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Basic Principles for
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| Red Wine | Dry - very little or no taste of sweetness | Sturdier foods such as cheese, steak, roast beef, barbecue, lamb, game and dishes with strong seasonings. |
| White Wine | From crisp, bone-dryness to rich, luscious, honey-like sweetness | Ideal with almost any fish, seafood or fowl, pork, ham, veal and some (lighter) soups. |
| Rosé & Blush Wines | Possesses the briskness of red and the fruitiness of white. Can be very dry or have a touch of sweetness. | These wines go extremely well with most less robust dishes including soups, seafood, poultry, pork, ham and some game dishes. |
| Champagne & Sparkling Wines | Light & delicate. Vary in taste from very dry (brut), through to dry (sec), through to medium sweet (demi sec). | These are very well suited to special occasions, work well throughout a meal and are also perfect at any time, with or without food. |
Some General Points to Consider
- When matching food with wine, don't match strong to delicate. Pairing a big, powerful, high-alcohol or high-tannin wine with a light, delicate dish (and vice versa) is rarely a good idea.
- Acidity is your friend. People tend to be wary of wines described as "high acid," like Sauvignon Blanc or Muscadet. Who wants to drink acid, after all? But there's no better quality in a wine for matching rich, creamy or cheesy sauces, deep-fried foods or fish dishes. In addition, tart wines go better with tart foods, such as vinaigrette on a salad.
- Tannins pair well with fat. That's because the astringency of the tannins cuts through the viscosity of the fat.
- Follow the don't-upstage-the-star rule. If you have an amazing bottle of wine you want to show off, especially an older vintage (they tend to be more subtle, their flavors less flamboyant), don't serve a wildly complex dish with it. A simple dish will allow the wine to be the center of attention.
Alternatively, how about a slightly more daring approach to matching food with wine……
The Principle of Opposites Attract!
The information above works on the complementary principle of matching similar flavors, textures and weights. There is however a very different approach which can produce some dazzling results…..that of "opposites attract".
This contrast principle aims to find flavors or texture in a wine that are not present in the food, but that would enhance it. For example, a dish of chicken or fish in a rich cream and butter sauce might be counter-balanced by a crisp, acidic wine such as a Vouvray. On the other hand, a really earthy flavor dish containing say portobello mushrooms and garlic might contrast perfectly with pure fruit flavor of a well chilled Alsace Riesling.
Equally, when you serve a very simple dish such as roast lamb or a really great cheese with a gorgeously complex, aged wine, you are applying the same principl....opposites attract! This route is not for the faint hearted though, and if you are not sure, just stay with what you know and trust!
Some Classic Combinations
And just in case you are still utterly unsure about matching food with wine, here are a few classic combinations which never fail to please……
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Probably more rubbish has been written on the subject of matching food with wine than on any other aspect of wine enjoyment! The only sensible "rule" is to decide for yourself what suits your tastes - it might not be conventional, but your own, personal taste is far more important than convention
If you're hungry for more information on pairing food and wine or indeed specific wine suggestions to a dish, the following links may be helpful:
Simple to use table with classic pairings:Food & Wine Pairing Guide
Well written, online wine magazine:The Wine Anorak
Wikipedia:Wine & Food Matching
Website dedicated to matching food with wine:Matching Food & Wine.com
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