Food And Wine Pairings
ByPairing wine and food is the topic for this installment of our wine guide…
The taste of a wine can improve or worsen depending on the food that you drink it with. There are only a few combinations which really do not work, however, by learning a little you can bring the best out of both the wine and the food.
There are two basic and simple approaches involved; one is contrast, where the wine is different in character to the food, yet still complimentary, and the other is complimentary, where the wine and food work together through a similar trait (such as sweetness or acidic). Either style of pairing will work well; choosing one way over the other is just depends on the type of food being served and your personal preference.
Regional combinations are worth paying attention to as food originating from a particular region or country will often pair well with the local wines, as they have both evolved to complement one another.Problem foods include eggs and egg dominated dishes, acidic foods, such as tomatoes or vinaigrette dressings, and spicy foods. There are no specific rules or recommendations for these, and it’s really a case of hit and miss. Personal experimentation is necessary if you insist on pairing wine with such foods.
Here are some examples of wine and food pairings: pair light seafood with light wines, like Sauvignon Blanc or White Port; beef requires heavier red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Burgundy; poultry is usually served with whites unless it has a heavy sauce, in which case lighter reds are perfect; for lamb, try medium-bodied reds like Bordeaux.
However, though these are said to be classic pairings, that doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily like all of them. Keep in mind that your palate is unique to you, so if you don’t like a combination, don’t use it. It’s important to also remember that some people only drink one kind of wine, no matter what food is being served. Therefore, you should always have different varieties on hand when entertaining other people. Make a suggestion to them, but still give them a choice.
