Wine & Food Matching

The matching of food and wine can be anything from a very complex subject surrounded in the detailed mumbo-jumbo of gastro-bores to a set of simple rules, according to one's point of view. The French, who have as long and intimate an experience of wine as any, have always regarded wine as an intrinsic part of gastronomie, and few Frenchmen would dream of describing a wine without suggesting food combinations which would enhance and be enhanced by its flavors. Nevertheless, the old rule of "red wine with red meat and white wine with fish and poultry" are somewhat outdated in today's world of multi-ethnic and subtly flavored foods and the ever-expanding range of available wines.

Wine drunk by itself tastes different from wine served with food, because wine acts on on food in a similar way to spice. The acids, tannins and sugars in the wine interact with the food to provide different taste sensations. Wine can enhance the flavor of food. A good match will bring out the nuances and enhance the unique characteristics of both.

At Castle Rock Winery we endorse the view that there should be some basic guidelines which should be viewed and used flexibly. Here are some guidelines as a starting point:

Some General Guidelines:

(1) Serve lighter wines before full-bodied wines

If you're serving more than one wine with a meal, then it's best to serve lighter wines first and progress to more full-bodied wines later in the meal. Dry wines should be served before sweet wines unless a sweet flavored dish is served early in the meal. Lower alcohol wines should be served before higher alcohol wines.

(2) Strongly flavored food goes well with full-bodied wine

A fundamental rule is to pair delicate wines with delicately flavored food, medium-bodied wines with medium weight food flavors and strongly flavored food with wine which will stand up to it.

(3) The cooking method and sauces are just as important as the food itself

It may be obvious that the food preparation method and use of sauces is just as important in setting the flavor profile of a dish, but this is often forgotten when a wine selection is being made. For example fish poached with a delicate lemon sauce pairs well with a light refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, while fish cooked in a spicy sauce or blackened Cajun-style will pair well with a wine with more body and robustness like a Zinfandel. Remember it is easier to adjust the flavor of a given food to pair with a wine than it is to adjust the flavor of a wine after it has been chosen. Adding sweetness to a dish will increase the awareness of any bitterness and astringency in the wine, making it appear drier, stronger and more fruity. Adding sourness to food will make the wine taste richer and more mellow, and sweet wine will taste sweeter.

(4) Sweet Desserts pair well with sweet white wines or full-bodied reds

Dry wines do not taste good with sweet foods, which tend to emphasize the wine's acidity. In general, wine should not be paired with food which is sweeter than it. The classic accompaniment for a sweet dessert is a sweet white wine (e.g. a Sauterne) or a fortified wine. However, a full-bodied red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon can be equally enjoyable, and is wonderful with chocolate.

(5) Wine and cheese pair well together

In many European countries the best wine is reserved for the cheese course at the end of a meal. Red wines pair well with mild to sharp cheese, whereas pungent and intensely flavored cheese is better with sweeter wine. Goat cheeses are delicious with dry white wine, while milder cheeses are well supported by fruitier red wines. Soft cheeses like Camembert and Brie, if not over-ripe, pair well with any good red wine, including Cabernet, Zinfandel or Pinot Noir.

(6) Don't stress. If it tastes good to you, then it's OK

The fact is that no two palates are the same. You should enjoy a food and wine combination because it tastes good to you, and not because someone else tells you it tastes good. Above all, ENJOY.