There's always that question, when you are out shopping, about which wine best complements certain foods. I suggest that you let the food choice dictate your wine selection. Select the salient tastes in the dish and match the wine to it/themÖyou can't miss!

Let's briefly discuss the concept of "food wines." Take fish for example. It's a popular summer item, usually accompanied with a slice of lemon. We squeeze the lemon on the fish and start digging in. The acidity in the lemon amplifies flavors in the fish, cuts through any oiliness and, if not over-done, enhances the fish's flavor. When it comes to choosing a wine to complement your fish, you should find one that acts as a "stunt double" for the lemon. Here you need a crisp wine (red or white) that has the requisite acidity to fire up the flavors and cut through sauces like beurre blanc, etc. My favorites for whites include Sauvignon blancs from France (Sancerre and Pouilly fumÈs), New Zealand (look for the more subtle ones that don't scream one-dimensional grapefruit), and South Africa. My absolute favorite white food wines are the "recently being discovered" dry German Rieslings-trocken (dry) and halb-trocken (semi-dry).

If you are unfamiliar with dry Rieslings, allow me to steer you to a new company that is dedicated to bringing in these styles of wines to the US. The company is called Truly Fine Wine and they reside in San Diego. I have included a link below. Talk to Damon (owner) or Dustin (Certified Sommelier), they can send you a sampler pack that will expose you to the vast possibilities of these dry-style winesÖ.and, who will give you the "Eddie Osterland" special price, if you mention that I sent you.

http://www.trulyfinewine.com/

Food & Wine Synergy: Food wines are like condiments when combined with foodÖthey improve the end results! Imagine this: You are out at your favorite fish restaurant and you order some swordfish. It comes and you dig in impatiently because you love swordfish so much. Then upon reflection, you realize that you forgot to add that little squeeze of lemon. So, you quickly pick up that lemon wedge and proceed to squeeze it into your mouth - obviously, that would be downright unpleasant.

Having studied behavioral psychology before embarking into the wine & food arena, let me share with you an observation that I always experience when I watch people dining out. The average restaurant guest orders his fish, chooses an appropriate food wine (having the requisite acidity) and when it comes he does the following: Open mouth, eat two bites of fish, swallow fish and reach for the wine to wash it down. What's wrong with that, you ask? If wine and food are to be synergistic, then you need to enjoy them simultaneously. By this I mean just before you swallow your salmon, you introduce a little sip of your high acid wine at the same timeÖthen and only then will the food and wine be in concert. In other words, how can you ask a wine's acidity to add to the flavor of your fish when it is already residing in your stomach? There is a reason why we put salt, pepper and lemon juice on our food before we begin to taste.

My favorite red "food wine" is Pinot Noir, the best of which are from France (Burgundy), Oregon, New Zealand, Italy and California. As far as California Pinot Noirs, you need to be vigilant as they seem to present in two very different styles. First, are those heavily extracted, fruit bombs (more than 15.5% alcohol). Although these may win contests thanks to sheer power of extract, they kill any delicate food flavors, not to mention having a searing aftertaste. I like the others that are vinified in the fashion of French burgundies being what I call pretty. They are elegant, crisp, low alcohol (13.2 - 14) and are sinful with foodÖI have, on occasion found them to be sinful on their own! Your favorite wine merchant can assist you in finding the regions that produce them.

Like gin & tonics? I do, but except for the last 1/3 of them when they become a watery sour mess. Here's a new twist: Put your bottle of gin in the fridge, take your favorite tonic water and freeze it in an old-fashioned ice cube tray (found at your local 99-cent store). Now, as your drink melts, the integrity of the drink doesn't atrophy. Do this to your guests once and be prepared to have ice cubes on hand all the time, because you will have set your bar higher than othersÖembrace the challenge!

Best gin: Old Raj

http://www.internetwines.com/rws19239.html - I see it at Beverages & More for around $67. Is it twice as good as Bombay Sapphire?... No! Is it worth a try? Yes. This is what I serve to my special guests. Also, I want you G&T'ers to try Fever-Tree Indian tonic water (also available at Beverages & More). It is much better than Schweppes (too much sugar in Schweppes). It is a cut above, expensive and worth it.

By now you all know that food tastes best when you starve yourself before you eat or entertain anyone - 11:30am to 1:00pm is absolutely the best time to enjoy the best stuff you can affordÖespecially on Sunday.

Try this:

Download Earl Klugh's song "Driftin" from iTunes, open up a significant bottle of burgundy (red or white). Don't mess with the stuff under $70. Have the "love of your life" within arm's reach and fire it up. You might even download My Foolish Heart along with Heart of my Life also by Earl and play them subsequently. That should take you 20 minutes to each have two glasses of the wineÖ.you can finish the rest of it laterÖif your goin' in my direction.

Entertain better than others,

All the best,

By the way, I sincerely thank all of you who shared your contacts that became CONTRACTS...it was fascinating to see what you picked from my top 10 wines to try before you die listÖI sent out a lot of stuff but there were quite a few 100 year old Madeira lovers created!