Spring is a terrific time to go outside to enjoy celebrations and food festivals. While spring brings several fresh ingredients to the dishes and menus, it always brings to a glass of white wine to make the mouth watering and turn the thoughts to food.
Normally, food and wine raise people’s mood and contribute to the success of any social event. In this spring time, white wines are the good beverage. White wines can be with fresh vegetable and fruits, red meats, spicy chilies heat meal, or the sweet desserts on a holiday feast in spring.
Usually, white wines have average levels of alcohol: usually 12 to 13.5 percent so the celebration in spring would not be too far like the heavy new year party or other heavy drunken party.
It is also nourished in polyphenols as much as red wines. So it would be able to prevent atherosclerosis. According to a French study, 500 ml doses of white wine taking daily is equivalent to about 2 glasses of red wine per meal for humans. This means that white wine would have the same qualification as red wine on decreasing plasma cholesterol and confining the aortic fatty streaks development.
Now there are varieties of white wine that accompany different foods:
- Sauvignon Blanc: It is the dry, crisp wine with the herbaceous, grassy nose characteristic. Its flavors of citrus, vanilla, and melon can complement almost any spring menu.
- Riesling: According to Todd Hess, the wine director for Sam’s Wines & Spirits in Chicago, Riesling is one of the most underrated white wine grapes. It deserves to be more widely known for its lively acidity and great food affinity. The wine's fruity aromas and flavors, such as green apple, peach and apricot, are balanced by a touch of spiciness. Enjoy this wine with a leftover Easter ham sandwich with spicy mustard, roast pork and pineapple chutney, stir-fried snow peas with spicy shrimp, or a soft-shell crab sandwich topped with roasted red pepper aioli
- Pinot Grigio/Gris: Few wines are as refreshing, affordable and versatile as Pinot Grigio. This light-bodied white makes delicate seafood sing, but is just at home served with fuller, spicier fare. Pinot Grigio from Italy has tart flavors of lemon/lime; while French and American versions called Pinot Gris (the same grape variety) sport exotic melon and peach notes. Enjoy the wine with Pinot Grigio/Gris and prosciutto and melon, smoked salmon, hazelnuts whole or chopped and tossed on chicken salad, mushroom and scallop risotto, or fettuccini Alfredo with shrimp and peas.
- Chardonnay: It is for the lovers of California style. Its mouth-filling melon and pink grapefruit flavors are brisk enough to pair well with a smoked pork loin garnished with a mild grilled corn, green chile and lime salsa or a chicken quesadilla -- both perfect spring supper dishes.