A Bottle Of Red, A Bottle Of White

A Bottle Of Red, A Bottle Of White Restaurants are upgrading their wine programs to offer better by-the-glass pours and half-size bottles. Some challenges remain, like what entree to serve when two wines are required. Wine experts, however, say that problem needs to be viewed with perspective. “Worry first about drinking what you like, worry second about how it matches with food,” said Todd Hess, wine director of Sam’s Wines & Spirits. Restaurants like Drew and Susan Goss of West Town Tavern do follow some rules. Chef Susan Goss stays in the middle food-wise, choosing chicken, fish and pork that can be either red- or white-friendly with a simple change in preparation. And the wines are often blends so that Drew Goss can exploit their versatility. John Arents, general manager and wine director of North Pond restaurant, thinks consumers should begin buying half-bottles for home use. That way each person can have his or her “own” wine, or the white could be served with the first course and the red with the second, he said. Parity of price and quality when purchasing wine for a “split” household is important. “Usually it’s the white wine drinker who gets screwed,” he said. “Guys will buy $70 cabernets for themselves and then buy their wives a $10 pinot grigio.” The color of the wine may have less impact on preference than the degree of sweetness. The biggest taste difference lies between sweet whites and dry whites, he said, not red and whites. What matters, he said, is drinking wine that tastes good to you and has the “oomph” to stand up to whatever you are eating. “Swing” wines can bridge the divide. Just as there are “swing” foods, dishes that work well with either red or white wines, there are “swing” wines, reds and whites that seem to go with nearly everything. http://www.chicagotribune.com