or a round creamy, buttery Chardonnay blend? Below I have given you some guidelines when pairing food and wine!!!

Some Simple Rules

If you have a particular wine in mind for a meal, serve food that complements the wine. No wine should be stronger or bolder than the meal! The rule of thumb here is to look for balance!!

First ask yourself what are the dominant characteristics of the dish or meal! (Ingredients matter!!) Is it mild or flavorful? Is it fatty or lean? Is it rich or acidic? Those are the characteristics to look for in the wine as well so that you can create a balance of the palate and a sensation of bliss.

What the Pros do

Keeping the flavors in balance is a must!

Mild foods - Softer Wines

Such as grilled trout, gazpacho, chicken salad pair with softer wines

Big flavors - Big Tannins

A big, juicy porterhouse steak screams for tannins to balance the richness. Similarly, a spicy stew should be paired with big tannic, acidity driven wines.

Keeping The Palate Clean - Acidity Rules

Tannins and acid cleanse your palate. Meatballs in tomato sauce pairs perfectly with Sangiovese, a high acid grape (Chiantis are made from Sangiovese grapes).

How About Spice - Dry or Semi

What to serve with spicy foods like Indian, Thai, Lebanese, Hunan cuisine and even Dim Sum, one of my faves? Traditionally spicy dishes would be paired with dry or semi dry white wines like Riesling and Gewurztraminer, but I prefer a red wine made from the Sangiovese family like Gamay or Carmenere grapes that can stand up to the spice, not mute it with a touch of sweetness.

Change Up Your Game

Want to have some fun? If your "go to" choice is Chardonnay or Cabernet my advice to you is to expand your horizons and try a new grape! Ask your retailer to recommend a "white" wine (anything but Chardonnay) or a "red" wine (anything but Cabernet)

And if you want to sound like a wine geek you can learn to use words like residual sugar (sweetness) ph (acid level), dosage (sugar added to champagne to define sweetness), peptides (digestive acids) tra la la.......but who wants to sound like a geek, I want to drink like a champ and sound like myself!

Here are some of Charlie Arturaola’s favorite pairings ever!!

Appetizer Peruvian Ceviche paired with a crisp, gingery sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand

Main Dish A duck filled pasta ravioli with Chianti Classico from Tuscany… you will love it! A Veal Chop with sauté shiitake mushrooms with Argentinean Malbec from Mendoza.

Dessert Chocolate and Dulce de Leche eclairs pairing with Port-wine from Portugal, tawny style known for caramel, plum and raisin toasty flavors.

Last Tip Remember the days of pairing fish with white wine and red wines only with meat? Those days are over! Never underestimate the power of Rose wine or Champagne... they are great matches for game, poultry or grilled red meat.

Now that you have some knowledge and inspiration, be bold, be courageous and most of all enjoy! Bon Appetit

You can join the world-renowned Sommelier and Wine Educator Charlie Arturaola on his dream journeys through Spain. As you accompany Charlie, soak up Spain’s fascinating history and legendary culture while you travel from cosmopolitan cities to medieval villages, visit prestigious wineries to enjoy unique wine tastings and even create your own wine in one of them. Experience Michelin star restaurants, visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and stay at luxury 4 and 5 star accommodations. Food and wine are national obsessions in Spain and the breadth of gastronomic experience that awaits you is breathtaking.

Limited availability on a first come, first served basis. Please contact Joy Simeonova at 954-604-1545 or joy@bonvivantjourmeys.com for more details.

Charlie Arturaola dedicates his life to serving, informing, educating and entertaining people about wine; he is an internationally renowned sommelier. Arturaola has worked as a sommelier, a corporate wine director, a teacher, a mentor, an appraiser, a judge, an actor, a speaker and president of his own wine-consulting firm, Grappolo Blu Inc., based in Miami Beach, Florida. Charlie is the star of two films set in the wine world, the Internationally awarded “El Camino del Vino,” a docu-drama, filmed in Mendoza, Argentina and “The Duel of Wine,” a road show of family wineries in Italy, France and Basque Country, currently screening at international film Festivals. Charlie was awarded the prestigious IWSC Wine Communicator of the Year, is an Honorary lifetime member of the Italian Sommelier Association, a Chevalier of L’Ordre des Coteaux des Champagnes and a member of the Confraria dos Vinhos dos Portos. Arturaola is filming a reality tv show, The Wine Guys, based on a real wine importing company; Charlie sources and selects the wines from around he world. Let’s travel with Charlie and learn his great wine stories! More info: Charlieswines.com.