Wine Pairing – Five Rules for success

At least once a day, a customer will come in with a specific request to pair our wines with a particular meal they are preparing. Luckily for them, we always have the perfect wine for their meals! Pairing a wine with a meal may seem complicated and a bit daunting – do you pair it with the protein or the tomato base or the spices or will the side dish clash? There are a lot of questions and not a few misconceptions! Luckily there are a few basic rules to help guide you and once you feel confident about these, there are plenty of ways to break the rules and still have a smashing pairing!

Rule Number one: Wine pairing is about balance. To create balance, you need to understand some of the components of both the food you are making and the qualities of the wine you are serving. Think of balance in the intensity and flavours and you can’t go far wrong. You wouldn’t put a big, hefty, high alcohol wine with a light summery lunch and nor would you have a big, warming, hearty stew and match it with a light and zesty little number! Imagine the intensity of both the meal and the wine in your mouth and match them up and you are off to a great start!

Rule number Two: Work with the acidity! As a general rule, match acid in the food with a wine of a higher acidity. High acid foods such as citrus or tomato can make a wine seem a bit flat but go for a wine with a very high acidity level, such as a sauvignon blanc or a Riesling and both will gain freshness and zip! For foods that are fatty or creamy, higher acidity cleanses the palate and prevents the food from feeling too heavy.

Rule number Three: Pair the wine with the most dominant flavour in a dish, not just with the protein. If a customer says to me ‘I am having fish’, instead of simply reaching for a muscadet or a picpoul, my next questions are ‘what kind of fish, is it cooked in a sauce? What kind of sauce?’ These are the questions that will drive a wine pairing. Fish cooked in a white sauce will have very different requirements to a steamed white fish with lemon, or a seafood paella with a tomato base. Something creamy or cheesy might pair best with a wine that will cut through the fat, where a plain fish needs something that will pair with its delicate flavours and something hefty like a paella with tomato and shrimp might do best with a lightish red, or even something more robust.

Rule number Four: Match like with like. Consider similar flavours and try to match them. Taking the examples above. White fish with some zesty lemon might do well paired with a similarly citrus, high acid wine such as an alberino or picpoul. A fish pie with a mixed selection of fish in a creamy sauce might pair with a creamy chardonnay or chenin blanc. A smoky chilli would probably do well with a delicious full-bodied earthy Nebbiolo or a peppery aged shiraz.

Rule number Five: …But Opposites can also attract! Just as you felt secure I throw in this little number! This is where you might start to experiment with your pairings! For example, whilst that lovely, creamy fish pie might be wonderful with a similarly creamy chardonnay, you might also find you enjoy a white wine that cuts through the cream and the fat and cleanses the palate with some sharp high acidity, perhaps with a French sauvignon blanc. This is where you might find a perfect pairing for spicy foods such as your Thai curries or delicious Indian foods. Dry white wine with a heavily spiced curry can often create too many contrasting flavours and a high alcohol red is a terrible thing with spiced foods as the spices accentuate the burn of the alcohol. Something heavily fruity or slightly sweet such as a gewurtztraminer or off-dry riesling are often a magnificent pairing for your coconut based spiced curries. If red wine is more your thing, a personal discovery was that a tannat from chile was simply great with a cumin and coriander spiced curry.

Some Pairings to start you off:

Samurai

Shiraz

South Australia

14% ABV

£13.99

Pair with BBQ meats to match richness, weight and gentle pepper

Blanquette de Limoux

Cremant

France

12% ABV

£19.99

Best known secret is that some high acidity fizz is astonishingly good with some Friday night fish and chips!

Paraiso Sur

Gewurtztraminer

Chile

13% ABV

£16.99

A classic pairing for a green thai curry from an unusual location!

Cavalli

Cabernet Sauvignon

South Africa

14.5% ABV

£25.99

Glorious for your Sunday roast beef to match the richness and balance the savoury gravy.

Neirano

Barbera D’Asti

Italy

£13.5% ABV

£14.99

The earthy flavours match beautifully with those in a mushroom risotto while the high acidity helps to cut through the creaminess

Abbaye

Sauvignon Blanc

France

11% ABV

£13.99

A go-to for leafy green salads. The zesty flavours and bright acidity balance creamy dressings and compliments the fresh flavours, while herbal notes pair beautifully with salad vegetables.