Five delicious wine and comfort food pairings | Ideal Wine Company (2024)

FAQs

Is wine pairing nonsense? ›

Most food and wine pairings are not perfect. But even if a bottle and a dish do not meld synergistically, they can still enhance one another. The simpler the recipe – that is, the fewer the ingredients – the easier it is to find that beautiful harmony.

Food and wine pairing tips everyone should know

White wine pairings include white meat, white fish, and pasta. Red wines are best suited to red meats and desserts. Rosé wine pairings include seafood. Sparkling wines should be paired with shellfish, fruits, and cheeses.

WINE FIRST is a series that matches delicious wine and food, taking viewers through some of the most beautiful European wine regions.

The general rule of thumb is to serve a wine at least as sweet or sweeter than the food being served. Sweet foods make dry wines seem over-acidic and tart. Sweet wines with a good level of acidity, such as Sauternes, are a perfect match for rich foods like pâté.

Especially tricky to match with wine are artichokes, asparagus, fennel and spinach. Artichokes may make wines taste metallic or sweet, due to a chemical known as cynarin.

For most of history, wine has been a regular accompaniment to meals. Often the culinary and winemaking traditions of a region would evolve together, creating a natural pairing between the local wine and the local cuisine. Wine has had a long history of being served as an accompaniment to food.

Contrasting Wine Pairings

Also called a complementary pairing, a contrasting pairing is when one flavor cuts through and balances out the richness of the other. Mac and cheese can work great with Chardonnay for an overall creamy, rich experience, but mac and cheese can also go great with a sharper Pinot Grigio.

Food-wine pairing guidelines often suggest matching the body of the wine with the weight of the food. That is, serve “full-bodied” wines with robust, powerful, strongly flavored foods. On the other hand, pair “light-bodied” wines with lighter fair; vegetables, mild spicing, perhaps seafood.

Sweet foods are best paired with sweeter wines. Spicy wines complement spicy foods. Bitter wines go best with fatty foods and zesty whites – the tannins in the former and the acid in the latter temper the richness. Salty foods go with sweet wines – the sweet-and-salty combo is a classic.

What are the four successful pairing aspects of food and wine? ›

Not Matching Wine Intensity with The Intensity of The Food Flavors. This is a common pairing mistake people make, and it's the easiest to avoid.

Successful wine pairing will enhance the dining experience – potentially heightening flavours, textures and qualities in the food. Advice from a skilled sommelier or waiting staff may encourage diners to be more adventurous by providing confidence that their selections will work well together.

Pairing a smoky or fatty food with a heavier or more full bodied wine made it seem lighter. Just like a condiment or a sauce, your wine can change how you perceive the taste of your food and your food will change how you perceive the wine!

Wine pairing is a delicate process of combining food dishes with the perfect wine to help elevate the dining experience. Food and wine pairing has been a technique of matching complementary flavors with the goal of heightening enjoyment of each component.

The wine should have the same flavor intensity as the food. Red wines pair best with bold flavored meats (e.g. red meat). White wines pair best with light-intensity meats (e.g. fish or chicken). Bitter wines (e.g. red wines) are best balanced with fat.