The Matchmaker’s guide to wine

MARK ROBERTS, LANCHESTER WINES’ DIRECTOR OF SALES, SHARES THE COMPANY’S TOP TIPS TO HELP STAFF FIND THE RIGHT WINE PAIRING FOR THEIR FOOD OFFERING.

Wine pairing is a delicate process of combining food dishes with the perfect wine to help elevate the dining experience. Importantly for the operator, it provides not only an extra service for the customer, but also an opportunity for you to upsell your wine list.

Many customers (and staff) find food and wine pairing daunting, but it needn’t be. Here’s some top tips to get you started:

1. The most important thing to remember with food and wine pairing is it’s largely subjective. What we suggest as an ideal if they usually don’t drink white wines, they probably won’t like a glass of it with food.

2. There are two types of food and wine pairing: a. Complementary pairing, which is a wine that complements a dish; b. Congruent pairing, which is a wine that enhances a dish. so it’ll need red wine. However, grilled chicken with a creamy lemon sauce would pair well with a white.

Wine and food need to balance each other out, with neither one overwhelming the taste of the other. Try and pair equal flavours to create a good balance, so a bold red wine with a hearty plate of lamb or a light-bodied white wine with grilled fish.

4. Some key pairings: a. Sauvignon Blanc and tart flavours: if the food works well with a squeeze of lemon (ie fish, chicken), then Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect match! b. Pinot Grigio and seafood, both of which have light, delicate flavours; c. Cabernet Sauvignon and red meat, which perfectly balances tannins in the wine; d. Pinot Noir and earthy, savoury flavours like mushroom dishes or hearty pizzas; e. Shiraz/Syrah is great with heavily spiced dishes; f. Provence Rosé and cheesy dishes, because it has the acidity of white wine while still maintaining the fruity notes of red; match may not appeal to the customer’s tastes, which is where it’s important staff allow for individual palates and encourage experimentation. Match to what the customer loves and you won’t go wrong. So

3. Match the wine to the most prominent element of the dish. This could be the seasonings, sauce, or the main ingredient. For instance, chicken in a sauce with mushrooms has an earthier, richer flavour, g. Sparkling wine (Champagne, Prosecco) is perfect for rich foods as it has both the acidity and effervescence help to balance heavier foods.

For more tips and information, please visit www.lanchesterwines.co.uk