The rule "Red wine for meat" is losing its relevance. Current trends are encouraging experimentation. World-renowned sommeliers say: "Choose the wine you like and the food you love, and you won't go wrong." However, the success of a successful dinner depends on the correct combination of wine and snacks, which means that it is necessary to turn to the basics of the correct use of wine.
When you are going to serve red semi-sweet wine to the table, you need to remember about the balance of tastes. This means that the taste of food should not prevail over the taste of wine and vice versa. Since the taste of food changes the perception of aroma and taste of drinks, the wine can taste differently. As a general rule, light wines are combined with light snacks, and rich ones - with heavy, fatty foods. But also remember the rule of attraction for opposites. For example, semi-sweet and sweet wines go well with spicy dishes: they soften the sensation of heat and bitterness. Wine, when combined with food, also often takes on the role of a spice. If you choose the right combination, then this drink is able to reveal the most subtle nuances of the taste of the dish.
Red semi-sweet wine is served chilled to 16-18 degrees. Unlike dry, semi-dry and sweet dessert wines, semi-sweet wines are never diluted with boiling water. This will spoil its taste.
Cheese
Mild cheeses such as mozzarella or medium-aged cheddar go well with complex, semi-sweet red wines such as Pinot Noir. Semi-hard cheeses (Cheddar, Gouda) complement the taste of moderate semi-sweet wines such as Merlot, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Wines with a rich fruity bouquet, for example, Cabernet Savignon and Zinfandel, are usually served with spicy cheeses such as Golden Blue, aged Cheddar and herbal cheeses.
Fruits
Everything is simple here. Semi-sweet red wine goes well with any fruit desserts, be it fresh or candied fruit, fruit mousse or chutney. The main thing is that the taste of the dishes is a little sweeter than wine.
Salad
Semi-sweet red wines go well with almost all vegetable salads. But there is one important rule: never use vinegar in your salad dressing if you plan on serving this type of wine. Vinegar literally kills the taste and aroma of the drink. This applies to all types of vinegar: apple cider, balsamic and classic. A good option would be a salad that includes cauliflower, artichoke, or mushrooms.
Crabs, crayfish and oysters, despite the generally accepted opinion that only white wines are suitable for seafood, can act as an appetizer for semi-sweet red wines.
Soups
The balanced velvety berry flavor of "Riesling" well sets off the pungency of rich Thai and Japanese soups. It will soften the bright taste of the spices and reduce the heat. Also cream-based cream soups are suitable for semi-sweet red wine.
Meat and game
If you are a fan of good steak or steak, then semisweet wines are not for you. But poultry is ideal for such wines as Pinot Noir, Australian Shiraz, Merlot, which set off the earthy taste of white poultry meat.
