Food and Wine Pairing Tips - Part 1

Red with strongly flavored meats. White with delicate fish dishes. Unless the fish has a spicy pepper rub. Or the meat has a delicate color. Or either are components of a Szechuan plate …

Second only to the Mystery of the Sphinx, food and wine pairing has triggered centuries of head-scratching. It seems as though just about everyone has an opinion on what goes with what and when!

Extensive and well-introduced as your wine list may be, Superior understands that your guests may ask for suggestions. To help make things easier, we’ve assembled a few tried-and-true tips.

Basic Basics!

Your wine must always be equal to or heavier than the flavor of the dish you are serving. While you may pair a heavier wine with a light dish, never a light wine with a heavy dish.

Pair for color, flavor and texture! Sole and salmon are both fish dishes ~ but that’s where the similarity ends.

Reds are traditionally served at room temperature; whites, served slightly chilled.

Serve red wines in a glass with a slightly turned-in rim, allowing the vapors to build to a lush aroma and ample room to breathe.

White wines are served in a smaller, egg-shaped glass allowing them to remain cool, longer.

Sparkling and dessert wines should be served in narrow, fluted glasses that help to keep the bubbles in check.

“The vine bears three kinds of grapes: The first of pleasure, the second of intoxication, the third of disgust.” Diogenes

With all due respect to ancient Greek philosophy … there are only three legal categories of wine in the United States: Table, Dessert and Sparkling.

From the early 1970’s through the late 1980’s Americans’ wine preferences held fairly steady with the majority (75%) selecting white to a not-so-glowing (25%) red. As we entered the Millenium, however, rich reds became increasingly popular ~ bringing today’s stats closer to an impressive 50-50 split.

Table Wines. Of the white favorites, offering a selection including Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay will ensure that your guests have a light, medium and full-bodied choice. On the red side, adding Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to your wine list will provide a good sampling from the light and fruity to the fuller and heavier.

Dessert Wines. The definition of dessert wine has as much to do with world geography and culture as with preparation method. In the United States, both Sauterne and Port are considered appropriate dessert wines. Sauterne, white and sweet, originated in the Sauternais region of France; Port began in Portugal but is now recreated world-wide in the Portuguese-style, sweet and red.

Sparkling Wines. Typically white or rose, wines with bubbles offer a higher acidity, delicate flavor and that magical tingle! Lower in alcohol than many table wines, they offer a good option for a guest looking for something different.

Stay tuned for part two, coming next week...

P.S.
If you can't wait that long, check out the selection of helpful books available on SuperiorMenus.com!