The Wonderful World of Food and Wine

According to a new study on Canadian drinking habits consumers bought an average of 22 bottles of wine in 2011, up from 13 in 1995, (found the Bank of Montreal's special report on the Canadian wine industry).

Now let's face it – wine and food pairing can be a daunting task. Especially if you are the one throwing the party. This is why I appreciate our friends over Wine Folly who have put together an easy to follow wine and food pairing chart. Think of this as “Wine and Food for Dummies”.

Photo courtesy of Wine Folly.com

Now get up, dust off your shoulder and get that wine goblet ready!
 

There really are just a few basics you need to know…

Acidity in wine pairs well with foods high in fat as well as foods that are sweet. Acidic wines should be paired with foods that are of a lower acidity so that the wine doesn’t taste flat. Try Sauvignon Blanc, a dry Riesling, or Chianti. The great thing is that most acidic wines go well with many dishes.

Bitter wines are best balanced with sweet foods. One word that best describes bitterness in wines is ‘tannins’. Tannins come from the skins, seeds and stems of grapes and the longer the wine is kept in contact with the skins is the higher it will be in tannins. This mostly applies to red wines. These types of wines, typically red, are best paired with hard cheeses and red meat.

 

 

 

Sweet wines pair beautifully with spicy foods. Try fruity, low-alcohol wines such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer. I love to pair Gewurztraminer with some spicy jerk chicken! Sweet wines also go great with desserts. Just be sure to choose a wine that is slightly sweeter then the dessert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few wine & food pairing suggestions:

Steak – Full-bodied red such as Cabernet, Bordeaux

Chicken – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or a lighter red such as Burgundy or Grenache

Fish – Light medium bodied whites such as Pinot Grigio, Chablis

Pasta (red sauce) – Pinot Blanc, Chianti, Zinfandel

Pasta (white sauce) – Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay or Viognier

Salads – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio

Seafood and shellfish – Crisp, acidic wines such as Sauvignon Blanc or Sparkling Wine

Now with all of this said I personally like to pair my wine with whatever food is most dominant on my plate. If your beef is slathered in in a delicious creamy sauce then pair to the sauce not the meat. Wine should enhance and bring out flavours in your food!

At the end of the day wine is meant to be fun so drink what you like and be very merry!