It used to be easy to pair wines with food. All you had to remember was red wine with meat and white wine with fish. Although that is good advice it doesn’t give the whole picture. There are pairings that get much more specific and produce exquisite results. Also, there are some pairings that may go against the conventional wisdom that can be explored.
Wine can bring a lot of joy to one’s life. It is healthy to drink and brings out a lot of flavor in the foods you eat.
In this article, we will go over some tips to get the most out of your wine by pairing it with the right foods.
Red wine
The most obvious way to go with red wine is to pair it with meat. It does go beyond that, however. For instance, if you were to pour a glass of Dune wine like a cabernet, it has a lot of crisp red fruits on the forefront like cherry and raspberry. It may not be the best match for a steak but would excel when paired with a rich beef stew.
The reason for this is that it is crisper and less bitter or tannic than many cabernets. It is important to not generalize a varietal as they can all be different. Ask the sommelier at the restaurant or the wine shop owner what the characteristics of the specific wine you plan to buy to know how to pair it.
The idea is that it is the acidity in the wine and the dish that matters most. If a dish is acid forward but still with some fat and bitterness then it should be paired with a lighter red that has a fruity component. If the dish is bitter to start then a full-bodied red with high tannins will be good.
This opens up the possibility that you could drink red wine with fish, for instance. A rich Boulliabaise would be paired well with a light and fruity red wine and not suffer at all. In fact, that would be better than pairing it with a buttery, oaky chardonnay.
A deep, rich, and fatty dish should have a wine that has some acid to it with a bit of fruit. Tannins will work with it as well.
White wine
The same concepts listed above are relevant when it comes to white wines. It all depends on the acid, sweetness, and fattiness of the dish as to what wine it will go well with. It is not great g go like for like when it comes to white wine.
For instance, a lobster dish with lots of butter isn’t going to want to be paired with a buttery chardonnay. A crisp sauvignon blanc, on the other hand, will cut through the fattiness of the lobster dish and give it a nice counterpoint.
Acidic dishes will be a bit too much on the palate if you try to go for a crisp white, as well. A salad made with a lemon vinaigrette paired with the same sauvignon blanc will overpower your taste buds.