1. Pair salty foods with either fruity whites or high tannin reds.
This may seem to contradict the norm as high tannin wines are often paired with dark protein (beef, lamb, bison). Although this approach is perfectly acceptable and often delicious, one of the key aspects is to have the protein well seasoned (aka salted). For example, if you had beef tartare, which is generally more delicate and, being raw, more gently salted, it would not pair as well as the same beef tenderloin that was well seasoned and cooked. In theory, the protein hasn’t changed, but the preparation has, leading to the difference in wine choice. Make sense? Try a fruit filled Pinot Gris from Alsace, France, with a high quality goat cheese as a great white wine example for salty foods.
2. Pair creamy foods with either creamy whites or high acid whites.
Creamy foods allows us to show the concept of compare vs. contrast in the pairing game. Both work, and it’s user preference as to which one prefers with neither being considered superior than the other. As a fun exercise, consider having a white cream based dish with 2 wines- a creamy full bodied Chardonnay from California, as well as a crisp mineral driven Chablis from France. Both wines should be at similar price points/quality, as it truly compares apples to apples (as in baked apples vs. raw granny smith in this case). See how fun this can be!?!?
3. Pair high acid wines with high acid foods.
This rule is pretty straight forward, but really works. It perfectly represents why I suggest that when choosing your wines, consider the region of the world your food/menu is coming from. It’s not a coincidence the wines from that region often match the cuisine beautifully. The most classic representation of this concept comes from Italy. Tuscan cuisine is bursting with many different applications of the tomato, and is the backbone of many of their classic dishes. How appropriate that their famous wine regions of Chianti and Montalcino both use the Sangiovese grape as their base. Both regions produce mouth wateringly delightful acid driven wines bursting with tart cherry and strawberry and are a match made in heaven for their local fare.
4. Pair spicy food with off-dry wines.
Now read carefully. Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT pair like with like. Spicy wine will make spicy food even more spicy. It’s a compounding experience and generally not a pleasant one. This type of cuisine needs a contrast to be enjoyed to it’s fullest. Often people have told me, “I don’t like sweet wines.” I take that challenge and serve them a spicy Thai dish with a German Riesling or an Indian dish with an aromatic Gewurztraminer. I generally get the response, “Ok, ok so maybe I just don’t like sweet wines on their own.” Just trust me, it works. Don’t believe me? Try it and see if you agree.
The final rule I will leave you with is to think of whether you are eating light, medium, or rich fare. Is the dish a simple one, or a myriad of complex combinations. If you try to match the wine with the ‘weight and complexity’ of your food, you are already heads above the competition. Use the basic 4 rules listed above and you are on track for a high scoring event.
Still have a dish you plan on making in the near future and are unsure of what to pair it with? Have some questions on this or other wine related dilemmas that are plaguing your confidence in trying something new? Feel free to drop me a message on my facebook page, Conquer the Cork Wine Consultants, and I will be happy to help you along your vino path, and empower you to Dare to Pair!