Paula's Party Picks: Simple Autumn Pairing Plan

USE A PROGRESSIVE WINE LIST TO PLEASE THE PALATES OF PARTY MEMBERS

Sommeliers and chefs thrive on matching food and wine at their wineries and restaurants, but individual wine enthusiasts can take the same pleasure when entertaining. Providing pairings at parties can be great fun!

As promised in July’s Sip and Sup, I plan to offer quarterly seasonal party menus with accompanying wines selected from a progressive wine list. Progressive wine lists are used by restaurants to categorize wines according to flavor characteristics, as opposed to varietal or color, as has been done traditionally.

This concept was developed 20 years ago by Master of Wine, Tim Hanni, who has assisted numerous restaurants and other companies in organizing their wine lists. Tim Hanni was a co-founder of WineQuest, an organization that, among other things, helps companies train their staffs on new wine concepts and aids them in generating their own progressive wine lists. For more information please see www.winequest.com.

This month, I ran into an appealing retailer called WineStyles in Walnut Creek, California. The interior is beautifully designed with a winery-like atmosphere.

Wines sit in arched niches, which are in columns arranged according to eight flavor groupings that are similar to the categories found on a progressive wine list.

I was greeted by warm and gregarious Dyan Cushing, who briefly explained the store’s intention and layout.

WineStyles identifies the categories simply as Crisp, Silky, Rich, Bubbly, Fruity, Mellow, Bold and Nectar. The first four classes tend to include whites, and the wines in the last four are usually red. This arrangement streamlines the selection process for consumers.