Home bar - Barstools, home bar decor, wine cellars

A few wine tidbits:

• Myth: White wines go best with fish and fowl; reds, with meat and spicier food. Reality: Wine's color isn't always best guide. As important to focus on meat's spices and sauces as its primary ingredients. As a rule, richer dishes go best with full-bodied wine, including most cabernet sauvignons and zinfandels, and many chardonnays. Good choices for spicy foods include semi-dry white wines such as gewurztraminers and rieslings. Lighter food generally pairs better with lighter wines, including many red varietals gamay (used to make beaujolais) and pinot noir, and of white varietals such as sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio and dry riesling.
• Myth: White wines should be served well chilled, red wines at room temperature. Reality: For both the ideal serving temperature varies by wine type. To get maximum flavor, rich white wines should be served cool, not chilled (limit to about an hour in fridge) Only lighter wines should be well chilled (about 2 hours in fridge - longer and they become too cold.) Lighter reds should be served cool. Only big reds - like most cabernets and zinfandels are best served at room temperature.