 | Dr. John Brewer is a winemaker and owner of Wyldewood Cellars Winery, the largest and most awarded winery in Kansas. Dr. Brewer founded Wyldewood Cellars in 1995. He is a Ph.D. in Physics and applies high-tech principles to wine making, which has helped Wyldewood Cellars win over 120 International awards. Dr. Brewer judges at several International Wine Competitions each year. Dr. Brewer is very active re-establishing a premium wine industry in Kansas. You may contact Dr. Brewer at Wyldewood Cellars Winery, P.O. Box 205, Mulvane, KS 67110, by phone at (316) 554-WINE (9463), or by e-mail at elderwines@aol.com |
Wine & Spirits
2001-12-01 13:57:00
The wine
Question: We are having nearly 50 people for our Christmas dinner this year. We plan on having three kinds of meats, turkey, ham and roast beef. We would like to serve wine. How does one know which type of wine to serve and whether or not it needs to be a heavy and bold wine or a light and crisp wine?
Answer: Unless you know the preferences of your guests, the best suggestion is to have a selection of 3 - 5 wines available. Purchase a dry red, a dry white, a blush wine for use before and with dinner, and a sweet red and sweet white for dessert or after dinner. With your selection of meats and other traditional dishes served at Christmas, you are safe with almost any wine if you have the above selection. Your guests will choose for themselves which wine goes best with what dish, or as a cocktail. The traditional white wine with fish or poultry and red wine with red meat no longer applies. Some helpful hints: If you are going to serve a spicy ham, you should have a spicy wine to go with it. The lighter the dish, the lighter the wine. The heavier the dish, the heavier the wine. The sweeter the dish, the sweeter the wine, etc. People enjoy trying new things, so don't worry about the exact wine. As long as there is a variety of sweetness levels your guests will be pleased to try something new. A really fun idea is to have everyone bring one bottle of their favorite wine. You will be surprised at the selection and variety. Have a great holiday party.
