Food and Wine
The Basics
GOAL: to choose wines that complement and/or contrast a given food without overwhelming or being overwhelmed (NOTE – This does not take into account the many times a menu may be designed to compliment a wine of choice. However, the same principles may still be applied.)
THREE KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Some people might tell you that it doesn’t really matter what you drink with whatever you’re eating, so long as you enjoy it. While this may be true for blissfully ignorant imbibers, you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t interested in gaining a bit of knowledge that might allow you to enjoy your meal even more. Here are three key areas of consideration along with lots of room for creativity.
1. WEIGHT PAIR RICH WITH RICH, DELICATE WITH DELICATE
Understanding the weight/body of a wine is perhaps the most important principle. For a partnership to be fair, both parties must be equal. This doesn’t concern the number of ounces in your glass or on your plate, but the texture and richness. We consider this when making food choices (if I have this bowl of pasta for lunch I’m likely to fall asleep at my desk so I’d better have a salad instead), now begin your pairing by taking the same consideration with wine. Would a dense, juicy zinfandel go better with that roast or a delicate pinot noir?
2. STYLE SOMETIMES MOOD MATTERS AS MUCH AS FOOD
This is where I have the most fun! Food and drink can be more than simply sustenance; they can be expressive as well. Is this wine fun and flirty or dark and brooding? The important principle here is to take your dish as a whole into account. It may be fish, but is it swimming in beurre blanc or a cream sauce and paired with roasted vegetables? This is not going to be as light-weight, nor as stylistically appropriate to pair with a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc as might a grilled fish served simply with lemon and capers. There may be a dominant component in a dish, but it may not be what you intuitively expect so make sure to broaden the picture. I like to play a game to help me think outside the box: when considering your meal, what movie character could you see sitting down to the same thing? Would Audrey Hepburn sip champagne or cabernet? Another way to look at style is the expression of culture. Some regions more than others (Italy most definitely) acquire distinct flavors and style of food/wine that are just going to pair well naturally. Matching regional cuisine with regional wine can be a simple and effective route to take.
3. SCIENCE CREATING TECHNICAL HARMONY
a. Fat and Tannin: Animal fats especially are broken down by the tannin in wine. A ribeye will benefit from the structure of a tannic cabernet so long as it is not overwhelmingly tannic. Bordeaux and lamb are a classic pairing for this reason as well as their regional partnership.
b. Oil contrasts Acid: Just like vinaigrette, each bite of an oily dish will be cleansed by the crisp acid of a wine paired with it.
c. Saltiness contrasts Acid and/or Sugar: Again, there is a cleansing effect that takes place with acid, but these are also stunning contrasts. The sweet/salty combination is a favorite of chefs. Try a high acid Riesling, perhaps with a touch of sugar as well, with Asian food seasoned with soy sauce and you will see exactly how this works!
d. Sugar needs more Sugar: A very sweet dessert will make even a sweet dessert wine taste dull in comparison. The general rule is to pair a dessert with a wine that has a bit more sweetness. If you prefer to contrast, I recommend a fruit-driven, low tannin dry wine that compliments the flavors of the dessert. Try chocolate mousse with raspberry preserves and a relatively low-tannin cabernet sauvignon or zinfandel.
GOAL: to choose wines that complement and/or contrast a given food without overwhelming or being overwhelmed (NOTE – This does not take into account the many times a menu may be designed to compliment a wine of choice. However, the same principles may still be applied.)
THREE KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Some people might tell you that it doesn’t really matter what you drink with whatever you’re eating, so long as you enjoy it. While this may be true for blissfully ignorant imbibers, you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t interested in gaining a bit of knowledge that might allow you to enjoy your meal even more. Here are three key areas of consideration along with lots of room for creativity.
1. WEIGHT PAIR RICH WITH RICH, DELICATE WITH DELICATE
Understanding the weight/body of a wine is perhaps the most important principle. For a partnership to be fair, both parties must be equal. This doesn’t concern the number of ounces in your glass or on your plate, but the texture and richness. We consider this when making food choices (if I have this bowl of pasta for lunch I’m likely to fall asleep at my desk so I’d better have a salad instead), now begin your pairing by taking the same consideration with wine. Would a dense, juicy zinfandel go better with that roast or a delicate pinot noir?
2. STYLE SOMETIMES MOOD MATTERS AS MUCH AS FOOD
This is where I have the most fun! Food and drink can be more than simply sustenance; they can be expressive as well. Is this wine fun and flirty or dark and brooding? The important principle here is to take your dish as a whole into account. It may be fish, but is it swimming in beurre blanc or a cream sauce and paired with roasted vegetables? This is not going to be as light-weight, nor as stylistically appropriate to pair with a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc as might a grilled fish served simply with lemon and capers. There may be a dominant component in a dish, but it may not be what you intuitively expect so make sure to broaden the picture. I like to play a game to help me think outside the box: when considering your meal, what movie character could you see sitting down to the same thing? Would Audrey Hepburn sip champagne or cabernet? Another way to look at style is the expression of culture. Some regions more than others (Italy most definitely) acquire distinct flavors and style of food/wine that are just going to pair well naturally. Matching regional cuisine with regional wine can be a simple and effective route to take.
3. SCIENCE CREATING TECHNICAL HARMONY
a. Fat and Tannin: Animal fats especially are broken down by the tannin in wine. A ribeye will benefit from the structure of a tannic cabernet so long as it is not overwhelmingly tannic. Bordeaux and lamb are a classic pairing for this reason as well as their regional partnership.
b. Oil contrasts Acid: Just like vinaigrette, each bite of an oily dish will be cleansed by the crisp acid of a wine paired with it.
c. Saltiness contrasts Acid and/or Sugar: Again, there is a cleansing effect that takes place with acid, but these are also stunning contrasts. The sweet/salty combination is a favorite of chefs. Try a high acid Riesling, perhaps with a touch of sugar as well, with Asian food seasoned with soy sauce and you will see exactly how this works!
d. Sugar needs more Sugar: A very sweet dessert will make even a sweet dessert wine taste dull in comparison. The general rule is to pair a dessert with a wine that has a bit more sweetness. If you prefer to contrast, I recommend a fruit-driven, low tannin dry wine that compliments the flavors of the dessert. Try chocolate mousse with raspberry preserves and a relatively low-tannin cabernet sauvignon or zinfandel.