Whites for Summer, Reds for Winter? I say, "No"!

Being of sound mind and body (a.k.a. prior to evening wine tasting), I am taking the time to ponder the old adage of:
"White wines in the summer and reds in the winter".

Or the ever familiar:
"Whites with fish and poultry and reds with beef and lamb"

These apprenticed statements perplex and annoy me, endlessly.

I often wonder where this concept ever originated from?
If you google this concept you retrieve a multitude of "expert" opinions on the subject, but I have yet to find the birth parents of these ideas. Nor have I discovered any sound, evidence-based reasoning that this concept is even true part of the time.

What IS obvious, is extremes in ambient temperature. Such as during very hot weather; cooler drinks just feel and taste better. And likewise, when it's frigid cold outside, a nice cellar temperature red wine fits the bill over a chilly white on a blistery day.

But I ask you, doesn't this go beyond that, especially the "whites with seafood and reds with meat" food pairing reference?

The answer simply is: Yes.

Let's take the marvelous pinot noir grape varietal for our example. It's a grape with sheer sophistication, finesse and has the awe factor. Living in Oregon, I have access to some terrific pinot noir wines and am blessed to have sampled my way through many of the state's variety of pinot noir regions.

But what I find most interesting about the pinot noir grape is that it is also used to make champagne (the skins are removed prior to long term fermentation has begun, thus rendering it "light" in color). Well, in a sense, it's a (colorless) red wine and it's also typically served cold. And as worshipers of this ethereal bubbly beverage, we often enjoy champagne during the winter (i.e. winter holidays; Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years). It pairs nicely with fruit, fish, chocolate, Stilton cheese, beef, as well as game meat.

Not to over analyse the subject, but I think this is worth revisiting and an interesting topic for wine novices and experts alike. Just because an expert says "it is so", go beyond that and seek the truth, which only lies within the observer: You.

Having an obsession with wine, I work tirelessly to remove any and all pretense on the subject because the more opinions thrown into the mix, the more interesting the subject of wine becomes.

So next time you are sipping your favorite red or white, winter or summer, fish or beef: toss up this topic and share your findings.