Like Bogart and Bacall, like Vegas and the poker tables, like a lazy Sunday afternoon and football (don't get too accustomed to the sports metaphors), food and wine are forever inextricably linked. Food enhances and changes a wine's character and vice versa. They should complement and fawn over each other, not tussle and tango, save that for the dance floor.
Americans delight in their food and wine, but save for the last 5 years, the two were mutually exclusive. Not anymore. As far as Europeans are concerned, they scoff at the notion of just lazily sipping a wine after dinner. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a glass of red on the heels of a frenetic day selling wine at the Corskcrew; sometimes that is simply all I desire. But if I am preparing Seafood Linguini or Moroccan Chicken my thoughts turn to wine. If I am preparing a plate of pasta adorned with mushroom marinara, I let my mind envision images of a Chianti Classico or a Barbera from Piedmont.
Years ago I overheard a customer say, "I think I will enjoy a cabernet after dinner." He was grilling steaks on his new Weber Grill. Why wasn't he drinking the wine with his slab of grilled beef? Is he barking mad? I haven't touched red meat in nearly two decades but even I could see the error of his ways. After some prodding he promised me he would change his ways. Returning a week later wearing a big smile, he declared the cabernet a winner. Might it have had something to do paring the cab with the steak as protein from the meat will temper those taut tannins?
My first dalliance with food and wine was illuminating and invigorating to say the least. Everything finally clicked, as it did when ultimately I figured out how to master my DVR. A fancy, extravagant restaurant in Chicago with a 3-month wait list? No. Strangely, it was right here in Springpatch, on the northend of town, a stone's throw from the long since closed roller rink and just around the corner from a gay bar which has since turned into a destination for Harley enthusiasts. If those walls could talk, eh?
Of course, I am referring to Magic Kitchen, a local hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant that's been a staple of the restaurant scene for over twenty years. To say it's developed a diehard following is akin to calling Steven Spielberg just another Hollywood director. It's my de-facto choice to take out-of-town friends who are keen on what the locals love, and I do absolutely love it. Crowd favourite Pad Thai, as well as their Chili Paste, dry Bume Noodle Soup and their spring rolls will make your mouth water. If you still have room left in your tummy try their sticky rice ice cream entrenched with peanuts and pistachio filling. Yum!
Anyway, my moment occurred in 1996. Feeling brave, I ordered the Cashew Chicken, not a groundbreaking choice by any stretch, but it was just so damn delicious I didn't care. I like what I like and sometimes one just wants something familiar. When the server inquired how spicy, I demurely replied, "Mild Plus." Medium and Hot were simply out of my comfort zone, maybe next time.
Mind you, Magic Kitchen allowed you to bring in your own alcohol as they didn't carry a liquor license and there was no burdensome corkage fee! I love Riesling, mainly the dry sort, and the truly great ones live on for infinity if laced with proper acidity, but if Thai is in the picture, I gravitate towards a Kabinett or Spatlese. No cheap, mediocre mass-produced ones in a blue bottle but a distinguished one from the Mosel or Rheingau. The mild plus was a bit much, but then I imbibed a sip of the Riesling and the heat did indeed assuage the heat; it didn't disappear, it just disciplined it, took the sting out of it, if you will. I was just in awe, blushing almost. Bells were ringing and angels were singing. The habaneros, jalapenos and God knows what other spices and peppers dancing around on my palate craved the Riesling, as if they had been searching for each other all this time.
I have prepared a list of general food and wine pairings. Some are traditional choices; other are less mainstream reflecting the emergence of new regions and niche varietals. I am, after all, always on the prowl for new and exciting trends and undiscovered varietals. Nothing is set in stone. These are merely guidelines, not hard and fast rules. You might have something new to bring to the table, pun intended.
I must give credit where it is due. I developed my format from Kendall-Jackson's website, quite organized they are. They are naturally focused on promoting their own line of wines, as they should be. I maintained a few of their basic tenets of food and wine pairing, but I dramatically altered it creating an all-encompassing, uncompromising list of wine varietals, and I chose dishes I personally prepared or someone had kindly prepared for me.
