Sugar balances out salt: sweet wines pair well with
salty foods and less sweet desserts. If the dessert “outsweets” the wine, the
sweetness of the wine will be cancelled out and taste bitter or sour.
It’s all about the seasoning & sauce: You typically hear “pair white wines with white meats and red wines with red meats”, which can be very misleading. Ultimately you want to look for the dominant flavor in the dish and decide what might be cancelled out, is it spicy? Is it fatty? Is it bold and rich?
Weight and complexities: Heavy flavored food needs heavy body wine and light flavored food needs light bodied wine. Complex food goes with simple wines and simple foods go with complex wines.
A couple ingredients that are difficult to pair: This small tidbit could save you hassle, what is not ideal is usually what you want to eat and drink. Mixing wine with eggs, asparagus, and artichoke can be difficult unless you counteract the chemistry with a fatty sauce, like cheese sauce, garlic butter, or Hollandaise sauce etc.
Simple pairings for simple foods for beginners:
*Spaghetti and Meatballs and Chianti are a perfect pair: Chianti has a bold, fruity flavor with enough acidity to stand up to the tomatoes and meat. Spanish Rioja also pairs well with tomato-based sauces. Parmesan cheese goes well with Chianti.
*Salmon and Pinot Noir: While fish typically pairs better with white wine, salmon's flavor will stand up to the bold but not too tannic flavor of Pinot Noir. Consider regional pairings – salmon harvested in from Pacific Northwest pairs well with the Pinots from that area. Pinot Noir also pairs well with other fatty fishes like tuna, especially when it's served rare or raw.
*Spicy Indian Takeout and Riesling: Slightly sweet, low alcohol wines like German, Australian or New York Rieslings give the palate some relief from a spicy meal. A highly alcoholic wine would make you feel the burn. Spicy Asian food or highly spiced Mexican dishes like enchiladas also pair well with Riesling. A dry Gewurztraminer also pairs well with heart-pumping cuisine like Thai or Indian.
HAPPY PAIRING!
It’s all about the seasoning & sauce: You typically hear “pair white wines with white meats and red wines with red meats”, which can be very misleading. Ultimately you want to look for the dominant flavor in the dish and decide what might be cancelled out, is it spicy? Is it fatty? Is it bold and rich?
Weight and complexities: Heavy flavored food needs heavy body wine and light flavored food needs light bodied wine. Complex food goes with simple wines and simple foods go with complex wines.
A couple ingredients that are difficult to pair: This small tidbit could save you hassle, what is not ideal is usually what you want to eat and drink. Mixing wine with eggs, asparagus, and artichoke can be difficult unless you counteract the chemistry with a fatty sauce, like cheese sauce, garlic butter, or Hollandaise sauce etc.
Simple pairings for simple foods for beginners:
*Spaghetti and Meatballs and Chianti are a perfect pair: Chianti has a bold, fruity flavor with enough acidity to stand up to the tomatoes and meat. Spanish Rioja also pairs well with tomato-based sauces. Parmesan cheese goes well with Chianti.
*Salmon and Pinot Noir: While fish typically pairs better with white wine, salmon's flavor will stand up to the bold but not too tannic flavor of Pinot Noir. Consider regional pairings – salmon harvested in from Pacific Northwest pairs well with the Pinots from that area. Pinot Noir also pairs well with other fatty fishes like tuna, especially when it's served rare or raw.
*Spicy Indian Takeout and Riesling: Slightly sweet, low alcohol wines like German, Australian or New York Rieslings give the palate some relief from a spicy meal. A highly alcoholic wine would make you feel the burn. Spicy Asian food or highly spiced Mexican dishes like enchiladas also pair well with Riesling. A dry Gewurztraminer also pairs well with heart-pumping cuisine like Thai or Indian.
HAPPY PAIRING!