Food and Wine Pairing
General Guidelines and Tips
General Information
Historically, red wines were paired
with red meat or game, and whites were paired with poultry and fish. This is often a good rule of thumb, but there are some very light, fruity reds that pair well with poultry--think Beaujolais or Beaujolais Nouveau.
I believe that, in pairing food and
wine, as in life in general, you are looking to achieve a balance. A rich, buttery or creamy dish begs for a wine with some acidity or bite to balance it. A citrusy fish dish might need a buttery American-style chardonnay for balance.
Although we generally stick by our assertion that there are only two types of wines, things can get a little dicey when pairing wine with food. Unfortunately, the "wine you like" may work well with some foods and not with others. When the right food is paired with the right wine, each makes the other taste better. Honest.
When pairing wine and food, here are some general guidelines to follow. Rather than rigidly sticking to "red
with red meat, white with poultry and fish," think textures. The sturdier or bolder the flavor of the food, the more bold and full-bodied the wine should be. Here's a helpful little list of wines
listed in order from lightest-bodied to fullest-bodied, abridged from Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, 2006.
White Wines
Pinot Grigio
Pouilly-Fume
Sauvignon Blanc
French Chardonnay
Gewurztraminer
American Chardonnay
Viognier
Red Wines
Valpolicella
Chianti
Beaujolais
Bordeaux
Pinot Noir
Barbera
Cabernet Sauvignon*
Merlot*
Zinfandel (not the pink kind)*
Shiraz*
The starred wines indicate American style. These same wines made in the French style will be lighter in body.
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As a pastry chef, wine and dessert pairings are a big issue in the restaurant. So many people are used
to having coffee or tea with dessert, and it is difficult to break them of the habit.
There are so many wonderful dessert wines on the market now that it pays to be adventurous. The following are some good traditional wine and dessert combinations.
Port--dark chocolate, poached fruit
Late Harvest Riesling--fruit tarts, creme brulee
Sauternes--caramel and nut desserts
Asti-Spumante--biscotti, fresh fruit
One of my favorite pairings is Banfi's Rosa Regale with dark chocolate desserts. As a matter of fact, I suggest you go out right now and get a bottle. Rosa Regale is a lightly sparkling Italian sweet wine that is a lovely deep rose color. It tastes and smells like roses and berries. Honest. And it is a natural with dark chocolate. As a bonus, Rosa Regale is low in alcohol, so you can enjoy more than just a sip or two at the end of a meal.
Cooking with Wine
One great way to idiot-proof your food and wine pairing is to use the wine you plan to serve in the dish you plan to serve. For example, use a decent bottle of red to make a coq au vin or a beef bourgignon. Then, serve your French Masterpiece with a glass of said red wine. Make a quick butter sauce with a Chardonnay reduction for fish and serve the meal with a glass of the wine. Make your spaghetti sauce or lasagna sauce with a half a bottle of chianti or valpolicella and serve the wine with the meal. You get the idea. But please, please, please, never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink. If it says "cooking wine" on the label, run away screaming. You think, "How bad could it possibly be?" Oh, friend, please don't try and find out. Just take my word for it.
If you're not very confident in your culinary abilities, or you just need a little inspiration, here are some sites to get you started.
Allrecipes. com
Epicurious.com
Foodnetwork.com
Recipe of the Month
Port Poached Pears
4 firm Bosc pears, washed, peeled (reserve peels), stems intact
½ cup sugar
3 cups good quality port (Ruby, please)
2 cinnamon sticks
Large strips of orange zest
In a covered saucepan large enough to hold the pears in a single layer, bring all except pears, but including the peels, to a boil. Rub pears with some lemon juice to inhibit browning during this step. Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Remove pear peels and discard.
With a slotted spoon, gently add the pears to the poaching liquid. If necessary, add up to 1 cup of water to completely cover the pears. A small plate, set over the pears, will help keep them submerged. Leave the cover ajar and simmer gently 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer poked into a pear center meets little resistance.
Using the slotted spoon, remove the pears from their liquid and stand upright in a serving dish deep enough for the reduced liquid to be poured over. Remove zest and cinnamon stick (or strain liquid) and continue simmering to reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency.
Pour syrup over the pears. Cool pears in the syrup to infuse as much flavor as possible. Serve chilled or warm, with ice cream or maybe some creme fraiche. Serve some crispy cookies on the side, or crumbled over the pears, for some textural interest. Ginger snaps might be nice.
Enjoy!
