A glass of wine paired with delicious food is a great way to delight your taste buds. But how do you do it?
Wine and food pairing is considered an art. It is a combination of complementary flavors that help enhance the dining experience to increase the enjoyment of each component. It’s not about pairing wine and food for their excellence but the goal is to maximize the value of each component to the overall experience of the person consuming it. This concept can also be used to put together a food and wine pairing menu for any occasion.
Now, let’s begin with the basics.
Most Commonly Used Wine Terms
- Acidity – a component of grapes that plays a part in wine preservation. Acidity levels will be higher in wines with a more sharp and crisp taste.
- Body – a term that describes the wine’s flavor profile. A full-bodied wine, for example, has intense flavors and a strong aftertaste.
- Dry Wine – a wine that contains little to no sugar.
- Tannin – a chemical compound found in grape skins, seeds, and stems. Some are being used in the aging of wood barrels.
- Sommeliers – a wine steward is a professional who has been trained in all aspects of wine service. This includes how to pair wine with food, provide wine recommendations and create a wine pairing guide.
Food and Wine Pairing Tips for Any Occasion
These tips will help you know what to do and not do when pairing wine with food. It will broaden your understanding of how perfect wine and food pairing can enhance your dining experience.
- Red Wines and Red Meat – Red wine is an excellent pairing for red meats like steak because of its ability to soften proteins and enhance the fat flavor.
- White Wine and Light Meat – White wines are great with fish and chicken. The wine’s acidity enhances the fish’s flavor, making them taste fresher.
- Sweet Wine and Sweet Foods – It is possible to have a wine and food pairing with the same adjective. Sweet wines pair well with sweet foods, such as fruit-based desserts.
- Wines with Heavy Sauces – It can sometimes be challenging to match wines with heavy sauces, such as fish or meat. Pairing wine with heavy sauces is the best way to go.
- Drink what you like, but don’t forget to enjoy the freedom of exploring a wine and food pairing you haven’t tried to add versatility to your taste buds.
Two Categories of Pairing
There are two wine and food pairing categories: the first is congruent and the second is complementary. Here are their differences:
Congruent Pairings
When pairing congruent wines, it is important to not let the wine overwhelm the flavors of your food. A congruent pairing will have food and wine that share many compounds or flavors. It could be a sweet wine that is paired with sweet dishes.
A congruent pairing allows the wine and food to complement each other’s flavors. Red wines are the best choice when creating congruent pairings for your food and wine pairing menu. Red wines have a wide range of flavors and aromas. They are easy to pair with similar food combinations.
Complementary Pairings
Complementary pairings, on the other hand, are made from wine with food combinations that do not share any compounds but rather complement one another. Each wine and food has its unique flavor, so they are balanced with their complementary elements.
Saltiness from the food can actually reduce the sweetness of the wine, and bring out the wines fruity aromas and taste. White wine and salty foods are another common complement. These combinations can be an inspiration in making a wine and food pairing chart for any occasion.
Kinds of Red Wine
Dry Rose
Rose is a versatile wine that can have both red and white characteristics. Because of its acidity, a dry rose can be paired with almost any cheese. Dry Rose has hints of strawberry, cherry, and other fruity flavors. It pairs well with spicy seafood and grilled chicken.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied red wine that’s rich in tannin, blackberry, plum and black currant flavors. It has a dark fruity flavor that matures with age. It is a excellent pair for steaks or lamb chops.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is well-known for its light body, earthy flavor and rich aromas. These flavors include dark berries, plums, and violets. This red wine stands out because it goes well with fatty fish, such as tuna and salmon.
Syrah
This red wine pairs well with spicy dishes, grilled meats, lamb, and barbecue in the wine and food pairing chart. When pairing Syrah wines, it is important to consider the level of spice in both the food as well as the wine.
Kinds of White Wine
Chardonnay
Chardonnay’s aromas and tastes can vary depending on the brand. However, it generally has strong fruity flavors. Based on the wine pairing guide, it pairs well with many foods, with its melon, green apple, pear and creamy lemon notes. It is a great choice to pair with shellfish, grilled lobsters, tilapia, vegetables, and dishes with rich sauces.
Off Dry Riesling
This delicate white wine has flavors of lime, green apple, white peach, and lime. It is a great choice for salads with vinaigrette because it lacks tannins. This light sweet wine is a great complement to spicy dishes.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a light-bodied white wine with a delicate white flavor. It can be paired well with cheese, oysters, fresh herbs, and tart dressings and sauces. These wine and food pairing shows how well high-alcoholic wine and food complement each other.
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a great choice to pair with light seafood because of its light, crisp flavor. Its delicate and crisp taste enhances the flavor of any dish. It is a delightful white wine with hints of lemons, melons, and pears. It’s also great with seafood, pasta, and grilled chicken.
Wine and Food Pairings are Best Enjoyed with Wines from Village Warehouse Wine and Spirits
Are you celebrating any occasion anytime soon? Knowing how to make wine and food pairings that work together will ensure a memorable experience for your family and friends. As much as pairing food and wine is complex, the basics are simple to grasp.
Visit us now at Avon Liquor store for a wide array of wine choices for your exquisite wine and food pairing gatherings. Our expert staff is always ready to help if you need recommendations on wine pairings.
