There is no doubt that one of life’s greatest pleasures is a glass of wine together with a delicious meal. In addition to the social benefits of drinking wine, many studies have praised wine Healthy profitparticularly the red varieties.
Wine can be enjoyed with a group of friends, otherwise you can enjoy a glass while relaxing at home. But what makes drinking wine even more delicious are the various food pairings you can make. So whether you are hosting guests at home or preparing an intimate dinner for two, wine and food pairing can make a meal more memorable.
Simple Rules For Pairing Food And Wine
It’s easy to be intimidated by the thought of finding the perfect food or dish to pair with a bottle of wine. However, there are easy-to-follow rules that anyone can use as a guide when pairing wine and food, such as:
- White wine pairs best with chicken or fish; red wine pairs better with red meat or any meat with a bold taste like mutton or lamb. Pair wine with sauce, not meat.
- Wine should be sweeter and fewer sour than food.
- Fatty foods should be paired with bitter wines, eg red wine.
- Sweet wines will taste better with sweet foods, while salty foods will taste better with high-acid varieties. Spicy foods may taste better with fruity sweet wines or semi-dry wines.
The main goal of food and wine pairing is to enhance the dining experience. There are lots of strict rules around couples, but your taste and pleasure is what matters at the end of the day. Regardless of the type of food and wine you plan to pair with, it is best to remember these basic tips when handling wine:
- Serve wine at the right temperature. Many grape varieties are best served chilled.
- Stick to your comfort zone — drinking wine is an enjoyable experience, so do not be afraid to try different varieties.
- Serving stale wine is a big mistake. Remember that wine has an expiration date once opened.
In addition to following the aforementioned rules, remember that most of the time it’s a matter of personal taste and preference. The best rule to remember when pairing wine with food is to explore and have fun! So enjoy a glass of red wine with your favourite dish — who knows, you might find a new food and wine pairing that you will fully enjoy!
Food And Wine Pairings You Should Try
You haven’t got to be a knowledgeable sommelier to develop charming food and wine combinations. This food and wine combo will help encourage you to create your own magic pairing:
- Lamb Kebabs With Full-Bodied Red Wine
Red wine pairs best with thick, flavorful meat, so lamb or beef skewers will go great with it. Persian dishes are generally rich and aromatic, so bold tasting wines work best. In some cases, Persian cuisine also has spicy dishes which make red wine a great choice, particularly semi-dry varieties. Sweet red wine also pairs well with lamb kebabs or kofta kebabs.
- All-Meat Pizza With Semi-Dry Red Wine
All-meat pizza on weekend movie nights is a popular comfort food for many. While the most common drink to drink with pizza is soda, wine can make your meal even more enjoyable. The best wine to pair with a meat pizza is a red wine because the fatty meat topping will complement the acidity of the red wine.
- Japanese Gyoza With Semi Dry White Wine
Pairing wine with dumplings can be tricky because the ingredients for these foods vary. A plate of Japanese gyoza is an awesome and filling appetizer that goes well with white wine, particularly aromatic varieties. Gyoza are dumplings steamed, then fried and eaten dipped in soy sauce with rice wine and spices. It can even be paired with sparkling wine, or pink wine if you do not like white wine.
- Fish And Chips With Crispy Rosé
Who does not love fish and chips? This British dish can be prepared at home without too much effort, and you can make it even more special by choosing the best wines to pair with it. Fish is generally paired with white wine, but you can spice things up by pairing it with rosé. Fish and chips are generally served with a tangy tartar sauce, so the fresh acidity of the rosé wine complements the meal nicely.
- Sushi With Champagne
Who says you must drink sake with sushi? The best wine to accompany sushi, which is raw fish, is white wine. But you can level it up and open a bottle of champagne that has been sitting on your wine shelf for a long time. Champagne is a white wine but more special—a sparkling dry wine that pairs well with the flavors of sushi whether you are eating salmon or uni. The crisp champagne flavor balances the freshness of the raw fish, making the dish even more enjoyable.
- Sweet Red Wine and Chocolate Cake
Finding the right wine to pair with chocolate cake can be tricky. Chocolate and wine maybe not the easiest to match, but it cannot hurt to try. When you have chocolate chip cookies at home and feel the need to open a bottle of wine to celebrate a promotion, birthday or any milestone, what do you choose? Since chocolate comes from the cocoa bean of the fruit, a sweet red wine will complement this rich dessert. If your chocolate cake is made with white chocolate, you can pair it with sweet white wine.
take away
Creating a successful food and wine pairing does not need to be a stressful situation. The key to a good pairing is finding a balance between wine and food. It also helps to know the traits of every wine you want to try with food. Most importantly, to enjoy and have fun experimenting with different flavors to come up with a pair you will want to share with others.
