Bill St. John –

A classic braise of oxtail calls for red Burgundy, but if you don't want the alcohol, you can try subbing in cherry juice.

How to cook without alcohol but get the same flavors

May 31, 2019 at 4:01 p.m.

What if you don't drink alcoholic beverages, for whatever reason, and the ingredient list on the recipe for coq au vin includes 1/4 cup brandy and half a bottle of...

What wines to pair with high-umami foods?

June 16, 2018 at 3:54 p.m.

Pasta is pretty easy to pair with wine; any starch is. It's what's on top that matters to the match. This dish sports cooked-down mushrooms, which contain a lot of...

Eat like a kid (homemade chicken nuggets) but drink like a grown-up with zesty, crisp wines to contrast the salty, fatty breading.

Wine paired with homemade chicken nuggets? Absolutely.

June 29, 2019 at 1:38 a.m.

You could enjoy these tidbits right from the oven, or also at room or ambient temperature — at a picnic, say. In any event, the wine should be crisp and...

Pair grilled shrimp and couscous with a off-dry riesling or another wine with some residual sugar.

The case for sweet wines, an ideal pairing for seafood

June 16, 2018 at 4:38 p.m.

A fair amount of sweetness in this grilled shrimp recipe (honey, of course, but also the "sweet" meat of shellfish) suggests a wine choice with a bit of residual sugar...

Uncork a refreshing red or rosé wine to serve with this barbecued pork sandwich.

With barbecued pork, choose these refreshing wines

June 15, 2018 at 12:58 p.m.

Light- or medium-bodied red wines are the ticket for a dish like barbecued pork, with its complex layering of flavors. But choose red wines that are refreshing in the manner...

Forget iced tea — there are plenty of wines you can drink with this bratwurst.

3 wines to pair with grilled brats

June 15, 2018 at 1:08 p.m.

Acidity in food is one of the most difficult elements to match with wine; it "flattens" most wines, making them taste dull and uninspired. However, some wines do work well:...

"I've learned that wine is less an alcoholic beverage and more a food, and that its proper, perhaps indispensable, place is at the table with other foods," writes Bill St. John. "Even a little bit of it enhances a meal in a manner disproportionate to its volume."

Retiring Tribune wine columnist shares 40 years of lessons

June 16, 2018 at 4:44 p.m.

This is my last column on wine for the baiduhai; it may be my last wine writing ever. This old man is moving on, to write and teach about...

What you can learn about wine from the makers

May 31, 2019 at 1:41 p.m.

I'm lucky to regularly meet winemakers and winery owners from all over the world. Their conversations with me pass on so much about wine — what it means to them,...

Mix salsa into your turkey burgers for a kick, then pair with lower-alcohol wine.

Spicy turkey burgers pair with red or white wine

June 16, 2018 at 4:30 p.m.

This is a fairly flexible recipe and will nicely be served by either a red or white wine. About the only wine-wary stumbling block is a significant amount of chili...

Crisp fresh apples, bell peppers and lettuce are dressed with a ginger and peanut dressing. Fried chow mein noodles add a fun crispy crunch.

Cooking an Asian recipe? Pick a wine that imitates beer

June 15, 2018 at 2:05 p.m.

Most of us take for granted that beer, not wine, is the proper partner for Asian cooking. Suds just seem right — a cool cold one at hand, light, sparkling,...

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