Wine Press: 5 classic ‘starter wines’ to serve before a meal – MassLive.com
Since this year only recently started, I thought now might be a great time to talk about starter wines.
These are the wines people normally serve before a meal. Think of these wines like the snacks that hosts often put out for guests when they first arrive – a bowl of nuts or a cheese plate of wines.
The snacks you’re serving can also an important consideration on what starter wine you open. But, in general, you can’t go wrong with these five, classic pre-meal wines no matter what snacks you set out before a meal.
The one exception might be fresh oysters. In this particular case, I strongly recommend serving Champagne or another sparkling wine. And please send me an invitation. I like your style.
And one more thing. If you’re worried about serving too much wine before and during the meal, fear not. No one says you have to finish your pre-meal wine. You can put the rest away for the next day or the day after.
Another option is serving a half bottle of wine before dinner, especially when it comes to sparkling wine. These wines often lose their tiny bubbles after only a few hours.
Let me add that a half bottle of sparkling wine is perfect for two to four people. If you’re inviting more people, simply get a full, standard bottle (750 milliliters) of sparkling wine or any of the other wines listed below. Trust me. Your guests will thank you.
Hope you enjoy.
Champagne or sparkling wine:
When in doubt, you can never go wrong with sparkling wine, especially Champagne from France, Cava from Spain and Prosecco from Italy. It tastes great with everything, from oysters to cheese, smoked salmon to sliced meats and chocolate. Sparkling wine always puts people in a great mood. And, again, if you’re worried about serving too much wine, simply buy a half bottle chilled to about 40 degrees;
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