Sasha pairs both of this weeks contest themes (Beef Stew and Mashed Potatoes) with two varieties of Nebbiolo: a 2008 Aldo Rainoldi, and a slightly more pricey 2005 Produttori del Barbaresco. For a 10% discount on these and other wines at Bottlerocketwine.com, enter this promotional code at checkout through the end of February: "52FEB10"
Don't forget to check out Sasha's website, Spin The Bottle, for more great tips on wine.
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Sasha Smith writes about wine and food on her website, spinthebottleny. In her spare time, she is the Executive Director of a New York based media company.
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10 Comments
spinthebottleny
February 5, 2010
Thanks, guys! Happy to see so much love for Nebbiolo and the Barbaresco--plan to polish off the rest of the bottle this evening.
lastnightsdinner
February 4, 2010
We have had that Barbaresco, and oh, man is it good. Great pairing suggestions, Sasha!
mrslarkin
February 4, 2010
Thanks Sasha! Q: what does "medium plus" on tannins and acidity mean?
spinthebottleny
February 4, 2010
Great question! And apologies for being jargony. I think about everything as low/medium/high in terms of tannins, acidity, alcohol, and sugar. So medium-plus puts it somewhere between medium and high. It can be helpful to come up with your own spectrum and way of qualifying these things in wine. Does that help?
mrslarkin
February 5, 2010
Thanks! So, the higher, the better, for tannins and acidity? Or not necessarily?
spinthebottleny
February 6, 2010
Not necessarily. Above all else, the wine needs to be balanced. If the tannins and acidity are high but there's no fruit or depth of flavor, then it'll be like drinking battery acid. If the tannins and acidity are too low, then it'll be like drinking fruit soup. Of course, it also depends on your preference. I like wines with a substantial amount of acidity, but get turned off by very very high tannin levels. I go into this on my blog at http://www.spinthebottleny.com/category/spin-the-basics if you're interested in more detail.
aargersi
February 4, 2010
yum nebbiolo! Would go well with Maria Teresa Jorge's barolo stew! Now I want both - is noon too early for wine?
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