Regardless of the course topic, food and wine pairing is a subject that comes up frequently in my classes. It seems that many consumers feel completely in the dark when it comes to selecting a wine that will complement their food choice. I find this especially interesting since it is only relatively recent that we, as a nation, have begun turning to wine as a beverage of choice. Many of our citizens still reach for soda, juice or milk when dining and probably never give it a thought.  I can’t imagine someone considering the merits of a lemon-lime soda (white) versus a cola (red?) to pair with their meal.

But, of course, wines can truly accentuate a meal in ways that other beverages can’t. When drinking wine with food, there are changes that occur in the way that the food is perceived on the palate. Similarly, the food influences the way that the wine tastes. When chosen wisely, beautiful harmonies can result. Matches selected with less precision may provide lesser experiences, but few matches are really disastrous. At least not more so than drinking lemonade with an osso bucco or other non-wine mismatch.

So, why does food and wine pairing strike fear in the heart of the consumer (and here, the noun consumer is all the more appropriate)? I would suggest that the mystery, snobbery and structure that surrounds the world of wine places the less-knowledgeable wine lover in a defensive position. He or she has been taught that there is a right way and a wrong way. However, unlike non-wine beverages, there is no admonishment to choose the right one. Thus, anything other than wine comes naturally, while wine choices are fraught with the stress of picking the perfect wine.

Perhaps if the message that there is no one perfect wine for a given situation was sent to consumers more often, they could all relax a bit more and enjoy their wine and meal without getting a headache before the wine is even drunk.

Among the sessions I attended at the SWE Conference was one on Rias Baixas (pronounced ree-ahss bye-shas), presented by Mary Gorman, MW candidate, and Linda Lawry, Director of the International Wine Center.  This lesser-known Spanish wine hails just north of Portugal, within the Galicia region. The region, referred to as "green Spain," is a far cry from other regions in Spain such as the extremely arid La Mancha. Photographs shared in the session depicted lush rolling hills and verdant greenery reminiscent of Mary’s native Ireland. Located along the Atlantic coast, the ocean imparts a great influence on the climate which brings lots of rain; hence the beautiful scenary.

As a consequence of the heavy reains, mildew is among the biggest problems in the vineyard. To combat this, a pergola trellis and training system is used. This approach provides aeration and circulation, while keeping the grapes off the ground and away from the precipitation. It make for a difficult harvest as pickers must stand on a crate to reach the hanging grapes. For larger vineyards holdings, the Espaldera is sometimes used, which is a local variant of the Geneva Double-Curtain. This system results in lower yields and higher quality, but is more expensive and thus, not appropriate for small plots.

The wines are made primarily from the Albarino grape, which is very aromatic and has characteristics similar to that of Riesling. This grape originated here and has been cultivated for centuries. Several other grapes are permitted, which bring their own special character to the blend. For example, Loueiro Blanco provides a laurel note, while Treixadura adds a white, floral aroma.

Winemaking primarily centers on stainless steel fermentation, preserving the freshness of these wines, although a few are experimented with oaked Albarino. Some malo-lactic fermentation is used to manage the acidity, especially in the Val do Salnes subzone, from which 70% of the wines are produced. A pre-fermentation maceration is common with the grapes held at 50oF for six to ten hours. Overall, these wines are clean with crisp acidity and a balsamic (think balsa wood, not the vinegar) character in the finish. They are meant to be drunk young and given the region’s proximity to the sea, match very well with shell fish.

If you have been enjoying Vinho Verdes from Portugal, the next time you are in your local wine store, you might consider figuratively heading north just over the border to try these rising stars.

It is Friday morning and I’m sitting in a hotel conference center staring down eight imposing wine glasses. Despite the early hour and my jetlag, I am eager to learn about the wines in front of me. Yes, I know, for most people, drinking wine at 8:00 AM would indicate a problem, but I assure you, I am a trained professional.

As a member of the Society of Wine Educators, I have traveled to Eugene, Oregon to attend the annual conference and update my wine knowledge. Over the course of three days, I see much more of the hotel than the city itself, attending eleven educational seminars, an International Wine Tasting and the awards dinner. While a few of the seminars do not provide a tasting component, most do, averaging six to eight glasses each. One or two presenters even break the ten wine limit that had been mandated.

The session starts and the presenter regales us with stories on how the grapes in our glasses got their names. We are also provided with information on the twenty wine regions within Italy and the laws that govern the production of wine there. Her PowerPoint display is filled with breathtaking views of the various vineyards from which these wines come. Thirty minutes later, we commence with tasting. Concurrently, we are given specific details on the wines such as grape varieties, fermentation vessels and ageing length, among others.

With one’s palate at its peak in the morning, drinking this early is actually beneficial to the learning process. I pull the first glass toward me and tilt it over the white placemat to view the wine’s color and intensity. Next, I swirl the glass on the table to release its aromas and take a big sniff, carefully noting the scents I identify on my tasting sheet. I then take a sip of wine and swish it around my mouth, paying close attention to the sensations the wine produces in terms of its sweetness, acidity, structure and flavors. These, too, are noted on my sheet and then I pull a paper cup to my mouth and spit. Yes, it sounds, at best, un-ladylike and at worst, quite disgusting, but, with three more sessions, a lunch sponsored by Wines of Spain and tonight’s dinner all still ahead, I need to stay clearheaded and keep my palate sharp in order to give the eighth wine, and even the twenty-eighth wine, my full attention.

We finish tasting through all of the wines as the presenter wraps up her discussion. The last wine is a favorite of mine and though I am reluctant, this too is spat into the cup. On the way out, I pause to reconnect with a woman I met at last year’s conference and then meet up with another colleague who has attended a session on the globalization of wine. We briefly compare notes and head off to learn more. By the end of the weekend, I am exhausted, but, I hope, all the wiser.

We are back from our trip to Eugene, Oregon where we attended the 30th annual conference of the Society of Wine Educators (SWE). We were unable to take the time to participate in any of the pre-conference visits to the local wineries, so we will have to make another trip. But, with my parents moving to Ashland, OR in the next few days, I’m sure that won’t be a problem.

Getting to the conference was a bit of a challenge, as you may recall the torrential storms we had last Wednesday. As a result, our flight was significantly delayed, pushing our arrival into SEA-TAC ahead five hours. Landing at 2:00 AM, we had missed our connection to Eugene and thus spent the night at the Marriott’s airport hotel.

We were safely at the conference by 10:00 AM on Thursday morning, having only missed the plenary session, although we did hear it was a great presentation. Back on track, we proceeded to our first session, for which I chose a presentation on the Russian River AVA. From there, it was a whirlwind of activity. Eleven educational sessions, three sponsored lunches, an international tasting and a gala dinner later, I was beginning to develop palate fatigue by the last day, but nonetheless, it was a wonderful conference.

After three days home in bed with the flu, I received a welcome post in the mail. My Unit 2 exam scores arrived and I was quite pleased with the results. While they do not provide participants with their specific numerical score, I do know that I achieved at least a 75, as I not only passed, but passed with distinction. I had been told that no one scores above 80 on this exam, so while a 75 seems like a C in comparison with other grading systems, it is rather a successful grade in this case. Needless to say, I am both relieved and proud of my achievement. Of course, I still have 5 additional units to go, but it is a nice start to this journey.