Food Facts and Tips

Wine Pairing Methods - Charts for Matching and Pairing Wine with Food

Wine and food pairing and matching is the method of choosing a combination of food and wine that complement each other to enhance the dining experience. In numerous cultures, wine has a long history as a staple accompaniment for evening meals. In many localities both the winemaking and food heritage have developed together so that each region has its own food and wine marriages made in heaven.

The major concept for pairing is that certain components (such as texture, aroma, strength and flavor) in both food and wine can be chosen to get the ideal blend of components, which will make the whole meal more enjoyable.

It is a two-way objective for the food to compliment and enhance the enjoyment of the wine, and the wine to enhance the enjoyment of the food. However, enjoyment and taste are very personal both for food and wine, and a textbook approach may not suit everyone. Lists and charts of foods and wines, as shown below, should be regarded as guidelines only.

One approach is to simply aim for a balance between the weight and complexity of the food and the heaviness (or body) of the wine. Heavy, strong and robust wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz can swamp lightweight dainty dishes like a quiche or an omelette, while lightweight wines like Pinot grigio could be similarly swamped by a hearty stew or curry. Beyond weight, other features like texture and tastes can either be complemented or contrasted in the wine and food. Pairings choices can also consider the acidity, alcohol content, sweetness and tannins in the wine and how they can be accentuated or minimized when paired with certain kinds of food.

The close relationship between food and wine in Europe is largely due to the parallel evolution of great regional wine making great cooking. It's no surprise that pairings for Italian, French, Greek wines reflect the marriage of regional wines and food in their provinces. New World wines from Australia New Zealand, North and South America have tended to follow these traditions. Beyond that it is important to understand the basic taste variations of wine: bitter, sweet and sour; and aromas: fruit, spice, floral and alcohol aromas. The texture of a wine - its weight and intensity is also an important consideration in food and wine pairing.

Marriages Made in Heaven and Contrasts Begging to Differ

For pairings you can choose either marriages or contrasts.

• The marriage approach is focused on match like with like and creating harmony between the textures and flavours in the wine and food. The first step is matching by weight and complexity. One example of this approach is to match a ripe, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with a grilled fillet of beef served with a range of vegetables and gravy.
• The contrasts approach is about choosing food and wine that are direct opposites and using their interaction to create interest and character. An example of this is to pair a lively, light, young Riesling with pan roasted sea scallops cooked in a rich butter sauce. The wine adds a refreshing touch, when a heavy complex wine may been too much.

Red or White Wine

One tip is not to place too much emphasis on colour. The diverse range of wine on offer should tempt you to try something different, provided you know your wines. These days there is a huge range of weights for both red and white wine, and so, many other features are more important than color.

Elements of the Basic Approach

Examine the tastes and textures in the food dishes and select flavors that are alike or comparable in the wine and food. If the food contains truffles then an older style Pinot Noir can really work well, because of the matching 'gamey' aromas in the wine and the truffles. If the dish contains venison dish then this choice is better still. At other times you may be looking for opposing tastes. If you have a heavy complex dish you may be looking for a wine that will cut through the weight of the food.

At the end of the day there is no real right and wrong for the pairings which are totally your choice. Although many people regard seafood as requiring white wines, there are many fabulous lighter reds that really enhance the flavour of the seafood.

Matching wine and meals in dishes makes dining a more complete and satisfying experience. It can add layers and complexity to the meal.

Make Sure You Drink and Eat What You Like and Don't be Reliant on the Matching - Always choose a wine that you like to drink by itself. Don't choose one you don't like and hope that a food match will transform you experience. Even if the pairing doesn't work the way you expect it to, you will still enjoy the food and wine. The same holds true for the food which should also be something that you like by itself. If you hate offal and liver dishes, there is no wine that will change this. So don't depend on the pairing to make it work. A good pairing creates a fabulous talking point for dinner parties.

Look for Balance, and Features that Complement Each Other - Consider the weight (body), or richness and complexity of both the wine and food which should be chosen to be equal partners, with neither dominating the other. Hearty food generally needs a hearty type of wine. Cabernet Sauvignon goes well with grilled lamb chops because they are both strongly flavored and heavy. Likewise delicate poached fish goes well with a light white wine.

When considering weight it is the fat content and the sauces used which are major factors affecting the choice of wine. In terms of the wine, look at the color, grape variety, age, and alcohol content.

Match the Wine to the Most Distinctive Feature of the Dish - Identify the dominant feature of the food such as the seasoning, the sauce, or cooking method, rather than simply being swayed by the main ingredient. Consider the differences between a Chicken Marsala dish and a poached Chicken breast dish. They have the same basic ingredient, but the cooking method and sauce dictate the type of wine that complements them.

Understanding the components of the Grapes and Wine - For a wine the features to consider are the grape variety, the fruit flavors, sweetness, acidity and levels of alcohol, and tannins. Red wines differ from whites mostly because of tannins and flavors imparted by the barrels in which they are matured. Both White and Red wines share many similar flavors and aromas. White wine can be spicy, leathery, earthy and buttery - flavors which may be commonly associated with red wines. However the pear,apple and citrus flavors shown by many white wines seldom show up in reds. Similarly, the dark currant, tannin taste, cherry and plum flavors of red grapes usually rarely appear in white wine.

Consider Structure and Texture of the Combination - Look at the way certain ingredients in a dish can accentuate or reduce the acidity or sweetness of a wine, or the bitterness of its tannins. The paired wine and food should round out the tastes. But beware of the negative effects. Sweet food may make dry wine taste sour. Acidic ingredients in the food such as lemon or lime, may make acid tasting wines feel softer and more rounded in comparison. Sweetness on the plate pairs well with a sweet wine. Tannins interact with salt, fats and spicy flavors making a strong robust wine such as a Shiraz seem smoother. However, very salty foods accentuate the taste of the tannins and can make a red wine seem rough and bitter. Salt tends to accentuates the strength of a high-alcohol wine.

Look for Flavor Links - The aromatics and taste of a wine often resembles herbs, fruits, spices and butter. By choosing the ingredients in the food that match these tastes you can accentuate the match and linkages. Various Cabernet wines have flavors resembling currants. Add real currants to the food can expand the links and round out the food and wine.

Consider Age and Complexity - As wine ages it develops a unique set of textures and flavors. For example, fresh fruity flavors of a young wine may give way to earthy and raisin flavors in the complex older wine. This can expand the range of uses for a given wine variety.

Charts

Below are a set of Charts and Guidelines that provide some suggestions for matching food and wine.

Chart of Foods that Match Wine Varieties

Chart of Food and Wine Pairs (Foods listed Alphabetically)

Wine Pairs for Japanese Food