Enjoying your favourite cuisine while sipping on wine is the ultimate luxury. Done right it’s the perfect experience. But too often people fail to pair food and wine correctly. Yes, you heard that right! There’s an art and science to food and wine pairing.
Just visiting a plush restaurant to have food and wine is not enough. If you wish to escalate your dining experience, then you must match the wine and food.
Want to know the secrets to perfect food and wine pairing? Read on to learn how the globally acclaimed sommeliers do it!
How to Pair Food with the Perfect Wine
- Keep an eye on the cooking method: The way a dish is cooked can have a great bearing on which wine you should pair it with. Always remember that delicate food items should be paired with light wines. In case you have ordered roasted or barbecued chicken, or grilled lobster, then the wine should be weighty and assertive, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris etc. When you do pair correctly, it will instantly intensify the taste, thereby escalating your fine dining experience.
- Be mindful of the weight: Planning to have salads or stews at dinner time? Determine your wine correctly. If you have ordered heavy salads, for instance, those with olives, feta cheese and roasted peppers, then go for heavy wines. But for light dishes like mixed green salads and grilled chicken breasts, you should match them with light wines. If you are ordering fatty fish and poultry, pair the food with heavy white wines. On the other hand, you can opt for lighter white wines for sashimi and sushi plates.
- Try pairing by contrast: You must have heard a zillion times that “opposites attract”. This statement holds true for food and wine pairing as well. When in doubt, you should always try contrasting flavours. Never ever go for spicy wine when you are ready to have spicy dishes. Instead, try a wine that comes with a subtle taste of sweetness. Next time you are planning to host a Christmas dinner, try to pair sparkling wine with fried foods to have that memorable dining experience.
- Choose the most dominant flavour of the dish: It is not always necessary to focus on the meat to decide upon which wine to have. According to some of the experienced sommeliers, you must focus on the most dominant flavour of the dish and make your decision accordingly. Suppose you will be relishing duck with a fruit-based sauce (orange/cherry). In that case, sipping in a low-tannin wine like Rhone can work magic for your tastebuds.
- Balance the spices: All those who are fond of having spicy food should avoid strong wines. Gulping down strong wines while enjoying Asian cuisine can overwhelm you. Too much spice always ruins the flavour of strong wine. The ideal match would be to have Germanic style wines with spicy cuisines. Creating the right balance is key to enjoying your food and wine like a pro.
- Choose acidic wine with acidic food: If your food has strong acidic content, then do not forget to pair it with a type of wine that is acidic in nature too. Only an acidic wine will be able to match up with the acidic content of the dish you are having. For instance, if you have ordered the baked goat cheese and baby leaf salad, then pairing it with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will be a great move.
- Go light with white wine: White wine enjoys a separate fan base. If you too love the classy experience of sipping in white wine slowly while enjoying its mild taste, then make sure you order lighter meals to enhance the flavour.
Wrapping Up
Learning the technicalities of perfect wine and food pairing can take time. This is why dining in restaurants where there are skilled staff to help choose the perfect wine to match a specific dish can make dining out such a pleasure. Wine experts can turn a meal into a gastronomic affair by offering the right wine with the right food. Sp, next time you are dining in Melbourne, you’ll want to try the soul-satiating taste of the dishes, as well as the impeccable quality of wine served at Saros Bar + Dining.
