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Wine Pairing Primer

ONE
of the most common questions I get in my wine beginnings
class pertains to food and wine pairings. To begin to
understand how food and wine react differently (depending on
what kinds are used), one basic piece of the puzzle needs to
be understood first: wine is a condiment. In the recent few
decades, which I will sarcastically call the age of the wine
critic, we have lost sight of this basic understanding of
food and wine. A few hundred years ago when spice was very
expensive, wine was the seasoning to everyday food. The
spice trade was so lucrative that if you look at some old
coat-of-arms you’ll see little black balls on the shield.
These are not cannon balls, but peppercorns. Wine was a part
of everyday food because during this point in history, wine
(and beer) were much safer to drink than water.

When thinking
about pairings what is also important to remember is there
are no rules. The old adage that white goes with fish and
red with meat was coined when again wine was the spice. In
today’s cuisine of many cultures, styles and fusions, there
are only guidelines. Of course, there are a few pairings
that probably will never work, such as an old red Bordeaux
with oysters on the half shell. If you don’t understand why
these two don’t work, try them. Recently released red
Bordeaux or other international blend such as a Meritage
will do. Taste the wine, then the oysters and go back again
to the wine. What happened? How did those bite-sized pockets
that are brine of the sea react to the wine? What did the
tannin, acidity and fruit do? Notice, where the fruit notes
of the wine were, they are gone now. The acidity has an
overemphasis while the tannin is astringent and bitter.
Having this awareness of a negative food and wine pairing
reaction is important to a greater knowledge with food and
wine. One day it wouldn’t surprise me if there were some
creative Chef and Sommelier team that could prove me wrong
by making this pairing work. But it hasn’t happened
yet.

If you happen to
be dealing with traditional cuisine look at the specific
area in which it comes from. For example, if you are looking
to pair Tuscan cuisine with red wine the overlapping
similarities of food are certainly not by accident. More
than a few dishes involve the use of tomatoes. In and of
themselves, tomatoes do have a natural level of acidity. If
you use a low acid, highly extracted style of wine, like
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel, the level of
acidity will cause a negative effect on the wine. However,
with a red wine that does have a solid amount of acidity
like a Sangiovese from Chianti, the pairing works extremely
well.

A
general guide for each grape, what does work and
what does not.

SAUVIGNON
BLANC

WORKS WELL WITH

Emphasize or enhanced with fresh herbs, salad,
grilled white fish. Vinaigrette sauces (dressing).
Sharper or more acidic ingredients: citrus, capers,
olives, tomatoes, olives. Dishes with pure
ingredients: clams, oysters, grilled swordfish.
Goat Cheese (younger). Spicy or hot foods. The high
acidity and usually lower alcohol cleanse and
refresh your palate.
DOES
NOT WORK WITH

Red meat. Savory dishes that border on sweet, i.e.,
caramelized onions, roasted garlic. Very rich
foods. When you pick the wrong style for the food.
Sauvignon Blanc can be oaked or unoaked, high or
medium alcohol.

RIESLING
WORKS WELL WITH

Rich game birds like goose and duck. Counter
pairing to rich and salty meats: ham, sausage,
charcuteries, prosciutto. Sushi and sweet vinegary
sushi rice. Indian and Asian spiced foods. Sweet
shellfish: crab, lobster, shrimp. Quiche.
DOES
NOT WORK WITH

Overpowering dishes that are too rich. The wrong
style, a bone dry Riesling with oysters is
delicious, but not as successful when an off-dry
style is used. Very peppery dishes will overwhelm
most Rieslings. Most green vegetables. Red
meat.

CHARDONNAY
WORKS WELL WITH

Mild and sweet shellfish: lobster, prawns. Nuts in
the dish, especially toasted. Milder mushrooms:
button, chanterelles, oyster, shiitake. Butter,
cream, melted cheeses or coarse texture ingredients
like white beans, macaroni, polenta. Avocado and
squash. High fat fish like salmon.
DOES
NOT WORK WITH

Hot or spicy dishes, the capsaicin (heat invoking
“burn” effect) accentuates the oak and alcohol in
Chardonnay. Very acidic ingredients. Olives,
asparagus, capers, tomatoes. Sweet tasting food.
Oaky Chardonnay is poor with Thanksgiving dinner.
Pungent Cheeses (does work with unaged Brie,
Comte). Very oaky Chardonnay is usually a poor food
pairing.

PINOT
NOIR

WORKS WELL WITH

Dishes with coriander, cumin, cinnamon, ginger or
spices commonly found in wine. Grilled, smoked or
lightly charred. Fish: Tuna, Swordfish and Wild
Salmon. Veggies with earthly flavors: mushrooms,
squash, fennel, lentils. Asian dishes with
sweet/salt combinations.
DOES
NOT WORK WITH

Strong seafood: Sardines, mackerel. Overly rich
sauces with lots of cream, butter or mayonnaise
sauces. Spice that is fiery. Most strong cheeses
(cheeses that do work: Brie, Taleggio).

SYRAH
WORKS WELL WITH

Grilled foods: steak, lamb. Rich stews. Game:
squab, boar. BBQ. Strong Hard Cheeses: Gouda,
Parmesan, dry jack.
DOES
NOT WORK WITH

Most fish. Fiery spiced foods. Sour foods: vinegar
bases and tart vegetables. Soft or runny/strong
cheeses: Epoisses or aged Camembert.

CABERNET
SAUVIGNON

WORKS WELL WITH

Red meats (loves protein). Bitter elements –
mustard greens, radicchio pair well with Cabernet’s
tannin. Foods that pick up the wine’s oak character
such as grilling, smoking, plank roasting. Fat,
creamy, buttery dishes – a good counterpoint. Black
pepper-crusted foods. Food with earthy or herbal
elements.
DOES
NOT WORK WITH

Delicate, subtle dishes – Cabernet is too bold.
Most fish. Spicy hot foods. Dishes with no fat or
protein.