Explore Some Simple Rules for Wine and Food Pairing.
I put quite a bit of thought into pairing food and wine. I’ll always ask myself, or my guests, several questions to get the perfect pairing, because there are few things in life as wonderful as pure neutrality on one’s palate.
Oddly enough, there is a science behind food and wine pairings. There are several wine seminars (some of which I’ve taken), and even whole semester courses (one that completely surpassed all of my expectations) devoted to the art of pairing food and wine. I’ve found, however, that just a few simple rules can get you through this sometimes uncharted territory.
- Rule #1 – Fat cuts through tannin. This is why a younger Bordeaux or a big California Cab work so well with a juicy marbleized steak.
- Rule #2 – Acid and salt love each other. Higher acid wines tend to compliment saltier foods. If you’ve never tried a crisp Pinot Grigio or Albarino with seafood pasta, you’re in for a treat.
- Rule #3 – Sweet and spicy go hand in hand. Wines with a bit of residual sugar (like off-dry Rieslings or Gewürztraminer) are a sure way to compliment and tone down the heat in spicy dishes. Anything really oaky or tannic will just make the dish even spicier on your palate.
So, there are three simple rules to help you get started on your pairing journey. There are always exceptions, but I find these to be tried and true the majority of the time. We’ll take a more in-depth look in future posts, but for now, happy pairing everyone!
