White wine? It’s cold outside!
White wine? It’s cold outside!
The next time a friend raises an eyebrow when you serve white wine in front of the fireplace say, “It’s Duetto.” Allegretto’s Duetto, to be precise, another prize from the Allegretto Vineyard collection of award winning Paso Robles estate wines.
Pairing wines to seasons is becoming as old-hat as limiting red wine to beef and white wine to fish. Allegretto Vineyard is leading the charge into eliminating seasons for wine with their Duetto White blend of Vermentino and Viognier. This white wine’s fall notes of cardamom and maple make it perfect for balancing with a rich winter stew and warm biscuits, or any other cold day comfort food. Wine enthusiasts are shedding the old seasonal and food pairing restrictions in favor of more personal and adventurous taste experiences.
Who knows how the seasonal traditions got started. Maybe because those old-world castles were just too cold from October to May and the lords and ladies wanted deeper red wine to warm their blood? The truth is, some people have been enjoying white wine for the entire year, even with steak and when outside temperatures are near freezing. Now, those former renegades can stop hiding in their wine cellars and take their places as pioneers in the wine world. The Duetto from Allegretto’s award winning Paso Robles estate wine offerings is a good choice to start with.
Think about it. Do you only eat chocolate on Valentine’s, drink champagne on New Year’s Eve, and who hasn’t enjoyed an ice-cold beer in December? Admit it. You have enjoyed a glass of red wine with a chicken dinner. Why? Because the herbs and oil roasted into the chicken combined with those sips of red wine set off a special flavor experience you crave, again and again. It’s no different for enjoying white wine when there is frost on the ground.
Actually, white wine is not supposed to be consumed straight out of the fridge at its coldest. The best temperature for serving white wine is between 49-55°F. If it has been stored in the fridge, giving it 30 minutes on the counter before pouring opens the aroma and flavor and adds an interesting body to support heavier cold-weather meals.
More reason to enjoy white wine any time of the year; the popular medical advice website, Web M.D. says that white wine might be even better for health than red wine:
White wine is full of phenolic compounds, which are antioxidants.
Moderate consumption of white wine helps heart and artery function.
A little glass of white wine may be helping you stay slim.
Sipping crisp wine with a meal can add lighter flavor undertones to the richer food we tend to consume in cold weather. Try a glass of Alegretto’s Duetto with roasted rabbit and red potatoes or a good old-fashioned homemade meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes. When the days warm up, enjoy Duetto with a smoked salmon salad and crusty French bread. Take a bottle to a holiday party and lead your friends on a new winter wine adventure.
Allegretto Duetto is only available from the Allegretto Vineyard and Wines or the Allegretto Resort Cello Restorante and Bar. The Duetto is one of the featured wines on the tasting room’s wine menu. The Allegretto Vineyard and Wines tasting room is located at 2700 Buena Vista Drive in Paso Robles, CA 93446. Give us a call at (805) 369-2526.