Food & Wine Pairing 101

Micelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris, the sommeliers from House Wine (Michaela is french and calls is ‘ouse wine) are going to talk about food and wine pairings and are going to discuss guidelines. (image source, House Wine)

(wow, that Prospect Winery Riesling is amazing!)

House Wine offers a variety of wine related services, from private and corporate tastings and team building seminars to restaurant wine list consultation and staff training.

First rule of thumb: drink what you like. That’s what Gary Vaynerchuk says too. (crap = we weren’t supposed to drink the Riesling! oops)

Think about the weight of the dish. If you’re looking at a ceaser salad vs a rich lamb stew, you’re going to want to match the weight of the wine with the weight of the dish.

Full bodied wines and “fuller bodied” foods go better together so that you don’t overwhelm the dish. You’re looking at making sure that you combine the flavours so that you don’t knock your palate out.

One of the myths or rules was to drink white wine with fish and red wine with meat. It has more to do with which fish you choose, (salmon or tuna which have a fuller flavour) and the wine you choose.

Having a salty dish makes you want to go with a softer white wine because salt brings out the tannins in wine.

Wine and cheese is a traditional wine pairing. A lot of people believe that red wine and cheese go together, but the salt and acid in the cheese will bring out the tannins. Generally speaking, a white wine will work better with the cheese plate, but what do you do if you like red? Go for one with fewer tannins but more acid. A Pinot Noir or a Bougelais.

The rule of intensity – weight and intensity are different. When you eat an intense food, you have that flavour in your mouth for ever and ever. An intense wine or an intense dish is compared to a petite woman who might have a big personality. It has nothing to do with her physical stature. Same thing with wine and food pairing. You need a wine that will stand up to the intensity of your food and not get sucked in.

Spicy food needs to be met with a lower alcohol wine because they will cut the spice. It’s getting harder and harder to find lower alcohol wines – you’re looking at a 9-12% alcohol. German Riesling, and the Muscat are lower in alochol.  Viognier and Gewürztraminer are higher in acohol.

Riesling, Viognier, Guewertzameiner, and Muscat are all grapes that work with dry and off dry wines that will stand up to intense foods.

Acidity of wines (makes your mouth pucker, and you feel it on the sides of your tongue) wines will also cut through the spiciness of your food. Acidity is an opposites attract pairing. Vinagrette, tomatoes, artichokes, are all highly acidic foods. Your best option when pairing with high acidity foods is to go with a more highly acidic wine. Sauvignon blanc and Riesling and sangiovese wines will all stand up to a high acidic meal.

At the end of the day, it’s more about what you like to drink. Enjoy your wine, follow the rules of thumb, and you’ll be ok.