My journey into the world of food and wine pairing began with a rather unfortunate experience. Many years ago, while living in Pensacola, FL, I was dating a charming pilot, and we were preparing for our third date. Instead of going out, I invited him over to watch a movie and hoped to impress him with strawberries and champagne for a romantic evening. However, my first taste of champagne paired with the sweet fruit was disappointing. The sweetness of the strawberries highlighted the acidity of the champagne, resulting in an overpowering tartness on my palate. Frustrated, I reached for a bag of chips, which actually paired much better. Despite the hiccup with the wine pairing, the rest of the evening was wonderful! (If you know what I mean.)
What is most important about wine & food pairing
Pairing wine and food involves matching complementary flavors to ensure harmony, allowing both to shine without one overpowering the other. Mastering this technique will transform the experience of selecting the perfect wine for your dish into a delightful journey. Here are some helpful guidelines.
Acidity
Acidity in wine significantly influences its taste and texture. The acid acts as a natural preservative. To understand what acidity feels like, try this: slice a lemon in half and place one half on your tongue. You should notice a tingling and tart sensation on the sides of your mouth and the tip of your tongue. This perception of tartness in the wine is a reflection of its acidity. Acidity is essential for achieving balance and structure in wine.
A fundamental principle of food and wine pairing is that “acid in food makes acid in wine go away.” In other words, if your food contains any acidic ingredients—such as lemons, vinaigrette, tomatoes, capers, fruits, or pickled items—it reduces the perceived acidity of the wine, thereby enhancing its flavor.
Tannin
Tannin is more of a feeling than a flavor. It is an acid derived from crushed grape seeds, skins, and stems, primarily sourced from red grapes. It creates a drying sensation on your tongue, similar to the feeling you get when you steep tea for too long. Most tannic wines are big, full-bodied reds such as Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Petite Sirah, and Syrah.
Pairing tannin in food with tannic wines will make the tannin taste less apparent. Bitter foods complement tannic wines well, such as grilled, blackened, or charred red meats. For example, a steak on the grill paired with a California Cabernet is a perfect match.
Saltiness
Salty foods pair exceptionally well with acidic wines. Saltiness is found in nearly all the foods we consume and can significantly influence your wine selection. This can include the salt you add while cooking or the natural salt present in foods like oysters or seafood. All wines contain acid, with white and sparkling wines having a higher acidity. When you eat salty foods, it reduces the perception of sweetness in the wine, enhancing its fruity flavors and aromas. As a result, white and sparkling wines, which tend to have a sharper profile, complement salty dishes perfectly—plus, salty foods love the bubbles!
Additionally, salty foods can also pair well with sweet wines. For example, sushi with soy sauce, fried foods, potato chips, or popcorn can be excellent matches for sweeter wines. The contrasting flavors create a delightful balance of tartness and saltiness. A great combination to try is a salty trail mix with a sweet wine; the combination is both sweet and salty, making for a delicious experience!
Sweetness in wine
The majority of wines are produced in a sweet style, which is a winemaking technique. All wines contain sugar, but not all wines taste sweet. The sweetness level is determined during the fermentation stage. Sweeter wines are created when fermentation is halted before all the sugar is converted into alcohol. In addition to sugar, the sweetness of wine is influenced by its levels of alcohol, acids, and tannins. Sugar and alcohol enhance sweetness, while acids and tannins balance it out. This process is carefully controlled by the winemaker, who aims to produce a specific style of wine. Popular wines in the semi-sweet and sweet category include Riesling, Moscato, Gewurztraminer, and Sauternes.
The sweetness of wine can significantly affect how it pairs with spicy dishes. Sweet white wines with low alcohol content complement hot and spicy foods very well. The sweetness in these wines helps to soften and reduce the burning sensation in your mouth.
Alcohol
Alcohol in wine comes from the sugar in grapes—more sugar at harvest means more potential alcohol after fermentation. While high sugar can lead to sweeter wines, it doesn’t always. Yeast turns sugar into alcohol, which enhances flavor and aroma by interacting with taste and smell.
It enhances flavors by interacting with our taste buds and aromatic senses. High alcohol levels can dominate the wine, masking subtler flavors. It carries volatile aromatic compounds contributing to the wine’s bouquet. Excessive alcohol creates a burning sensation on the palate.
Fat
This discussion centers on food, particularly how the richness and creaminess of certain dishes achieve balance through the acidity or tannic structure of wine. Fats have a natural affinity for tannins, which interact at a molecular level with fat globules found in cheeses, meats, and oils.
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