Dias de vinho e rosés

A retro advert from Vogue House and Garden Entertaining c.1950

The food may be perfect,the wine superb, but they may not bring out the best in each other and much of their worth be lost unless you know what to drink with what.The classic order of precedence for wines during a meal is to serve young before old,dry before sweet and white before red. This does not, of course, apply to dessert wine.A gentle wine should precede a strong one.So what accompanies what?

What you keep in is whatever serves as your cellar, depending not only on what you like, but on the people you are likely to entertain.You may concentrate on table wines,or prefer to keep  a selection of bottles which will provide for occasioanal drinks.There is always a Portuguese wine to provide for all options.Its true what they say - Portuguese wines are good company.Some things never change!!