Food and Wine Pairing
Food and Wine pairing can be an intimidating practice. Since it so subjective with some basic knowledge, techniques, and following what you like anyone can pair a dish with a wine that will compliment it.
Thankfully with complexity of today’s multi-ethnic and subtly flavored foods and the wide range of wines from around the world we can throw the rules of the old world away (primarily red wine with red meat and white wine with fish and poultry).
As an example of this Master Sommelier and TV Personality, Andrea Immer recently paired a Chardonnay with a beef dish. She felt that the full body of the wine stood up to the fullness of the dish. She also felt that the flavors and aromas of the wine complimented flavors used in the dish.
The basic rules to follow when pairing are pretty simple. Firstly, match the weight and body of the wine with the food. For example a light-bodied fish works best with a light-bodied white wine like pinot grigio. But don’t be afraid to mix it up, try salmon which is a heavier fish, with a Pinot Noir. The body of the Pinot is light enough to match with the Salmon, while the salmon is full enough to match with the tannin of the red wine.
Secondly choose flavors that are found in both the wine and the dish, an example of this is Sauvignon Blanc with Chicken in an herb based sauce. The herb and grassy flavors of the Sauvignon Blanc will come through with the herbs from the chicken.
Something else to think about is balancing the intensity of the flavors. Mild flavored food like roast turkey pairs well with light-bodied white and red wines like sauvignon blanc and Beaujolais, but in the context of a Thanksgiving dinner featuring stuffing, cranberry sauce, and other strongly flavored side dishes, a more intense wine might be more favorable. A complex Pinot Noir, a Zinfandel, or a gewürztraminer would balance the intensity of the food.
The world of food pairing is vast and there is much to learn, but anyone can do it. Be creative; try your favorite dish with your favorite wine even if it would not traditionally be paired together. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Thankfully with complexity of today’s multi-ethnic and subtly flavored foods and the wide range of wines from around the world we can throw the rules of the old world away (primarily red wine with red meat and white wine with fish and poultry).
As an example of this Master Sommelier and TV Personality, Andrea Immer recently paired a Chardonnay with a beef dish. She felt that the full body of the wine stood up to the fullness of the dish. She also felt that the flavors and aromas of the wine complimented flavors used in the dish.
The basic rules to follow when pairing are pretty simple. Firstly, match the weight and body of the wine with the food. For example a light-bodied fish works best with a light-bodied white wine like pinot grigio. But don’t be afraid to mix it up, try salmon which is a heavier fish, with a Pinot Noir. The body of the Pinot is light enough to match with the Salmon, while the salmon is full enough to match with the tannin of the red wine.
Secondly choose flavors that are found in both the wine and the dish, an example of this is Sauvignon Blanc with Chicken in an herb based sauce. The herb and grassy flavors of the Sauvignon Blanc will come through with the herbs from the chicken.
Something else to think about is balancing the intensity of the flavors. Mild flavored food like roast turkey pairs well with light-bodied white and red wines like sauvignon blanc and Beaujolais, but in the context of a Thanksgiving dinner featuring stuffing, cranberry sauce, and other strongly flavored side dishes, a more intense wine might be more favorable. A complex Pinot Noir, a Zinfandel, or a gewürztraminer would balance the intensity of the food.
The world of food pairing is vast and there is much to learn, but anyone can do it. Be creative; try your favorite dish with your favorite wine even if it would not traditionally be paired together. You may be pleasantly surprised.
posted by The Wine Corner | 10:20 PM
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