21 April 2008 by Shifrah Combiths
Pleasure Comes in Pairs: Explore Wine and Food Pairing
If you’re like most of us, you’re probably intimidated by the elusive art of wine pairing. Maybe it seems that there are rules to wine pairing that perhaps you should know, but don’t, and you’re loathe to expose your lack of culinary finesse and so you avoid the matter altogether.
There certainly are those in the know when it comes to wine. Sommeliers are highly trained wine experts who are deeply knowledgeable about all aspects of wine, from procurement and storage to tasting and pairing. Their contact with patrons in upscale restaurants involves their skill at breaking down a wine’s characteristics of aroma, flavor, and body, describing them to the customer, and offering suggestions for combinations complementary to menu offerings.
But you don’t have to be a sommelier to be good at wine pairing. While there are some fundamental principles that may loosely govern what types of wines go well with different types of foods (or vice versa), you’ll be happy to learn that wine pairing is in fact an intensely personal experience, an awareness and awakening of your palate’s sensibilities.
A general and widely cited rule of thumb suggests that poultry and fish go nicely with white wines, while stronger red wines should be reserved for gamey meat, beef, or lamb. But as consumers are becoming increasingly educated about wine and as more and more varieties of artisan wines are being shipped from around the globe, the rules of the game are crossing red and white lines.
For instance, a light Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, whose climate accounts for this red wine’s soft berry tones, could make a lovely pair with a lobster or chicken dish. Conversely, a Pinot Grigio from Italy boasts a sharpness and acidity that’s rare in white wines but is perfectly capable of standing up to the richness of pork, which is traditionally served with robust red wines. Furthermore, Sauvignon Blancs from the Russian River Valley in California are bold and intense with a smokiness gleaned from the oak barrels they age in, producing a white wine that can handle the intensity of stronger foods.
Remember that the goal of pairing is to create a match in which the food is enhanced by a particular wine and the wine is enhanced by a particular food. Neither the food nor the wine should overpower the other. Since you’re presumably already familiar with the qualities of food, begin your wine pairing endeavors by paying close attention to the wines you enjoy and their particular characteristics. Make a mental log of what you personally like and describe the wine to yourself (or to anyone who will listen); be creative and imaginative, giving word to the nuances in mouth feel, sharpness, sweetness, bitterness and the myriad of flavors in a sip of wine.
Decide on a category or two of wine that you are particularly fond of. Then, embark on simple pairing expeditions: lay out some olives (both green and black), various cheeses, some herbs, nuts, spices, fruit, whatever you think may be good to try with your wine of choice. Sample combinations of food with the wine (rinsing your mouth with water between pairings). Experience the effect of the combination and describe this as well. Soon, you’ll discover that you’re more of an amateur sommelier than you ever thought possible – and all through heeding, absorbing, and articulating your own personal taste.