I am a sucker for a good love story. I love those warm and fuzzy feelings, hoping my favorite characters find each other and that they make it last. My favorite love story, however, is an unconventional one, but one of the greatest romances of all time: wine and food. These two have been together for centuries creating magic at dinner tables around the world, finding each other again and again, but, like any good relationship, the two must be compatible to work. This is where we come in, the cupids of this timeless story. It is up to us to pair the right wine with the right food to truly appreciate all of the magic these two have to offer.
Here are a few basic principles to help you make your match.
What Grows Together, Goes Together
- This is may be the most basic of wine pairing tips, but also one of the easiest and most fundamental. When thinking about what wine to pair with your dish, consider its origins. If you are whipping up a plate of spaghetti with meatballs, consider a Chianti. Making a homemade schnitzel? Try a German Riesling! Not only is this an easy tip, it also makes for a fun themed dinner.
Consider Dominant Flavors
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- The dominant flavors in the wine should complement the dominant flavors in the dish, which are most often found in the sauce. Make sure you are keeping in mind those flavors as you read these pairing tips. And speaking of dominance, the food or wine should not dominate the other. Balance is the key.
Little Love Stories
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- Acid loves acid. Acidity in food can be found in high acid ingredients like lemon or lime, vinegar or tomatoes. In wine, acidity can be noted by a mouth watering feel, just as if you’ve eaten a lemon. Acidity in wine loves acidity in foods. If you’ve got a lonely seafood dish with a lemon based sauce, you may find your match in a French Vouvray or Sancerre.
- Tannins love fat. Tannins in wine are what make the wine seem bitter, caused by contact with the grape skins or by the oak barrels the wine was aged in, and they tend to leave our mouth dried out. This is why a fatty food can complement a tannic wine beautifully. This is also an explanation for why a big Cabernet Sauvignon goes so well with a juicy steak.
- Sweet loves sweet, and salty, and spicy. I often hear sweet wines referred to as “dessert wines” which is absolutely true, but they often are dismissed during dinner time. Sweet wines are great for spicy, Asian dishes, as well as a fantastic mate for salty snack foods such as popcorn or French fries.
Body
The body of a wine can be described as full, medium or light, and is determined mainly by mouth feel. This can be matched to the body of a food. If you are pairing with a light salad, for instance, a light wine would be the best pairing option, like a prosciutto and mango salad with a crisp Rose. Medium bodied wines like Chardonnay pair nicely with a medium bodied dish like grilled chicken or a turkey panini, and a full-bodied wine like a Merlot or a Syrah needs a partner that will stand up to its weight, like a burger or a meaty pasta dish.
Bubbles
As I have mentioned before, if you are in a bind and don’t know what wine to pair, bring the bubbly! Sparkling wines are a great go-to, especially if you are a guest for a dinner and aren’t sure what the host will be serving.
Let these be your arrows of love that bring together the match of a dinner time. And, with me being the hopeless romantic that I am, I hope that these tips help you, wine and food live happily ever after, or at least until the bottle is empty and friends are full. QCBN
By Val Jeffries
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