
From full-bodied red wines to dry, crisp white wines, the wine world can be intimidating for a beginner. There are so many possibilities! However, there are a lot of pointers and advice to guide you when it comes to wine and food combinations. For information on how to pair food and wine, continue reading.
Understanding some of the most popular wine terminologies is the first step in understanding wine and food combinations. All facets of wine are discussed using these phrases.
- Body: An expression that refers to a wine’s taste character. For instance, full-bodied wine has intense flavors and a lingering finish.
- Tannin: Grape skin, seeds, and stems contain a chemical substance called tannin. Some are used to speed up the aging process for the wood barrels.
- Acidity: All grapes contain acidity, which helps keep the wine from spoiling. Wines with a sharper, crisper flavor will have greater acidity levels.
- Dry: Wine that typically has little to no added sugar.
Wine pairing methods
Have you ever wondered why the grilled meats at Milwalky Trace taste better? Well, the chefs understand these fundamentals of wine pairing.
Congruent pairing
Incongruent pairings, the food and wine selected will share several flavors or chemical constituents. This can be a sweet wine matched with a sweet dish, a buttery pasta dish, or a red wine. The key to developing harmonious pairings is to ensure that the food flavors don’t overpower the wine.
Otherwise, it can result in the wine tasting flat when it happens. Congruent pairings can enhance the flavors of the meal and wine. Red wines are quite varied and simple to drink, with flavors and aromas ranging from cherry to smokey, making them simple to pair with similar dishes. Full-bodied Syrah wine is a fantastic complementary pairing because it has a flavor profile similar to some of your favorite grilled meats.
Complementary pairings
Complementary pairings, on the other hand, are focused on food and wine combinations that don’t share any components or flavors but rather enhance one another. Their opposing characteristics balance the flavors in each.
Excellent options for contrasting pairings of wine include white, sparkling, and rosé. When served with spicy food, a sweet white wine will allow the sugar to cool and balance out the heat of the dish.
Salty foods and white wine are another typical complementing match since the food’s salinity reduces the wine’s sweetness and enhances its fruity flavor and aroma. Salty popcorn and fried foods go particularly well with a drink of Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.
Key things to remember.
Red wine and red meat
Red wine complements red meats like steak well because it can assist in softening the proteins in the meat and enhance the flavors of the fat. The tannin, a chemical ingredient in red wine, causes the flesh to become softer.
White wine and lean meats ( Fish and Chicken).
Fish and white wines go well nicely because the acidity in the wine brings out the freshness and flavor of the fish. White wine can enhance the flavor of fish, similar to how lemon is squeezed over fish because of its acidity.