Choosing that perfect wine to pair with your food may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many options from the world’s plethora of wines available today and half the fun is in the choosing (of course the other half is in the drinking). Just follow these guidelines:

• Balance is important. A wine should not overpower the flavours in a delicate meal and neither should the wine taste too bland next to a hearty meal.

• Consider texture and weights. Rich heavy foods like beef, should be complemented with a full-bodied wine, like Bordeaux. Light foods like sole go nicely with a light Sauvignon Blanc whereas salmon, being a little fatty, is great with a heavier white or even a light red like Pinot Noir.

• Find the dominant flavour. For example, chicken or pork may be lighter on it’s own but if you use a sauce like BBQ, choose a more bold wine as a complement. If you use a wine in a marinade, be sure to use the same or similar wine to serve.

• Match or Contrast the flavours and intensity of wines with food. Consider fruitiness, spiciness, acidity or sugar levels.

• You can’t go wrong if you complement regional wine & food. The perfect partner for Italian Chianti is meaty pasta, or for a powerful Piedmont Barolo, partner lamb or wild truffles.

• Tame the Tannins. Wine’s natural preservative originates in the seeds and skins of the grape. If you’ve ever bitten into a grape seed, you know that dry astringent taste can be too much. Decanting does help! So does pairing the wine with protein-based food to make the tannins taste less harsh.

• Watch alcohol content. For some foods that are higher on the spicy scale, alcohol will only intensify the spice! So choose a wine with low alcohol content or better yet, try beer! Yes there is the RARE occasion when wine is not your perfect mate!

 

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"One Minute Holiday Pairing Guide"