Food and Wine Pairing (plus some of my favorites!)

Sitting outside on a cool summer evening sipping on a glass of smoky, herbaceous red wine to stay warm is only made better with a plate of grilled meats and veggies fresh off the grill. Pairing food and wine is one of the fundamentals of wine experts all around the world. But for the average wine lover, how do you know what pairs well? 

I am sure that you have heard of pairing white wine with seafood and red wine with red meat, but what if you want a steak with a white wine, can you find one that will pair well? Of course you can! A glass of wine has so many characteristics to take in to consideration when matching it with the flavors of food. But if you know the basics, you can match almost anything without even tasting it first. 

Two categories are important here, the flavors of the wine and the structure. When talking about the structure of wine, we are discussing the acidity, sweetness and bitterness. These need to either match the food, or counter the flavors to heighten the expression of both the plate and the glass. The second category of flavors is exactly what you think it is. Pairing the flavors of food with what you find in the glass. Now, if this is something you are not well versed at finding when you taste wine yourself, that is okay. Start with the back of the wine label and go from there. Especially for American wines, the label has descriptors on the back panel to aid you in what's inside. European wines may force you to do a little research, but as we all know, there are numerous pages on the web to help. For example, why does a sauvignon blanc pair so well with a citrus vinaigrette dressed salad? Simply put, is because the main flavor profile of a sauvignon blanc is citrus and fresh green grasses and herbs.

Now the more difficult part. The structure of wine vs the structure of the food. With all wines, white or red, acidity is important. It is key to the balance of the wine as you drink as well as the food you would like to pair it with. Acid is great with food because it will usually counteract the food. If its a creamy, fatty dish then the acid will cut through it and liven it up.  Let's think about a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. The heavy, fatty cheese needs something with high acid to balance out the meal, think of a riesling (off-dry, not sweet) or if you prefer a red go for a syrah or shiraz (name differs based on where it is made, however it is the same grape variety).

I get asked a lot what to pair with spicy food. Wine is not as popular with the countries that create the spicier foods, therefore it is not produced with the cuisine in mind. That does not mean that you can not have a glass of wine with your meal. The focus here is sweetness. Sweet will balance out the spice of the dish so in this case a sweet riesling or an off dry pinot grigio that you may find from the Alsation region in France. If sweet wines are not your favorite, find a sparkling wine. The bubbles in the wine with help  cleanse the palate between bites, and sparkling wines are generally made from varieties with naturally high acid, which as mentioned before, the acid breaks up strong flavors. 

Keep in mind that it is better to match the sauce or dressing of your plate to your wine, rather than the meats or vegetables. Below I have listed a bunch of pairings that I personally love:

Champagne and truffle potato chips- My favorite pairing! The earthiness of the champagne (or a cava-not prosecco!) match the flavor of the truffle in the chips and the bubbles clear the excess saltiness of the chips leaving a very pleasing partnership.

Try Moussè Fils 100% Pinot Meunier

Carmenère or Syrah with smoked brisket or sausage- Both carmenère and syrah are known to have an aroma reminiscent of a campfire. I love to pair these with charred or smoked meats. Spices like paprika, coriander, and black pepper are also common in these wines so adding these to the meats will enhance those spices as well.

Try Primus Carmenère 2020

Sauternes and blue cheese dolce- The high acid and sweetness of a beautiful sauternes loves to take on the strong flavor and saltiness of a blue cheese. Whereas most cheese loves wine; blue cheese, gorgonzola or stilton tend to be harder to pair due to the pungent flavor. It tends to fight back in an unpleasant way. Grabbing a sweet wine will assist in toning down the sharpness to make it much more pleasurable.

Try Château Doisy-Védrines Sauternes 2018

Scallops and Chablis - When it comes to seafood, you want to level the strength of the wine with the fish.  As an example of this is finding something to pair with scallops. The light, buttery simplicity of this shellfish can be overpowered by almost anything. Something with too much oak and butteriness (like a Napa Chardonnay) is too heavy for this pairing. The lighter, unoaked version of a Chardonnay will lend its soft palate to this beautiful dish. 

Try William Fevre Chablis 2020

Gamay and roasted cod - Red wine with fish? Why not! The issue with fish and red wine is the high tannin that the red wine brings. It's too dry and overpower the seafood. A variety like Gamay has very low tannin for a red wine but maintains its acidity that can handle the richness and density of a fish like cod. For an even better pairing, prepare the fish by roasting!

Try Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais-Villages

Oaked chardonnay and ribeye - If you can drink red wine with fish, then why not white wine with steak?! The rule here is to go as big bodied, acidic and heavy as possible. You need the structure of the wine to stand up to the fat and richness of the meat. On its own, I am not a fan of chardonnay, but in this instance, the steak lessens the oak that comes with the Chardonnay and makes a pleasing match. 

Try River Road Family Vineyards & Winery Chardonnay, California Double Oaked 2020

I hope this inspired you to enjoy some great pairings, and get creative! What are your favorite pairings? Let me know what you like!

                                              A presto!