The art of pairing wine with food

The art of pairing wine with food is done to enhance the dining experience, as it is believed that certain flavours and textures are complemented by certain wines – a process that some wine connoisseurs liken to a ‘conversation.’

The dogma of pairing white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat has made way for a more relaxed and creative approach to pairing, with the diner’s taste being the most important consideration. “Drinking wine is a subjective choice. It all depends on what you like,” says Nicolette Waterford, a wine industry consultant from Cape Town.

The fact however remains that some wines simply taste better with certain dishes than others. For example, white wine generally goes well with a chicken dish. But if the chicken is served with a heavy tomato-based sauce or a rich creamy sauce, red wine or a full-bodied white is a better choice than a light and fruity white. “Salad is also quite difficult, because it is typically served with a vinaigrette sauce that fights with the white wine that is usually served with it. My solution is to add some of the wine I am drinking to the sauce,” says Waterford.

Bear the following guidelines in mind when pairing food and wine:

Soup

With fish soup, a dry white like Sauvignon Blanc or a Blanc de Noir is preferable, while a full, rich white like a wooded Chardonnay goes well with cream soup. Minestrone calls for a young, medium-bodied wine like Merlot.

Fish

With fish dishes, white wine is still best, but a light, young red could also add to your dining pleasure. When serving oysters and mussels, a cap classique (a sophisticated sparkling wine comparable to French champagne) is the answer.

Poultry

A poultry dish (including chicken, turkey and guinea fowl) calls for different wines, depending on the manner of cooking. If it is plain-roasted, white, rosé, or a light red is appropriate. If the dish is served with stuffing, a medium-bodied red is a good choice, while a medium- to full–bodied, rich white pairs excellently with a dish in a heavy cream sauce. Duck is well served with a wine that is slightly sweet, like a soft, ripe red.

Pork

Pork goes well with a dry to off-dry white wine like Riesling, while veal tastes great with a dry white, light-bodied red or dry rosé.

Beef and lamb

Dry red wine, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, or any other dry red you might fancy, should pair nicely with these hearty red meat dishes.

Cheese and desserts

Dessert wines are called that because they are sweet and go well with the pudding at the end of a meal. Dessert wine is also an excellent choice with fruit or cheese. Dessert wines include port, a full-bodied wine that can be red, white, or amber in colour. Muscadel, red or white, is another popular dessert wine. When serving white muscadel, make sure that it is served chilled, while the red variety should be served at room temperature.

Whatever your tipple of choice, there is no denying that a fine wine is an integral part of a memorable dining experience. Cheers!

The information contained in this article is of a general nature and intended for information purposes only.