When enjoying the finer things in life, it’s a question that’s certain to come up.
‘What wine goes the best with this cheese??
Dean Rondy, who owns and operates Oxford Wine and Beverage at 11 S. Washington St. in downtown Oxford, has the answer for that ? both in person and through a computer program he and PC Treasures created.
‘Dean Rondy’s Ultimate Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide,? which sells for $3.99, allows the user to enter a type of wine or a type of cheese and find which ones go best with it.
‘It’s flexible,? Rondy said of the software. ‘In other parts you can click on cabernet and it’ll show video of me talking of cabernet and where it can be found in the world.?
The program also features wine basics, such as the different wine utensils (such as openers and decanters) and how they are used when opening a bottle.
Rondy said the program came about when the owner of PC Treasures was his landlord and they approached him about lending his expertise. The program’s now distributed through Target stores and is also available through various online outlets.
The feedback Rondy has received has been positive, and some has come from not-so-near places. He recalled a New Hampshire couple who came in to visit. They told Rondy they use the software as a tool for their wine club.
Some wine-and-cheese pairings are simple, and then there are the tougher ones.
‘There are a lot of obscure wines people don’t know much about, and those might be more difficult wines to pair up,? Rondy said.
Such as Tempranillo, a grape from which red wine is made in northern Spain’s Rioja area.
‘They wanted me to sign a copy for them,? he recalled.
Wine is produced in countless countries and climates all over the world, even in unlikely places. Rondy recalls visiting several wineries in the hot, dry desert climate of Arizona. According to the Arizona Wine Growers Association, the Grand Canyon State has 35 vineyards and 28 bonded wineries.
‘A lot of people don’t know about Arizona [wines],? Rondy said. ‘It’s not a great wine but it’s of decent quality. ‘They run the risk of overripening the wine and having wine that tastes almost burnt. Hot climates make it very difficult and winemakers must taste on their toes.?
For more information please call (248) 236-9881 or visit the store online at www.oxfordwineonline.com.