Whereas following the previous adage about serving white wines with fish and purple wines with meat will work moderately effectively, it’s potential to take your wine-pairing expertise to the following degree by studying just a few methods of the commerce.
Sommeliers nearly at all times match wines to the strongest flavors on the plate, that are not often the principle ingredient. Extra typically, these flavors come from sauces, seasonings or cooking strategies. From that time, sommeliers apply a “like with like” technique that’s extremely efficient for figuring out harmonious mixtures.
Simply as we instinctively accomplice lighter fare like sushi or salads with lighter wines, and richer dishes like roasts and stews with richer wines, the identical precept holds true for different dimensions of wine’s sensory expertise past weight, corresponding to sweetness, acidity, earthiness and even oakiness.
The obvious instance is how we accomplice candy dessert wines with sugary desserts, however it is usually commonplace observe to pair probably the most acidic wines with probably the most acidic meals, and the oakiest wines with these meals which were browned within the cooking course of in a method that echoes this high quality.
The fragrant resemblance between browned meals and barrel-aged or barrel-fermented wine supplies them with a pure affinity. Browned meals function the flavors of caramelization and Maillard reactions.
The distinctive taste that new oak imparts to wine has a powerful resemblance as a result of it additionally outcomes from the appliance of warmth. Meals which might be uncooked or cooked with out browning typically pair greatest with wines which might be younger, unoaked and contemporary. Meals which might be browned in cooking — roasted or grilled, baked or fried, seared or sautéed — are sometimes higher companions for oakier wines.
Marnie Previous is likely one of the nation’s main wine educators. Previously the director of wine research for Manhattan’s French Culinary Institute, she is greatest identified for her visually participating books printed by DK corresponding to Wine: A Tasting Course and her common Wine Simplified sequence of wine tutorials on YouTube. Marnie presently serves as director of vinlightenment for Boisset Assortment.
