With vast selection of wines from around the world today, the art of food and wine pairing has become more diverse and subjective and less exact then the old rule of thumb -mainly that "red wines go well with red meats" and "white wines should be paired with white meats"- this rule leaves very little room for personal expression or experimentation, which is part of the art of food and wine pairing. When deciding on the wine keep in mind that your aim is balance. You want the wine to compliment the flavors of the meal not to overpower it. The same can be said about the food, if you have bold flavors then your best matching it to a robust wine instead of a lighter or more delicate style. Food and wine pairing is rewarding and memorable when you are able to sense similarities and/or contrasts of flavor, body, texture, intensity, and taste.
Here are a hand full of tips for successful food and wine pairing.
1.) If you are invited to a dinner party and you are not sure what kind of food will be served, don't drive yourself crazy, bring a quality wine that will compliment quality food. If it is a luxurious dinner engagement with many courses being served make sure to bring an extra special wine to match the occasion. In other words, don't bring a pizza or pasta wine to go with a fine filet mignon.
2.) If you are going to serve multiple wines at an event, you want to start out with lighter wines and segue to full-bodied wines. Drier wines should be served prior to fruit forward or sweeter wines. Wines that are softer or lower in alcohol must be served before more tannic wines or higher alcohol.
3.) Think about how the food is prepared. If the food is delicately flavored like steamed foods then they should pair well with delicate wines. Serve more robust and flavorful wines with heartier and richer foods.
4.) Try to match the flavor profiles. A Pinot Noir will go well with earthier dishes, like mushroom sauces or soup. A Sauvignon Blanc or Albarino from Spain goes superbly with seafood.
5.) Keep sweetness balanced and match sweet dishes with sweeter wines. But, be careful not to pair a wine to food that is sweeter than the wine you will be serving.
6.) Opposites attract. Spicy or hot foods like Thai or Indian cuisine goes beautifully with off dry wines like Rieslings or Gewurztraminers from Alsace or Germany. The opposing flavors can really create wonderful interplay of tastes, creating new flavor sensations while cleansing the palate.
7.) You can always pair geographically. Regional foods and wines have a natural affinity with one another and is often a safe way to match.
8.) For cheese courses think fruitier red wines for mild or sharp cheeses. Pungent or intensely flavored cheeses pair wonderfully with sweeter wines like Sauternes. Pair a dry white wine with goat cheese and your softer cheeses like Brie or Camembert will pair well with almost any red including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel or a Red Burgundy.
9.) Sweeter wines will make you more aware of bitterness or astringency in a wine. This will make a wine seem drier and less fruity. High acidity in food will decrease awareness of any sourness in a wine, making it taste richer and mellow. Bitter food will make the tannins stand out in wine and make it taste bitter. Salty or sour dishes will restrain the bitter taste of a wine. Salt in food will tame the bitterness or astringency of a wine and make sweet wines taste even sweeter.
10.) Most importantly is to have fun and just enjoy the occasion. Don't stress over the perfect food and wine match. The best pairing is always good food, good wine, and above all else, great company.
|
My Account 