Food and Wine Pairing

FOOD & WINE PAIRING

[WRITER: Homer ] [ PHOTO: Freepix ]

Greetings fellow aficionados.

The start of a new year and new beginnings in the new normal does not stop giving a reason to celebrate. After almost two years with social gatherings given a backseat, we found ourselves dining in isolation and in some parts of the region with no access to enjoying a good bottle of our favorite fermented grape.

We remember our gallant wine makers who went through a tough period disposing gallons upon gallons of wine which could not be exported. Without a doubt we are back stronger. Fast forward on our wine journey, in this article we explore this often spoken about subject in brief and create a reason to have a conversation with some bit of authority on pairing.

We are talking basic union of wine and food and how in the comfort and safety of your home you can explore your way to a perfect match. To enjoy wine is to enjoy and celebrate life in its many forms and individual palates makes it entirely about personal taste at the end of the day. Thus said, the marrying of tastes has no limits, experiment with everything to create your own ‘Umami’ (“essence of deliciousness” in Japanese). First, for the novice, it’s understanding the basics of wine pairing and what to eat with your bottle of wine without throwing either away, and if it has to be …`let it be the food’. Achieving this requires the identification of the grape varietals as illustrated in previous articles.

We have always heard that white wine ‘goes’ with white meats, red wine with red meats, well we want to go beyond that and have cake with our wine too!! Remember it’s all about personal preferences and how wine and food blend with each other. There will be some distinct relationships that will have a positive or negative impact on the wine which lend themselves to the traditional guidelines. I would use them only for guiding you when hosting to get a perfect union.

If the plan is to host a dinner party or even choosing a wine in a formal restaurant, knowledge of what to choose that compliments is key to a complete experience. The chart below will be useful for the A, B, C’s guide of pairing in a simpler form.

Courtesy www.winefolly.com

QUICK TIPS

• Start with what you will eat and then choose the wine. • Bubbly (Champagne, Prosecco, MCC’s) can be drank right through a meal or event. • Remember to have more wine glasses than the number of guests. • In the hot months no harm in getting that bottle of red wine into a cooler briefly (room temperature in our neck of the woods is above 28 degrees) or you will be diluting your wine through ice blocks which will be a sad waste of any bottle. • It is easier to match the sauce than the meat. • Red wine works with bold flavors found in game meat and beef while white wine pairs better with light intensity meats such as chicken and fish. • Wine should be sweeter than the food. • Work with food with similar flavor intensities. • White with light intensity meals like chicken and fish.

A walk down the wine aisles must not be intimidating but an adventure with endless possibilities of the making of a memorable occasion with wine. Here is to shopping in knowledge. Drink responsibly, stay safe and until next time, May the vine be with you.