FOODIE'S CORNER - WINE & DINE

FOODIE'S CORNER - WINE & DINE



Visit world's greatest wine regions acclaimed for its wine experience.

Go ahead and taste the good life in all its forms

FRANKEN CALLING

Head to the old capital of Franken to the region's centre of wine production and also the northward starting point of the `Romantische Strasse' aka the romantic road in Germany . Home to three of the four largest wineries in Germany, which is not surprising because there were vineyards everywhere. German sparkling wine (often called Sekt) is one of the hidden gems of this country's wine production. Germany produces 80 per cent white wine and the remaining is red wine. The most popular red wine is the `Dornfelder'. The menu is meat heavy and classic dishes include `Schauferla' aka slow roasted pork shoulder; Sauerbraten, roasted meat in a slightly sour gravy; `Zweibel' which is ground meat roasted with an onion; and various sausages, which are served with side dishes like potato dumplings, Sauerkraut or slow cooked buttery potatoes and broth. They love their seasonal Mushrooms, `chanterelles' are the favourite.

NIAGARA IS ASTOUNDING

The best Ice wine in the world is made at the Niagara peninsula due to the climate ...warm summers and icecold winters with great soil for growing grapes! There are over hundred wineries in Lower Ontario which are well marked and not too far from each other. Do stop at Inniskillin, the winery that has put Canadian ice wine on the map. Needless to add you cannot leave before having a scrumptious lunch overlooking the vineyards.Don't forget to a browse in the treasure cove of specialty shops, cafes and galleries at the beautiful historic town of Niagara By the Lake followed by some English Tea and scones accompanied with blueberry and raspberry jam and fresh cream.

HUNTER VALLEY PAVES THE WAY

If you are a good life lover, Hunter Valley about two hours north from Sydney is just the place for you. It's one of the world's greatest wine regions and is acclaimed for its food and wine experience to taste the good life in all its forms. The drive encompasses some of the most spectacular and colourful patchwork of vineyards and picture book villages, whose historic churches; stone buildings beckon explorers. Recommendations go all out for a tasting at Brokenwood Wines, a quaint cellar door with lovely wines made. Do not forget making a stop at the `Smelly cheese shop' and sample some beautiful Goat cheese with variants like herb and garlic, chili etc and also the smelliest cheese `Pont Le' Eveque', a French cheese. Also interesting are the `rock' chocolates at the next door chocolate shop.

CHAMPAGNE JUST FOR YOU

Many of the champagne houses offer visits, usually with a glass of champagne thrown in. Some charge a nominal admission.

Many cellars are quite spectacular, being set in old former Roman chalk mines, with elaborate bas-reliefs carved into the chalk face, and others are so large you go round on a little train. I would advise to try and arrange a tasting of a range of champagne from a house to get the feel of a house style and to contrast different blends and vintages. The `biscuit rose de Reims'; a light, crunchy delicately rose-flavoured cookie puts the seamless concluding touch on a hearty champagne-country lunch.

PENEDES GIVES A THUMB UP

A trip to Spain would be incomplete without a visit to the local wine region nearest to Barcelona called Penedes. Sign up for a one-day tour of Miguel Torres's vineyard complete with the winery visit and tastings, as well as lunch at `Mas Rabell' the family-owned restaurant. The visit includes not only a tasting of their higher end wines, but also a bottom to top view of their vineyards and viticulture practices. Inside I discovered an atmosphere as inviting as the wines themselves. Star of the show is the `Mas La Pana 2005', lush, spicy wine with density of fruit and smooth tannins and very elegant. Great with Cheese. Truly it may be difficult to understand the history of Spanish wines in the past 50 years without speaking of the family Torres.

Rupali Dean is a food writer based out of Delhi