How to Pair Wine and Food

In my opinion, the words wine and food are inseparable. Wine thoughtfully chosen enhances the flavors of whatever food you have prepared and when the meal is planned to compliment a special wine, the meal will shine like a star.

When you break down the six basic characteristics of food and wine – sweetness, saltiness, acidity, bitterness, oak and alcohol, pairing wine and food is a much easier task.

Sweetness
The perception of sweetness, even in a dry wine pairs well with savory foods that also have a sweet quality like Tuna with Mango Salsa and a Gewurztraminer or Pork Tenderloin stuffed with Apricots and Riesling. Off-dry wines with a trace of sweetness will counteract the impact of spicy hot foods like some Asian cuisine. Very sweet dessert style wines should be paired with foods that are less sweet or equally sweet. If not, the wine will taste sour by comparison. Slightly sweet wines also pair well with salty foods. So who needs beer with their pretzels?

Saltiness
Wine itself is not salty but it can affect our perception of salt in foods. Bitter or high alcohol wines will make salty food taste even saltier. Instead, try a sparkling wine or a high acid white wine that will make your mouth water and refresh your palate.

Acidity
Subtle flavors in food are amplified by wines high in acidity or tartness. High acidity also provides a nice palate-cleansing contrast to rich or oily foods. I love a crisp New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with Crab Cakes. When vinegar or lemon juice is used in a recipe, acidic wines make the best partners.

Bitterness
Bitterness in wine comes from tannins which are in grape skins and in oak barrels used for aging some wines. Wines high in tannin pair well with recipes featuring an edge of bitterness acquired through cooking methods like grilling or blackening. These wines also contrast beautifully with the richness of high fat foods like cheese. A thick char-grilled filet topped with blue cheese and a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon come to mind.

Oak
Oak aging of wine adds rich flavors like toast, caramel and vanilla which will pair well with foods of similar flavors. This aging process can also give wine a smoothness and roundness that pairs with foods of the same character like a succulent Roast Chicken and a rich, barrel aged Chardonnay.

Alcohol
In wine, alcohol equals body. The higher the alcohol, the richer or heavier the wine seems. Therefore, lighter bodied, lower alcohol wines pair well with lighter foods and heavier, high alcohol wines are best suited to heavier foods. Beware that high alcohol wines will amplify your perception of salt or hot spices.

Bottom Line
Enjoy the wine, the food and the company and you can’t go wrong.

L. Cunningham
A Woman On Wine