The Big Cheese

     Although this blog is primarily about wine & music, I wanted to write a post about wine and cheese pairing. Mainly for myself, since I often still get confused about what goes with what, but I also thought it would be of interest to some of my readers. For consistency, I will also include some new songs at the end of the blog to try with any of the listed wine and cheese pairings.

     It is important to note that wine & cheese taste different to everyone. Moreover, cheese that may appeal to me might not appeal to the next person. Ultimately, these pairings are just suggestions but some of the "rules" I hope to extract from a reputable wine guide. Hugh Johnson's 2012 Pocket Wine Book will be one of my references. It is a great read (I have mentioned it before) and super handy. It was only $9 on Amazon and shipped for free. I highly suggest it to anyone (over the age of 21, obviously) who is interested in learning more about wine.

     Source: drfrankwines.com

     According to the wine book, white wine pairs the best with cheese. Red wines, on the other hand, go best with hearty, meaty, spicy main course meals. Not to be confused with sparkling wine, white wine goes with chicken, seafood, and pasta dishes. Contrary to popular belief, white table wine is not the best to serve before a meal, according to Hugh Johnson, as it comes second to sparkling wine.

    To note about wine & cheese pairings: stick to cheese and wine that are from the same region; harder cheeses (cheddar) can handle more tannic (dry, bitter) wines; creamy cheeses (Brie) pair well with acidic (tart) wines (Chardonnay).  Here are a few examples:

    Cheese: Cheddar, Goat, Swiss
    Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon

    Cheese: Cheddar, Gouda, Parmesan, Jarlsberg
     Wine: Merlot

     Cheese: Reisling
     Wine: Blue, Colby, Gouda, Monetary Jack

     Cheese: Zinfandel
     Wine: Blue, Feta, Goat
   

    Interesting notes from Hugh Johnson (2012):
      -avoid peanuts, they ruin the taste of any wine.
      -olives are too piquant for most wines- use Sherry or a Martini when serving olives.
      -cashews, almods, pistachios, & walnuts are great nut varieties to serve with wine before a meal.

Wine terms to know (because we all want to know how to talk about wine:
tannin: tannins are found in grape skins & during the aging process, fuse with oak to create a woody taste. tannins are excellent antioxidants. tannins cause a dry, bitter, puckery sensation. Red wines typically have tannins while whites do not. tannins provide the color of red wines.
acidity: 3 types of acids in wine: artaric acid, malic acid, lactic acid and citric acid. acid gives wine a slightly tart & sour taste. bright red wines have more acidity, dark purple has less.
decanting: exposing the wine to air (letting it "breath"- an important first step to wine tasting).
swirl: stirring the wine to unleash the aromas of the wine (90% of our taste comes from smell).
balance: when no single flavor overpowers another.
body: when a wine tastes very bold & full.
finish: how long the taste of the wine lingers in your mouth.
legs: how slowly wine seeps down the side of a glass after swirled (the slower the more alcohol).

     As promised here are a couple of great wine-sipping tunes:

1. Breathe- Telepopmusik
2. Kiss the Sky- Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra

*source: http://antiwinesnob.com/wine-articles/whats-the-difference-between-tannins-and-acidity/

*source: http://www.winemcgee.com/blog/2010/01/22/5-wine-terms-everyone-should-know/

*source: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/wine-definitions

*source: http://wine.about.com/od/servingwines/a/wineandcheese.htm

Songs For The Soul

    “Yoga teaches you how to age gracefully just like a great bottle of wine ages gracefully."

-David Romanelli

     
     Along with juicing and a new-found interest for meditation at night- I love yoga and practice it regularly. As with wine tasting, music plays an instrumental part in my yoga experience. I attend class but will happily set up a home yoga room when I do not have time for class. I have included a list of songs that would be/are wonderful additions to a home yoga workout. In fact, I am finding that yoga and wine make a great combination. Here is a link about yoga and wine. Interesting read. A New York Times article also discussed yoga and wine combination retreats. Yoga and wine-making are both aged practices and have been around for centuries- no wonder they are both awesome. 

1. My Friend- Groove Armada (for power yoga moves and/or vinyasa)

2. Into Dust- Mazzy Star (for those meditative positions) 

3. Alternate Thursday-Platonic (for warm-up yoga stretches) 

4. Obsession- The Un-Calculated Some (for breathing exercises) 

5. Exzebache- Tommy Guerrero (for those hard standing poses)

6. The Hop- Radio Citizen (for any pose- it's an AWESOME song)

7. Throw It All Away- Zero 7 (for those deep stretch poses)

8. Ghostwriter- RJD2 (for harder, detailed poses) 

 Tree- one of my favorite poses.

What's Music Got to Do With It?

    I consider myself an open-minded person. I have my own beliefs but I am always interested in learning about new ways, techniques, thought processes, and ideas. I also believe that almost everything in life has two sides to it, you either believe it or you do not. I have found that you can almost always find research to support either way.

