The Best Food & Wine Pairings
Wine flavors depend on many different components, like sugar, acid, fruit, and tannin. The flavor of foods also depends on many different aspects, such as fat, acid, salt, sugar and bitterness. The best wine and food pairings are pairings that compliment each other. However, whether you prefer a contrasting pairing or one that’s more similar is entirely up to you and your taste buds.
One of the best ways to enjoy brisk Autumn nights that are right around the corner is to enjoy a glass of wine while enjoying a wonderful dinner. With the right wine pairing, you can make both your wine and food taste even better. Here are some tips to follow when deciding which wine would go best with your meal this holiday season.
- Dishes with ingredients such as mushrooms or truffles taste best with complex yet light-bodied red wines, such as Pinot Noir.
- Chardonnays pair wonderfully with fish or seafood-based dishes.
- Eating a particularly salty meal, such as oysters? Salt is complimented by dry sparkling wines, such as brut Champagne.
- If you’re indulging on steaks, lamb chops, or other juicy meats, pairing it with tannin-rich Cabernet Sauvignon is a great way to bring out the meaty flavors.
- With cheese-based dishes, or simply cheese alone, you can’t ever go wrong with a dry rosé, which has the perfect balance of acidity and fruitiness.
- Malbec compliments barbeque-heavy dishes very well without overpowering the yummt barbeque flavor.
- Eating chocolate with wine? This combination can be a tricky one. The key is to choose a wine that is sweeter than the dessert - for instance, pair a bitter, dark chocolate paired with a slightly sweet red wine, such as a Zinfandel.