Wine and Food Pairing

Many of us are just now coming to recognize what the old world has recognized for centuries – all great foods are best enjoyed when accompanied by a great wine. Pairing wines and food that complement each other is a never fail recipe for great event. While there are no hard and fast rules to pairing food and wine we offer these general tips:

Match the intensity of the dish with the power of the wine

The more delicately flavored the dish—the more delicate the wine should be that accompanies it (a light fish dish with a Pinot Gris).  Likewise, stronger flavored and heavily spiced dishes go better with fuller flavored wines (veal stew with a Syrah or New York Steak with Cabs).  In other words, match the weight of the food to the weight of the wine – bigger foods are better matched with bigger wines. While there are great variations in wine intensity for different selections - the following is a general review of relative wine intensity:

Match or contrast flavors

Let shared elements/characteristics guide your choices (a mesquite grilled steak with a smoky Shiraz or an earthy Pinot Noir with mushroom soup).  Contrasting wines and foods with opposing flavors play well off each other - sweetness provides the counter balance to saltiness or spiciness (Thai food paired with a Riesling).

Select a wine produced from the same region as the dish

Regional wines have a natural affinity with regional foods. Chianti (Sangiovese) with pasta or pizza is a sure bet. Better yet - find a specialty recipe and match the dish with an appropriate varietal that is produced from that region.

Counter balance heavy foods and with wines of balanced flavor and acidity

A well structured wine with sufficient acidity will help to compliment a heavy dish and keep the palette available to enjoy many flavors (rack of lamb and Syrah). Zesty, crisp wines tend to complement foods with delicate and distinctive flavors (oysters with Sauvignon Blanc).

Match foods and wine complexity

A rich, complex dish will often be complemented by the complexity found in blends   (Rhone, Bordeaux blends and a stew or casserole) while more refined and defined dishes go best with wines of  defined flavors and style (poached salmon and Pinot Noir).

Remember - when it comes to matching food and wine, there are no wrong answers. Making new discoveries and having fun is really all that matters.

 

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