Tasting Wine and Cheese : An Insider’s Guide to Mastering the Principles of Pairing

Broaden your palate and enhance your appreciation for amazingly flavorful combinations with Tasting Wine and Cheese! Is there anything better than a great wine and cheese pairing? For some, it can be challenging. The good news? Creating a combination that makes your mouth sing is easier than you might think! Based on the curriculum developed teaching over 1,000 classes, seminars and other private and corporate events, professional wine and cheese educator Adam Centamore guides you through the amazing world of flavor pairing with an emphasis on understanding and developing your own palate and preferences. Tasting Wine and Cheese explains how to taste, evaluate and appreciate wine and cheese, helping you learn how 'taste' works, how to think about food and wine in general, and how to bring them together in combinations that will bring a smile to your face! But, learning is only half the fun. Tasting Wine and Cheese accompanies you on a tasty safari into pairing principles through individual chapters that highlight wines and the cheeses that love them. Each chapter (sparkling, white, red and dessert/fortified) presents individual wine types in a clear, informative way that is at once an excellent reference and entertaining. Simply look up the grape you're drinking that night, and a wealth of pairing information is at your fingertips. There's even a chapter on using condiments in your pairings to add another layer of flavor to your combinations. Whether you're looking to broaden your appreciation for gourmet combinations or simply looking for wine& cheese ideas for your next party, you'll find everything that you need in this comprehensive and approachable guide. "Adam Centamore is a master at making the perfect wine and cheese match. The interactive pairing workshop he teaches is one of our most popular Wine School classes ever." - Jonathan Alsop, founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School and author of Wine Lover's Devotional: 365 Days of Knowledge, Advice, and Lore for the Ardent Aficionado "Wine and cheese pairings decoded! In Tasting Wine and Cheese, Adam employs the same approach in this book as he does his classes - comprehensive, fun and filled with practical information for anyone interested in the enjoyment of food. The result is a pairing of its own as both a solid primer and a worthwhile reference for your future wine and cheese pairing adventures." - Tim Bucciarelli - Manager, Formaggio Kitchen Cover Title Dedication Contents Foreword 1 THE BASICS OF TASTING What Is Taste? How Taste Works What Is Flavor? The Nose: The Greatest Taster of All How to Taste How to Taste Wine Getting to Know Cheese A Final Thought 2 THE BASICS OF PAIRING How to Think about Pairing General Guidelines for Pairing Most Importantly . . . A Final Thought 3 SPARKLING WINES The Basics of Sparkling Wines Pairing with Cheese Cava Champagne Crémant Lambrusco Moscato Prosecco Sekt 4 WHITE WINES The Basics of White Wine Pairing with Cheese Albariño Assyrtiko Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Gewürztraminer Grüner Veltliner Muscat Pinot Grigio Riesling Sauvignon Blanc Torrontés Txakolina Trebbiano Verdicchio Viognier Oaked Wines 5 RED WINES The Basics of Red Wine Pairing Light- to Medium- Tannin Red Wines with Cheese Barbera Cabernet Franc Frappato Gamay Grenache/Garnacha Merlot Pinot Noir Zweigelt Pairing Medium- to Heavy- Tannin Red Wines with Cheese Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Nebbiolo Pinotage Primitivo Sangiovese Syrah/Shiraz Petite Sirah Zinfandel A Note on Rosé Wines 6 DESSERT AND FORTIFIED WINES The Basics of Dessert and Fortified Wines Pairing with Cheese Brachetto Ice Wine Madeira Port Sauternes Sherry Vin Doux Naturel Vin Santo 7 CONDIMENTS The Basics of Condiments Some Classic Combinations A Final Thought Tips and Tricks About the Author Acknowledgments Index Broaden your palate and enhance your appreciation for gourmet flavor combinations with Tasting Wine and Cheese. Is there anything better than a great wine and cheese pairing? You might enjoy a robust cabernet with the sharp, aged cheddar, or perhaps a crisp Sancerre with a tangy, creamy chevre. Based on the curriculum Adam Centamore developed teaching at Formaggio Kitchen and the Boston Wine School, Tasting Wine and Cheese guides you through the world of flavor pairing with an emphasis on understanding and developing your own palate. Maitre d 'Fromage Adam Centamore teaches you how to first taste wines and cheeses separately, allowing you to understand the complex profiles of reds, whites, aged, and fresh. But wading through these waters is only half the battle. Tasting Wine and Cheese takes you on a journey through pairings of cheeses with white, red, sparkling, and dessert wines. There is even a section to help you pair condiments with your wine and cheese. Whether you're looking to broaden your appreciation for gourmet combinations or simply looking for a menu to host a party, you'll find everything that you need in this comprehensive guide "Tasting Wine and Cheese explains how to taste, evaluate and appreciate wine and cheese, helping you learn how 'taste' works, how to think about food and wine in general, and how to bring them together in combinations that will bring a smile to your face! But, learning is only half the fun. Tasting Wine and Cheese accompanies you on a tasty safari into pairing principles through individual chapters that highlight wines and the cheeses that love them. Each chapter (sparkling, white, red and dessert/fortified) presents individual wine types in a clear, informative way that is at once an excellent reference and entertaining. Simply look up the grape you're drinking that night, and a wealth of pairing information is at your fingertips. There's even a chapter on using condiments in your pairings to add another layer of flavor to your combinations"--Amazon.com