The whole concept of pairing wine with food is simple.  The flavour and intensity of wine can change the way a food tastes and wine can alter the taste of a certain food.   Therefore, having the appropriate food to match the wine can greatly enhance your dining experience.

Most people already know the basics, i.e. white wine with white meats and red wine with red meats.  These are not specific “rules” but guidelines as you should mix it up, experiment and go with what you think is best.  If pairing a well-done Filet-Mignon with your medium-sweet German Riesling makes you happy, then go for it.  However, you will not achieve the same balance of flavours that you would by serving a red wine.

There are certain foods and wines that bring out the best of both.  You should at least consider trying a different type of wine with that Filet-Mignon even if it is something you would normally not drink.  What you are looking for is a blending of the two different taste sensations, wine and food, which will combine to create a third sensation, that is greater than the two.

Try selecting light-bodied wines to pair with lighter food and fuller-bodied wines with heartier, more flavourful dishes.  Take salmon for example.  A Pinot Noir works beautifully with this fish because you are matching a lighter food to a lighter wine.  A full-bodied, heavier wine would overpower this delicate dish.  Similarly, a lighter style wine will not even register on your personal flavour meter if you serve it with a hearty roast beef.

One of the main considerations when pairing wines with food is to consider how the meal is going to be prepared.  Look at whatever the sauce is, any seasonings or what the principal flavour of the dish is and pair the wine with the dish.  Conversely, start with a favourite wine and build your food around the wine.  If you love Sauvignon Blanc, thinks oysters.  A fine, old Bordeaux or a smoky Syrah is perfect with lamb and nothing beats Pinot Noir and duck.  For dessert, Port and chocolate are de rigueur.  When serving wines, be aware that dry white wines are served before red.

One more thing to consider is high alcohol wines.  Pairing a spicy dish like Jamaican Jerk Chicken with a high-alcohol red wine may seem like a good choice but in fact the heat in Jerk Sauce will ignite (figuratively) the alcohol in the wine to produce an unpleasantly hot, harsh impression.  A better choice is a low-alcohol, fruity wine like Riesling or a Gewürztraminer, which will tame the spicy flavours of the dish.

Above all, try not to place too much emphasize on finding the perfect pairing…it will find you.  Life is full of surprises and there is great joy in unearthing a new wine/food combination.  The best combination I have found is good food, good wine and good friends.  Enjoy.

In Vino Veritas

Caves de Rasteau ‘Prestige’ Rasteau Cotes du Rhône Villages 2005 $38

A blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre from 50 year old head-pruned vines, this is incredibly dense with a ruby/purple colour, the intense black raspberry, cherry, cassis and kirsch liqueur-like fruit is followed by gorgeous aromas of licorice, smoke, incense, leather and a hint of oak. The texture on the palate is pure hedonism with its full-bodied character of black and red fruit, herbs, incense, and spice. This wine literally tastes more like a Châteauneuf du Pape ($60 per bottle) than a Cotes du Rhone Village. The finish is full-bodied, and opulent with soft, velvety acidity and very firm tannins, which is in keeping with this top-notch vintage. Cellar and drink this marvelous wine over the next decade.