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Friday Night ... Pizza and Wine
Congratulations! Over the past five years the average annual consumption of wine per capita in Canada has grown by 3.8% to about 12 litres. Well, this number is still not anywhere close to the 85 litres of beer per capita that Canadians drink on average every year, but at the same time beer consumption has not gained a bigger audience over the past 5 years. It seems that more and more people discover what wine has to offer, be it health related or just for plain enjoyment. You will notice that restaurants are very aware of this trend and try to offer popular wines and ìnew discoveriesî to keep their valued customers coming back. Now, with the new BYOW rule in place, the restaurant patron has an opportunity to contribute to this diversity of wines by purchasing that ìspecialî bottle before enjoying dinner at their favourite restaurant. Everybody knows that wine is very integrated in the European cultures, but it seems that for us there are still too many ìrulesî, ìmythsî and ìcodes of conductî when it comes to the enjoyment of this fabulous beverage. Just like beer, wine can be enjoyed at any occasion and with a wide range of foods. One of my favourite ways to enjoy wine is on a Friday night with Pizza. A great crust with a nice selection of toppings is light enough to let the wine stand out and not be overpowered by the meal.
Ontario wines can be characterized as ìfruit-forwardî; meaning that on the nose and palate you will predominantly find aromas of citrus, apple, gooseberry, etc. in white wines and current, cherry, etc. in the red wines. Another characteristic is their beautifully balanced acidity, which makes them more elegant and easy to pair with food.
Here are some suggestions for an enjoyable pizza dinner on a Friday night (other days are optional):
White Wines
Chardonnay ñ this ever popular grape produces two main types of wines. When aged in oak barrels it can develop toasty and buttery flavours that are a great match with the most popular pizza topping ñ cheese. Chardonnay is also produced in a more ìfruit forwardî style when it is aged in stainless steel. These Chablis style wines are higher in acid and are a great match for the pineapple on a Hawaiian pizza. There are lots of great Unoaked Chardonnays to chose from in Ontario.
Pinot Grigio ñ a fantastic food wine that displays characters of apple, sometimes melon with a great fresh tartness on the palate. These wines are made for more zesty pizza toppings, such as pepperoni or even proscuitto. This wine is a must for every Italian pizzeria. Sipping this wine by itself makes me hungry ñ what better wine to have on a wine list.
Sauvignon Blanc ñ this grape has gained in popularity through its great performance in New Zealand, but watch out; there are some fantastic Niagara versions. The high acidity and its tropical fruit characters that are spiced with a little bit of a green herbal characteristic make a great match for spicy pizzas and will cut through any rich cheese.
Red Wines
Gamay ñ this grape produces lighter red wines such as the famous wines from Beaujolais in France, but you will find that Canada has to offer some great wines made from the same grape. Again some acidity from this wine helps with the cheese and tomatoes and the light fruity flavours of this wine wonít overshadow some of the lighter pizza toppings, such as chicken or salmon.
Pinot Noir ñ this is one of the most intriguing grapes. Very popular in the Burgundy region of France, but you will find that a lot of winemakers world wide are trying to master this grape. Look for some stunning Ontario examples. At its finest Pinot Noir will offer an herbal and floral aroma with flavours of red berry or cherry. Its light texture and its earthiness make this wine the perfect match for fresh tomato, olives and mushrooms.
Cabernet Merlot ñ These blended wines are usually made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and are the preferred blend of the winemakers in Bordeaux, France. In Canada and other wine producing countries this blend is increasing in popularity. Usually medium-bodied with aromas of red fruit, toasted oak barrel, black pepper and other spices this is a wine that is easy to pair with a wide range of foods that include tomatoes, meat, salt and other spices.
I hope this made you hungry and thirstyÖ and donít worryÖ another Friday is just around the corner.
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