Wine Pairings: A Symphony

Lizzy Freed  

“Wine makes a symphony of a good meal.” –Fernande Garvin, The Art of French Cooking

All right fellow wine snobs, now that we all have a basic understanding of the process behind this wonderful drink, let’s get to the really fun part! When wine meets food.

I often remember Ted’s words from Queer Eye For the Straight Guy (it’s a great show!), “If you took a bite of that chocolate and then a sip of this Chardonnay, it would be kind of like brushing your teeth and then drinking orange juice…it would not go well together. But we also have this Semillon—it’s as sweet as that chocolate, and it can stand up to that chocolate.”

Matching wine and food should always be fun, and no matter what you’ve been told, it’s not as complicated as you think. Although there are some traditional pairs, the truth is that it is your meal, and if you like the taste of a robust Cab Sauv with a delicate whitefish, you can do it! But assuming that you, like most, would find the clashing flavors a bit overwhelming, I would like to offer some basic tools to have handy for your next dinner party.

Wine has different smells and flavors, just like food. Some of these mesh well, while others just don’t fit. Can you imagine putting peanut butter with macaroni and cheese? No! Because peanut butter needs jelly!

Let’s begin with acidity. High acidity in a wine complements creamy, basic dishes. It heightens the flavor of the food and washes it down beautifully. My favorite example is my whitefish Parmesan with a nice Sauvignon Blanc.

White Wines (light to full-bodied)	Foods They Love (matching body)
Riesling	Flounder
Sauvignon Blanc	Oysters
Pinot Grigio	Clams or Shrimp
Gewürztraminer	Scallops
Chardonnay	Veal or Salmon
Voigner	Roast Chicken/Sirloin Steak

There is a definite pattern that emerges with these pairs—the lighter the wine, the lighter the food. Texture plays a role as well.

And now for the reds:

Red Wines (light to full-bodied)	Foods They Love (matching body)
Burgundy/Bordeaux	Roast Chicken/Duck
Pinot Noir	Most game birds, some fish, soup/salad
Cabernet Sauvignon/Some Bordeaux	Lamb or Veal
Merlot	Lamb/Game Birds
Malbec	Lamb, Beefsteak
Heavier Bordeaux and Cabernet Sauvignon	Most Game Meats

Now, keep in mind that these are just references. For example, when we say that a Riesling goes well with flounder, we are saying that it goes well with flounder and all similar fish. The reds become a bit more general.

Disclaimer: This is just a basic entrance into the world of wine pairing. There are so many other facets that we will need to tackle later, such as ethnic foods, cheese, and dessert. But for the time being, just follow your nose! Cheers!