Pairing Food and Wine
On their own, food and wine each have their own distinct flavor profiles. When we combine them, they create a third flavor! One that doesn’t exist without both. Perfect pairings happen when two components come together in harmony on the palate. When we understand the building blocks of flavor, we can graduate to combining them!
The more intense one flavor is, the more intense the balancing flavor needs to be or one side will dominate. Instead of thinking about the wine and food as separate, think about the wine as an ingredient in the dish. Look at the big picture in your dish, then consider sauces and additional flavors. Now think of simply adding the wine as a final component to the overall flavor experience.
Wine naturally sits on the acidic side of the spectrum. Some wines are sweet and some are dry. Red wine has tannins, which show up on your palate as bitterness.
Primary Flavors in Food:
Salty, Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Umami, Spicy
Wine Friendly Foods: SALTY + ACIDIC (SOUR)
These foods make wine less bitter, less acidic, and more fruity
Salt in food: friend > softens tannin, bitterness, astringency, makes more palatable
Salt > enhances Umami
Sour aka Acid in food: friend > makes wine seem less acidic, seem sweeter
A wine should have the same or MORE acid than food
Not So Wine-Friendly Foods: SWEET, UMAMI, & SPICY
These foods make wine more bitter, more acidic, and less fruity
Sweetness in food: enemy > makes wine seem less fruity, more bitter, kills balance
Umami > choose mature wines with soft tannins
Chili spice: makes wine seem dryer, enhances alcohol > low ABV is good
The Structure of Wine:
Acid: It’s that saliva-pooling reaction you get under your tongue! Acid in wine pairs well with fatty and sweet foods
Alcohol: Can help cut through fatty foods
Tannin: The drying sensation you get from some red wines. Sometimes called astringency or bitterness. This can be balanced with sweet food.
Sugar: When a wine has residual sugar it can become a super power tool for balancing salty or spicy flavors in food.
Bitterness is where issues arise for most people/the boundary
Neutral whites tend to be the safest pairing wines
“What Grows Together, Goes Together!”
Also known as a regional pairing, this is the concept of pairing Italian food with Italian wine.
When pairing food and wine, don’t overthink it!
Try to match the body of the wine with the body of your dish. Light wines go with light fare.
Nature vs. Nurture: What we like automatically/naturally vs. what we learn to like
Some people have + taste buds than others/more sensitive
People who like black coffee/strong food are often easier to pair for
Congruent vs Complimentary Pairings
Congruent Pairings: the flavors work together. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with Summer Salad + Vinaigrette. In this case, the SB acts like a squeeze of fresh lemon would over the salad, lifting and brightening the flavors.
Complimentary Pairings: the flavors are highly contrasting. Classic combination of steak and Cabernet or Port and Blue Cheese.
Things to Keep in Mind
Acid (Sour) in Food + Acid in Wine: When a wine has less acid than food, it tastes flat
Salty Food + Sweet Wine: This can be amazing
Bitterness in Food + Bitterness(Tannin) in Wine: Don’t do it.
Fat in Food + Bitterness (Tannin) in Wine: Think classic steak and Cabernet! The tannins cut through the fat and bring the dish into balance
Fat in Food + Acid in Wine: Another great balancing act! Fat/oil coat the mouth, blocking the acid. Think salmon and Chablis or potato chips and Champagne!
Fat in Food + Alcohol in Wine: This can have a similar effect as the previous combo. The difference is that acid in wine can cleanse the palate, while alcohol should mostly slow you down.
The toughest crowd:
These items are notoriously hard to pair: asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts, and chocolate. Good news though! All of these can pair amazingly well with saké!
Plan Ahead!
Whether you are dining out or at home, think about what you are going to eat before you choose your wine. We often pull the cork or order drinks before the meal and we haven’t thought that far ahead.
