Wine can be intimidating. The world of Wine can be harsh. There are so many options! There are a number of tips and tricks that can help you when pairing Wine with food. This guide will show you how food and Wine can be paired.
Understanding some of the most common wine terms is the first step to gaining a deeper understanding of wine and food pairings. These terms can be used to describe different aspects of Wine. Check out our blog, How to Taste Wine, for a longer list.
Terms You Should Know.
Acidity Acidity is present in all grapes. It plays a part in the preservation of Wine. Acidity is higher in wines with a sharper and crisper taste.
The body is a term used to describe a wine’s flavor profile. A full-bodied is a wine with powerful flavors and a strong aftertaste.
Dry Wine: Wines that contain very little or no sugar.
Tannin is a chemical compound found in grape skin, seeds, and stems. Some are used in the barrel aging process.
You Should All Know about Food and Wine Pairings
You can’t recall which Wine goes well with salmon or the chef’s special at your restaurant? These tips will cover the basics of what you should do and shouldn’t do when pairing food with Wine. These tips can help you broaden your perspective on how Wine can enhance the dining experience.
Red Wines and Red Meat. This is a simple tip that you can easily remember, and it will help you make recommendations quickly. Red Wine is a great pairing with red meats like steak because it softens the proteins and enhances the flavor of the fat. Red Wine contains tannins, which are chemical compounds that soften the heart.
White Wine and White Meat( Fish and Chicken). The acids in white Wine make the fish taste fresher. White Wine’s acidity can enhance the flavor of fish in a similar way to lemon juice.
It is a good indication that if the same adjective describes the food and the Wine, the pairing will likely work. Sweet wines, for example, go well with sweet foods. Fruit tarts or desserts with sweet wines are a great example. We discuss a few of the exceptions in more detail below.
It cannot be easy to pair Wine with fish or meats that are topped with a thick sauce. Pairing the Wine with spice, and not with the beef, is the best way to go about a dish of this nature. It allows for an improved experience, as some spices may interact badly with Wine. You should avoid pairing bitter herbs and bitter tastes because the bitterness can build up, resulting in an unpleasant taste.
Pairing Methods
Wine and food pairings can be divided into two main categories. First, there are harmonious and complementary pairings.
Congruent Pairings
A harmonious pair will have several flavors or compounds in common. It could be a sweet red wine that pairs well with sweet dishes or a wine with a buttery taste that goes with pasta with butter. When creating harmonious food and wine pairings, it is important to make sure that the Wine does not get overwhelmed by the flavors in the food.
This can cause the Wine to taste bland. A harmonious pairing allows the Wine and food to enhance each other’s flavors. When looking for balanced nutrition and wine pairings, red wines are the best choice. Red wines have a wide range of aromas and tastes, from cherry to smoky. They are easy to pair with similar food. A full-bodied Syrah will have the same flavor profile as your favorite grilled foods.
Complementary Pairings
Complementary pairings, on the other hand, are based on food and wine combinations that do not share any compounds or flavors but rather complement one another. Each pairing is balanced by its contrasting elements.
Rose, White, and Sparkling wines are excellent options for pairings. When paired with spicy food, a sweet white wine will cool the dish down by balancing its sweetness.
White Wine and salty foods are another common pairing. Saltiness in the food reduces sweetness and enhances fruity aromas and flavors. Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio pair well with salted popcorn but also with fried foods.
The Wine Breakdown
White Wine, Red Wine, and Sparkling Wine have very complex and diverse flavor profiles. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to pair dry white Wine with bold red wines. We will look at the different tips and tricks for pairing specific types of Wine.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay has a strong fruity flavor, but the exact taste and aroma can vary depending on the brand. It has hints of pear, green apple, melon, and creamy lemon. Vanilla is also present. It is a good choice for dishes that include shellfish, lobster, tilapia, and vegetables. The bold body, the lack of acidity, and the rich, creamy texture make it a great choice for dishes with these ingredients.
Off Dry Riesling
This white Wine is delicate and has flavors of lime, white peach, and green apple. The light sweetness of this Wine makes it the perfect complement to spicy foods. The semi-sweet taste can help to temper the heat in spicy foods. Off-Dry Riesling pairs well with salads, shellfish, ham, and pork. Due to its lack of tannins, it is a perfect match for vinaigrettes and salads. Bitter vinaigrettes combined with bitter wines will intensify the bitterness in both food and Wine.
Sauvignon Blanc
The acidity of Sauvignon Blanc is high, and it has a crisp, white taste. It pairs well with tart sauces and dressings, cheeses, oysters, and delicate fish. These pairings show how acidity in Wine and food complement each other. Acidity in both the Wine and food won’t be a competition but will instead allow you to taste the natural flavors.
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio has a crisp and light taste that is perfect for seafood. The crisp, delicate flavor of this Wine is ideal for enhancing the flavors in any dish. It is a white wine that has hints of melons, pears, lemons, and sweet spices. Pair delicate fish with delicate Wine, as the wrong food or wine choice can overwhelm the taste of both. You can end up with great Wine that tastes bland due to the overwhelming flavors of your food. Pinot Grigio pairs well with pasta, grilled chicken, and dishes with fresh herbs.
Dry Rose
Rose wine is a versatile wine that has characteristics of both white and red wines. Dry Rose can be paired with any cheese due to its fruity and acidic elements. It is a crisp, pink wine with a low tannin content and little bitterness. Dry Rose has hints of strawberry, cherry, citrus, and herbs. It pairs well with spicy seafood and grilled chicken.