02/01/07 Chili & Wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today is food and wine pairing day. Almost everyone I know enjoys a nice steaming bowl of chili. Lots of us will be serving it at our Super Bowl Party. However, although many of you think a nice cold beer is the only beverage to accompany chili, I disagree. So here you have it, wine and chili are great together and the style of chili dictates to me which wine I select. Some chili has beans, some has meat but no beans. The meats vary from ground beef to big chunks of top sirloin and even chicken. If the chili is rich and spicy with lots of ground beef, tomato, beans, and cumin I recommend Zinfandel for a bigger zesty wine. If the chili is the kind containing lots of top sirloin and a nice smoky sauce without beans try Syrah or a less oaky style of Cabernet Sauvignon. Some ground beef chili has a more sweet tomato paste flavor and is pleasing with Merlot. Many of the newer styles of chili employ chicken as an alternative to red meat and it can be quite delicious with a Chianti. I had a white chili one time made with chicken and white beans it was served with Sauvignon Blanc and I loved it! Then there are the vegetarian chili recipes, usually with lots of different types of beans and the major flavor is chili powder. They are fun with red and white wines. A wine I find tasty with just about any style of chili is a Rose'. When served just slightly chilled it really is pleasing with most all styles of chili. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at Vine to Wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.