Food and Wine Pairing

When it comes to [tag]food and wine pairing[/tag], the old age advice has always been that white wine goes with white meat and red wine goes read meat such as beef.

This however should only be used as a guideline because it all comes down to an individual’s tastes and preferences. Relax there really are no rules!

As with anything food and [tag]wine[/tag] tasting is a skill that comes from practice. You will come to realize that a lot of pairing is common sense.
What you are ultimately searching for is a balance and synergy using your mouths senses.

Neither the food nor the wine should overpower or diminish the other.

All you are doing is matching the weight and intensity of both to gain the best benefit. The [tag]foods[/tag] weight needs to match the weight of the wine mismatching either of these would mean that you would not gain the best benefit from either.

The also applies to intensity. Chicken curry, for example would be better matched with a Pinotage or a Shiraz which can hold their own against the spices on the chicken curry.

Acidic food should be paired with acidic wine to avoid having the wine taste flat and dull.

When it comes to desserts the same rule applies. Desserts need to be matched with sweet wine. Salty food however can be matched with wine that have a little sweetness. A word of warning when it comes to red wine and fish. If the wine is young with strong tannins, it can taste very metallic or tinny when paired with fish.

Some foods can be quite challenging when it comes to pairing them with wine – eggs with a soft yolk food with hot chilli, oil foods especially fish the likes of sardines.

Always remember to have fun and don’t be afraid to ask the cellar where you are buying the wine, or the waiter at the restaurant for suggestions.

More and more wine farms are offering food and wine pairing experiences, and [tag]South Africa[/tag] is quickly becoming a wine tourism destination.

Traditionally wine is chosen to pair with food but should you be out on a wine tour swing this philosophy around and choose a dish on the grounds that it would go with your wine.

When all has been said and done it all comes down to - The best pairing which is good food, good wine and good company. Enjoy!