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I found pairing food and wine a little daunting, to begin with. Just remember, simplicity is the key when first starting. This will still make an enjoyable experience and you will learn as you go. Basic wine pairings are a great way to start your journey.  That’s how I started. I simply just began by Pairing a well-cooked steak with a robust red wine or if having seafood, I would pair it with a crisp white wine. However, as you delve deeper into it, you will begin to find better food and wine pairing options and you will discover the textures and Flavors that begin to unfold, unlocking a world of delightful possibilities.

Why Pair Food And Wine?

It is not until you start to experiment that you realize how pairing wine and food, enhances the flavors of both considerably. In doing so this gives you a more pleasurable dining experience. You may have noticed how at times a wine that you have had, tasted rich and smooth, and then another time that same wine tastes bitter and unenjoyable. This will be because the food that you have paired it is incompatible.

Aim to Enhance and Compliment Flavors.

There are two different types of pairings – Congruent and Complimentary. If you intend to perfect your skills at pairing wine and food then you need to know the difference between the two.

Complimentary Pairings – This is when you select a wine to compliment a dish. This wine is of the same body and weight and will balance the food and wine perfectly making it pleasing to your palate.

Congruent Pairings – This is when you select a wine to intensify the flavors of both the food and wine. The raised intensity of the flavors turns your dining experience into something special, a memorable occasion! 

Match Wine with food according to weight

When we talk about weight regarding wine, we are referring to the flavor, sugar, acid, and alcohol, of the wine and of course the flavor and texture of the food. Lighter styles of wine are better paired with lighter food that is lower in fat while robust red wines are better suited to heavier foods. For example, a Semillon you could serve with fish. If it was a fattier fish, you could serve a light red like Pinot Noir.  Meaty dishes like steak are great served with bold reds such as cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz.

Find the best wine with steak

Consider the Acidity

Remember to consider the acidity of your wine and food when pairing. Foods with natural acidity go great with highly acidic wine harmonizing together, such as tomato-based sauces, citrus fruits, and tomatoes.  High-acidic wine will also cut through oil, butter, and natural fats, (rich foods) making it a great choice for creamy sauces.

Don't forget to match with the most dominant ingredient.

Sometimes the dominant feature of a dish can be the sauce or perhaps other ingredients, it is not always the meat. You need to try to pair your wine with a similar flavor and intensity of the most dominant ingredient in the dish. Richer foods will need a richer more robust wine so it won’t fade in comparison.

Best wine with Indian Food

What to pair with Spicy Food?

No one can argue that when eating spicy foods the best accompaniment as far as wine goes is a spicy Syrah (Shiraz).   A word of warning though,  try to avoid wines high in tannins and alcohol as these will intensify the heat present in the spicy food. If you are not overly keen on food that is too spicy then instead you can pair your meal with a Riesling which will take the heat out of your meal making it more enjoyable and to your liking.

Tannins and Fatty Foods go well together.

Red wine contains tannins. So serving red wine with fatty foods like lamb or steak will soften the taste and give balance to the meal which will be more enjoyable to eat with the new intensity of the flavors.

The main thing to remember is if you like the flavor, go with it. There is no real right or wrong but of course, getting the pairing correct can add to your dining experience. Enjoy your journey into food and wine pairing. Have fun experimenting!

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