The old rules, white wine with fish, red wine with meat, have, for the most part, gone by the wayside. Here are the new rules:

 

—Sommelier’s Toast

 

Just kidding! Consider these four things when pairing wine with your dish:

1)      Protein

2)      Cooking Technique

3)      Sauce

4)      Spice

 

The protein is the least relevant. Searing vs. braising or grilling vs. poaching for example can really change the dish. The preparation will really determine what to pair it with. Is it salty, spicy, acidic, sweet, or bitter? Is it fruity, nutty, smoky, herbal, spicy, cheesy, earthy, or meaty? Look at light vs. rich textures, and lightness versus richness in general. Wines may be selected as a flavor bridge (i.e. berry flavors in the dish and the wine), or as a cleansing contrast (i.e. a lemony Chardonnay to lighten a heavy cream sauce or an off-dry Riesling to soften the blow of fiery spice).

 

To illustrate these general principles, here are two dishes with three wine choices for each.

 

 

 

 

 This off dry sparkling wine handles the heat and soothes the palate with clean, fresh appley notes.

 

 

 

 

 

Light bodied and clean with tropical notes, this elegant French white showcases the prawns and is a flavor bridge to the grilled pineapple.

 

 

 

 

 

This light, tart white has guava and starfruit notes and an alluring rose perfume. It refreshes and soothes the palate perfectly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This seductive, light red has earth and mushroom notes and is very lightly oaked, making it a great dance partner for the spicy marinade.

 

 

 

 

Ripe and sleek, this rich, vibrantly fruity red has balanced oak and fresh acidity, giving it the edge with BBQ, something Argentina knows all about!

 

 

Medium-bodied and only lightly oaked, this plummy, zesty Zin is the perfect foil for these spicy ribs.

 

 

Visit www.planetgrape.com or email grapegoddess@planetgrape.com

 

Twitter @planetgrape

Facebook – planet grape, Catherine Fallis

Linked In – Catherine Fallis