This evening I decided to have a grilled tuna steak with corn on the cob and sauteed zucchini. Just for fun I thought I would taste a flight of three distinctly different wines to see how they faired with the food.
I had the Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc (a New Zealand white--see following entry), Sideshow–The Barker, which is a Spanish Grenache (a red), and the Vinho Verde--a Portugese white (see entry from a couple nights ago).
The least of the wines–the Grenache and the Vinho Verde–went well with the food and while the Monkey Bay was O.K. it just didn’t really work well.
The Monkey Bay is a big wine with strong character and can stand on its own and make a statement.
The Grenache is a nice wine but somewhat understated and the Vinho Verde–while being my least favorite of the three on their own(and the cheapest)--was actually my preferred wine with the meal.
The Vinho Verde is subtle and gentle allowing the subtle flavors of the Tuna to show through. The Monkey Bay engulfs the delicate Tuna and the Sideshow overshadows it.
So learn from this! That on their own, wines can win you over but pairing them food is another matter. As stated, all three worked to one degree or another, but the Vinho Verde (also the cheapest and simplest)was the best by far.
So remember that the next time you are selecting wine with a meal and then raise a glass!
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