Three Expert Tips for Pairing Wine and Food
Here at Canadian Liquor Store ,we understand that some expert advice for pairing food and wine can be incredibly overwhelming and overly strict. The truth is, you can eat pretty much whatever you want while drinking whatever wine you choose. We’ve outlined a number of time-tested guidelines to help you become an educated lover of food and wine. Know this list of rules, commit this list to memory, and then feel free to play and break these rules as you like.
Read on to learn some basic tips for food and wine pairing that will help you feel like an expert at your next dinner party.
Complementing the Food Structure
When preparing your next meal plan or shopping for tonight’s dinner, think more of the structure of the wine and the structure of the food that you will be serving. Complementing both of these factors is an easy tip to keep your guests satisfied and your confidence as a vino lover high.
There are three basic flavors that can be accounted for and accompanied in a meal.
Firstly match creamy with creamy. Pair creamy wines, such as Chardonnay or Riesling, matched with cream-based sauces or a creamy cheese. Ensure your appetizing entree or mouth-watering cheese board follows this basic step - and you’re set.
Next, you guessed it! Match acid with acid. Picture a full bodied white wine or a Riesling paired with a fresh, lemon sauce over a salty, white fish. If a recipe calls for lemon or another kind of citrus, be sure to pair a high acid wine with your meal. If your wine option seems less bitter or more acidic, or perhaps there are fruity, sweet notes on your tongue - be wary of pairing an acidic wine with less acidity than the paired food.
Once your guests’ are sated with a delightful meal and incredible conversation all evening long, it’s time for dessert! Dessert wines and ice wines are fantastic and an easy choice, though we encourage you to be even more creative in your delicious dessert pairing. If you are serving a chocolate cake with a creamy, thick icing, try pairing this dessert with a Port or other dark, sweet wines. Perhaps you’ve just corker a more dry, bitter wine, try pairing a savory Zinfandel with a delicious lemon custard or light mousse for a delectable dessert.
Contrast Flavors
Are you ready to level up your wine and food pairing skills? Let’s start contrasting flavors by offsetting the taste or structural element in the wine and good to allow for another part of the wine to stand out. Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind when contrasting flavors for your table spread.
A great starting point can be matching spicy with sweet flavors. We invite you to try offsetting the sweetness of a wine with a spicier dish, such as a spicy Thai or Indian dish. Is your wine classified as dry, bitter, or less sweet and fruity? Sauternes is a fantastic choice to increase the spiciness of a delicious dish.
Finding a parallel in tannin and fat (also protein) is another excellent choice. Tannic wines pair expertly with foods full of fat and protein, such as a barbecued, medium rare steak or a dense, meat and vegetable stew. You may not know, though paired with a tannin wine, the fat and protein in this meal will lessen the overall tannic effect and heighten the taste of fruit in a wine. Not all combinations with tannin based wines have an incredible effect. Be wary of pairing tanning with sweet or acid based goods as this will increase the amount of tannins on your palette. A tanning red paired with a lemon-based sauce may leave a gritty, metallic taste in your mouth.
Pair Your Food and Wine With a Regional Focus
Our last expert tip with pairing your next meal and sip worthy glass, is to think local. With an ever growing trend of farm to table in the food and beverage industry, this is a simple, easy-to-remember trick to get your next pairing just right!
Let’s sample a hearty pasta with a meaty Italian ragu. We suggest pairing this with a regional wine, like a Tuscan Red. Thinking of a scrumptious seafood dish? Find in the coastal areas rich with seafood cuisine, such as an impeccable Greek offering like <link here> or Sardinian choice like <link here>. We guarantee that there’s something absolutely magnificent about pairing food and wine from the same soil and area.
We must stress the simplicity and ease in sourcing your wine and grocery list from the local area or keeping in mind regional geography.
Three Schools of Thought for Wine and Food Pairing
There you have it! We’ve outlined the main three schools of thought with three easy-to-remember tips for pairing your food and wine. Now that you’ve grasped the basics, try out one of these ideas!
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