This month we are discussing the pleasure that a perfect food and wine pairing can bring. We all know the old adage; white wine with white meat and fish and red wine with red meat, but it is really so much more nuanced than that. The most important factor is whether you enjoy the pairing or not.
An experience with wine is very personal and matching with food can be subjective. Perhaps you enjoy the combination of sweet and salty, such as a Port and stilton, but for someone else it’s a complete turn off. Let’s get into some things to think about when finding the perfect pairing just for you!
First off we need to consider the intensity of flavour of the dish you are cooking, then match with a wine of similar intensity. For example, if you are cooking with lots of herbs and spices with strong flavours, you need an aromatic, intense wine to pair with it. I love pad thai with an off-dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer for this reason.
Alcohol intensifies the sensation of heat from chilli, which depends on personal preference. I would usually go for a light and fizzy lager with a curry, but if you love that spicy burn perhaps you would prefer drinking a 14% abv red Zinfandel to turn up the heat. This is another situation where off-dry or slightly sweeter wines can work really well to offset the spice, as they also tend to have lower levels of alcohol.
Another thing to consider is the weight of the dish and the body of wine you are drinking with it. Think about the difference in cooking methods and intensity of flavour of a Caesar salad with grilled chicken versus a roast chicken with gravy. The freshness of a salad can work well with a crisp white like a Picpoul de Pinet, but the slow cooking of a roast means that you need some more intensity and body in your wine, which would work well with a rich, buttery Chardonnay to match up to the style of cooking.
A quick and easy way to pair wine with food is to look at the cuisine of where the wine comes from. Food and wine have evolved alongside each other throughout history. There’s Sauvignon Blanc with goat’s cheese, both found in the Loire Valley in France. Or perhaps you could try a Chianti Classico with a pepperoni pizza. The acidity in the wine matches well with the tomato base. If you are feeling fancy, you also can’t beat oysters with a Muscadet sur lie, a wine which comes from near the sea in Nantes.
One of the most difficult food groups to pair is umami. The strong savoury flavours of dishes containing mushrooms or miso paste for example, can often jar with wine. I’ve found the best pairing for something like stuffed mushrooms is a lovely Pinot Noir, which is low in tannins and often has an earthy character to it to compliment the savouriness.
Finally, one of our most popular events at Birmingham Wine School is our Champagne, Fizz, Fish & Chips dinners. This is my ultimate match made in heaven. Champagne and other sparkling wines are high in acidity, which has a similar effect to squeezing a lemon on your fish. It balances out the fatty stodginess of the dish and acts as a palate cleanser. Trust me and try it!
Click here to check out our upcoming food & wine pairing events.
Four foodie favourites:
Taste The Difference Gewurztraminer, Alsace, France. Sainsburys, £10
This exotic wine is bursting with flavours of rose petals, lychees and spices but with a dry finish. Perfect with thai food.
The Best Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie, Loire Valley, France. Morrisons, £8.75
Muscadet is normally a light, fresh style of white but this wine has some added body due to a small amount of ageing on the lees. Great with any seafood but particularly oysters.
Estancia Pinot Noir, Monterey, California, USA. Tesco, £14
A smooth and silky example of Pinot Noir with a hint of spice, which would go brilliantly with salmon teriyaki or mushroom risotto.
Brazin Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, California, USA. Waitrose, £14.99
This 14.5% abv red really packs a punch, with big bold flavours of plum, chocolate and spice. It’s great with BBQ ribs or some spice (if you dare!)
