With the holiday entertaining season on its way, we asked Sean McAdam, manager of Everything Wine on Marine Drive in North Vancouver, for a few tips.
North Shore News: For people who do not regularly drink wine, how should they prepare for guests who do like wine?
Sean McAdam: It's best to keep it simple and stick with well-known grape varieties such as Pinot Gris and Sauv Blanc for whites, and Cabernets, Merlots or Shiraz for reds. Blends can also be fantastic because they are generally easy drinking, appeal to most people's likes in a wine, and can be enjoyed with food or on their own.
NSN: Is expensive necessarily better when bringing a bottle of wine as a host or hostess gift?
Sean McAdam: Expensive wines don't always translate into better wine. Most "expensive wines" are made to age for a period of time and may be too young to enjoy at a dinner party unless the wine is already an older vintage to begin with when purchased. It's better to stick with great value wines (ones that taste fabulous, are ready to drink now and don't hurt the wallet). You can find plenty of these wines in the $15-35 range from Spain, South America and even Australia.
NSN: What are some basic guidelines for serving wine at a dinner party?
Sean McAdam: Generally you'd start the evening with lighter style wines, and work through to medium and fuller-bodied wines as the evening progresses. Many people like to start with a bubble such as a Prosecco (a light, dry Italian sparkling), or a white wine with appies, and shift to reds once the entrees reach the table. You want to try to match the characteristics of the wine with the food being served i.e. you don't want the wines to overpower the food and vice versa. The wine should complement the food. Try to keep rich wines with richer foods, spicy reds with spicy foods and so on.
NSN: How many bottles of wine should a host buy if they are expecting between five and 10 guests?
Sean McAdam: Of course this always depends on your guests, but my general guideline is to have enough wine on hand to serve a half bottle per guest.
NSN: Should all wines be chilled before serving? What is the best way to keep bottles chilled for guests?
SM: Not all wines need to be chilled before serving. However, no wines should be served too warm. Whites should be served colder than reds, but be careful not to over-chill the
whites either. If it's too cold, less fruit and fewer characteristics of the wine will show. I prefer to have my reds just slightly chilled, a couple of degrees below room temperature, especially a lighter style red such as a Pinot Noir. If my house is too warm due to the weather or the oven, I may throw my wine in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Once on the table, I like to put my whites in an ice bucket, and my reds on the ice rather than in the ice.
NSN: What are some of your picks for wines that would work well as a gift for a host?
Sean McAdam: I like to pick out wines that are drinking beautifully, aren't too expensive, and have great packaging: ¦ Vina Cobos Felino Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina) $22 ¦ Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia) $29 ¦ Alta Vista Malbec (Argentina) $25 ¦ Grewacke Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) $30 NSN: What are some of your picks for wine to serve at a holiday gathering?
Sean McAdam: As the holidays approach, so does the colder weather and that generally means many people switch to heartwarming reds and away from whites, but Chardonnays, Viogniers and Gewurztaminers are also great holiday food wines.
¦ Arboleda Chardonnay (Chile) $22 ¦ Stoneboat Vineyards "Chorus" (B.C.) $22 ¦ Dopff and Irion Gewurztaminer (France) $24 ¦ The Forager Pinot Noir (U.S.) $35
