I have met many wanderlust people on my several travel journeys. People explore to the fullest. They wander the world at the greatest and eat up to the highest. I have met very few people who are exceptionally wanderlust, flawless food lovers, as well as wine connoisseurs. Well, people know what to eat where - thanks to the smartphone's helping nature. Even though people know what to eat, where seldom they fail in making a sound combination in their meals. There is etiquette, which on knowing will make you capable of combining your meal with the best drink option available.
Blending the wine with your dinner is so much of art within. People are unfamiliar with the ways through which they can create wine miracles. This article is all set to teach you the fundamentals of pairing your food with your wine. Perhaps, a great combo of these two makes you feel overwhelmed with the traits of wine and tastes of the meal dish. You will find tips to best match your food and wine ingredients and also get an insight about what to look for in the food ingredients to make out the great out of these two!
1. Check the Sweetness Level of Wine
The sweet foods must accompany with the wines that are equally or over sweet. The sweetness of the wine would cut the salty taste and elevate the richness of the food. The sweeter wine would not let the food taste tedious and make a sound pair. One should check the sweetness level of the wine and accordingly pair up the food. For instance, a Mac and cheese with ham will match best with the zesty wine with sugar like a riesling.
2. Check the Acidity Level of Wine
The wines that belong to cool climates are much more acidic than the ones that are from the humid climates. The certain way to get the best wine pair with the food dish is to prior check the acidity level of the wine. The wine must always be more than the food. If you are eating the food with the fattest calories, you must go for picking the top acidic wine. You can pair such foods with Rose, Sparkling, and White wines.
3. Try Matching it with the Sauce
There are specific contrast and congruent wine pairing techniques. By using one, you can match the wine with food. It is advisable if you prefer to match your wine with the Sauce served more than the food ingredients. Citrus sauces go excellent with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay wines. Even Chardonnay pairs wonderfully with cream and mushroom sauces. Try out red and meat sauces with Shiraz wine. When you identify the sauce serving and match the wine to it, you get a classy combination!
4. Wine must have Flavor Intensity as Food
The most significant thing is the match between the wine intensity and the sense of the food. Both should be parallel for the best outcomes. The food, and wine both with the strong citrus flavor could go well hand in hand. Baked macaroni is salty and rich in fats. You can blend Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay with it for the best suitability. If the dish is with a sweet texture, say a Russian salad, you can match it with Pinot Noir. Choose the wine that does justice to your food.
5. Best wines for Strongly flavored meat
We observed the food ingredient and sauces that contribute importantly to decide the wine pair. However, the strong and mild flavors of the food also contribute to the same. Drinks like red liquor can be the best drink for pairing with strongly flavored meat as well as spicy cooked fish. The spicy or tangy flavor of food goes perfectly with the tasty wines. That means red wines couple best with the strongly flavored meat (red meat.) Check the spices first and pick the wine later!
6. Best wines for Mildly flavored meat
Mildly flavored meat pairs extremely well with wines with a lighter intensity. When we talk about mildly flavored meat, we intend to say fish and chicken dishes. White wine varietals are the best deal for mild meat foods. Mild seafood dishes can pair completely with Pinot Grigio or Arneis and even with Chablis wine. The lightly flavored foods have a delicate yumminess inside and hence, are supposed to pair with an equal level of wines.
7. Salt and Tannin must be balanced well
A higher salt level can magnify the tannin impact on the red wines as well as on the highest acidic white wines. It is, henceforth, necessary to match the salt and tannin levels of the wine. Salt can destroy the Tannin, but, it may seem Tannin to taste more bitter. Cabernet Sauvignon is one such example of heavy red wine that increases the level of Tannin and makes the wine taste bitterer. Salty food dishes must always pack up with less acidic wines.
8. Pair up different and indifferent wines
You can match wines with the food that may be complementary or contrasting to each other- beef and mushroom forms congruent pairing with maximum sharing components. Red wines from congruent pairs, whereas lime and coconut form contrasting pairing with few shared elements. White, Sparkling, and Rosé wines form the contrasting pairings. Matching the different and indifferent wine pairs lead to the delicious and delightful combinations of food and supporting drinks to the meal. Contrasting pairs, balance contrast tastes, and flavors. Congruent pairs, balance by augmenting shared flavor elements.
To conclude - know all the basics first. About food, about tastes, about flavors, and intensity. These suggestions are to ease your food and wine pairing. Sticking to it is not mandatory. You can match whatever you feel appropriate and best for your dining. Do you love to eat? Are you a wine connoisseur? Do let us know your best wine and food pair to date!