   As for this post, I tend to agree with the study I will share. Music impacts me in many different ways. When I was an athlete in high school, I listened to hard, rap music before every basketball game (I know, shocker). When I am taking a bubble bath and wanting to unwind, I listen to albums by artists like Zero 7. When I take a run outside, I jam to Coldplay, etc. etc. My point is, at least for me, music changes my mood and accompanies me differently depending on the activity. Hence, I am a firm believer that music has an affect on...well...everything. Below is an article about how it affects the taste of wine:

 The British Journal of Psychology recently came out with a study (September 7, 2011 to be exact) that found that people described the taste of wine based on an emotional connotation of background music that played while they drank it. For example, while listening to the song "Slow Breakdown" by Michael Brook, they described the wine to be "mellow" and "soft". I typically do not take research seriously unless it is from a reputable source (thank you, graduate school) so when I came across this study I was impressed. The British Journal of Criminology is a reputable journal and one that I am very familiar with. Auditory stimuli, according to the article, may influence other modalities, causing the taste of wine to be perceived differently. Here is the PDF for those interested to read more. It is interesting to see which songs the study used and how participants described the wine during each song. Maybe I should try a home experiment?

source: winedigs.com

   As future research continues to explore this new phenomena, the wine and music industry could change as we know it. Now, how much fun would that be? Fun. Very fun.

Reuse, Recycle

     My graduate studies are centered on sustainability and while it is an ever-changing, environmental-loving field...it has definitely altered my (buying/consuming/eating) lifestyle and the way I look at, well, everything. Another new hobby of mine is to reuse materials and turn them into crafts. Since this blog is centered on wine and music, anytime I make a craft with one or the other, I will share.

     Below is a picture of three wine bottles I reused for table top decorations. My apartment is a rustic theme with maroons, burnt oranges, browns, creams, and forest greens. These bottles literally are the kaleidoscope of my color scheme. I thought I would also include a brief description of each for fun.

     From left to right they are:

7 Deadly Zins is a Lodi Appellation 2008 Zinfandel. I like this brand, especially because I am in the process of becoming a red wine drinker. 7 old vine Zins are combined to create a smooth, spicy taste.

Aconga is a 2009 Chenin Blanc-Chardonnay, so it is sweet. It is from Argentina and has melon & citrus fruit aromas. Apple flavors stand out and the wine has a smooth finish. Pairs with chicken (many whites do).

Sterling Vinter's Collection is a 2009 Central Coast Pinot Grigio. I am not a fan of Pinot Grigio but I thought I would give this one a try. The bottle says the wine has kiwi and golden apple flavors but I do not recall them. This wine pairs well with chicken, seafood, and sushi (my favorite).

     So, the next time you finish off a bottle of wine, think about reusing it for a craft or decoration. I will have more to come on wine crafts. My roommate and I have collected numerous bottles, 17 to be exact.

     Old music magazines can be remade into a bowl. It is extremely functional. In fact, I keep it in my bathroom and put all of my bracelets in it. Cut Out & Keep is a great website that gives step by step instructions on how to make these.

Music for Life

    I listen to music every single day. Clearly. If not, this blog wouldn't be dynamic and that wouldn't be fun.

    Depending on the day, my preferences change (i.e working out, running, relaxing, etc.) but there are five songs that I consistently listen to no matter my mood or activity. I would consider these to be some of my favorite songs OF ALL TIME. That is a pretty bold statement but I stand by it. I listen to these songs mainly at night and of course paired with wine. If you are looking for a playlist to listen to while you sip away (I have included the Youtube link), try this one:

1. "A Walk" Tycho (when you just want to close your eyes & relax)
2. "Love Love Love" Of Monsters of Men (when you want that raspy, soft female vocal)
3. "I'm Good I'm Gone" Lykke Li (when you feel a little sassy)
4. "How I Feel" Wax Tailor (mentioned this before but it's that good)
5. "Hayling" FC Kahuna (soothing, hypnotizing beats)

   In my opinion, this playlist goes well with red-wine-kinda nights. In particular, I enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon during these songs, mainly because it has an earthy, woody taste. A favorite winery of mine that makes a great Cab is Two Vines. Specifically, the 2009 Columbia Crest. Smooth finish. I had this the other night and was impressed. It is sold in Kroger and relatively inexpensive (I live on a college budget).

   Additionally, I have compiled a playlist that is wonderful to listen to while cooking. I believe that a good cooking playlist is essential and should always accompany a few hours in the kitchen. Below are some songs that get me in the mood to cook:

1. "Bistro Fada" Stephane Wrembel  (when you are making spaghetti)
2. "Quelqu'un m'a dit" Carla Bruni" (because we all love to cook to French music, right?)
3. "Feeling Good" Michael Buble  (when you want a strong male vocal, pump up song)
4. "Andare" Ludovico Einaudi" (classical and wonderful)
5. "Ketto" Bonobo (when you do not want vocals, just a beat)

   The first song, "Bistro Fada", is from the soundtrack, "Midnight in Paris".  It creates a French escape, something many of us day dream about from time to time.

                                                                        source:soundtrack.net

   Along with the songs, I am fond of this album because of the cover photo. Little known fact about me, I love "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh. In fact, he is my favorite artist and therefore anything that incorporates the painting is an instant winner in my book. Give me a glass of wine, a good song, and walls painted in a Starry Night scene and I am in heaven on earth.