The Wine Scribe
Michael
The Evolution of Food and Wine
Choose Similar Flavors
Similar food and wine flavors complement each other.
Example: Sea Bass with mango/citrus marinade will partner with Gruner Veltliner, Albarino or Sauvignon Blanc as the lemon/lime and tropical flavors evident in the wine and marinade will play off each other.
Similar food and wine flavors complement each other.
Example: Sea Bass with mango/citrus marinade will partner with Gruner Veltliner, Albarino or Sauvignon Blanc as the lemon/lime and tropical flavors evident in the wine and marinade will play off each other.
Example: Grilled or Smoked Chicken would pair with a Cotes-du-Rhone, Spanish Tempranillo or Monastrell as they exude a smoky, earthy, slightly peppery quality.
Choose Similar Weight and Texture
Similarly weighted food and wine stabilize each other, but not always!
Similarly weighted food and wine stabilize each other, but not always!
Example: Lobster and Chardonnay are both medium-weight and rich so they complement each other. However, an edgier, crisp wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis or Dry Riesling may be necessary to cut the heaviness of lobster drenched in butter. It is simply a matter of personal preference.
Choose the Same Sweetness Level
Wine should be equal to or higher in sugar than the dish.
Example: Roasted pork with apple glaze pairs beautifully with German Riesling or an Oregon Pinot Gris.
Wine should be equal to or higher in sugar than the dish.
Example: Roasted pork with apple glaze pairs beautifully with German Riesling or an Oregon Pinot Gris.
Example: Chocolate with Port
Crisp wines balance salty flavors.
Example: A crisp Dry Riesling or Sancerre balances salty olives, goat and feta cheese.
Pair with the Sauce
Pair the wine to the sauce served.
Example: An Italian Gavi or an Alsatian Pinot Blanc will match with Pasta Primavera as the pasta and wines are texture-rich yet the acid level of the wine will counter the weight of the pasta.
Pair the wine to the sauce served.
Example: An Italian Gavi or an Alsatian Pinot Blanc will match with Pasta Primavera as the pasta and wines are texture-rich yet the acid level of the wine will counter the weight of the pasta.
Example: Lemon-glazed chicken would pair with a Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre or Chablis as these wines typically convey suggestions of lemon and a fair amount of acid.
Example: A Red Burgundy teamed up with Cornish game hens accompanied by a pomegranate sauce will sing beautifully as the Burgundy reveals an array of berry flavors.
No Sauce? Pair with the Meat
Match wine to meat, fish or poultry when serving without a sauce. Stick with an all-purpose wine.
Example: Pinot Noir partners perfectly with Duck or Salmon; Chardonnay or German Riesling with turkey.
Match wine to meat, fish or poultry when serving without a sauce. Stick with an all-purpose wine.
Example: Pinot Noir partners perfectly with Duck or Salmon; Chardonnay or German Riesling with turkey.
Example: A White Burgundy, American Chardonnay (not too oaky, please!) or Pinot Gris/Grigio matched with Roast chicken or Baked Fish.
It Is All In The Way You Treat The Meat
Meat doesn’t always dictate the style of wine; the herbs, sauces and spices run the show.
Example: A chicken breast slathered with BBQ sauce necessitates a Shiraz, Red Zin or Rhone Wine
Example: On the flip side, if you marinate the chicken in Italian dressing or a soy sauce/honey/ cilantro glaze one would choose a Dry Riesling, Gruner, Sauvignon Blanc or a Soave.
Sweeter wines temper the heat from spicy foods.
Example: Riesling, Gewurztraminer or Vouvray pairs well with Asian cuisines like Pad Thai or Sushi; the sweet from the wine and the heat from the food create a teeter-totter effect.
A “Meaty” wine for a Meaty dish
Grilled meat or Pasta dishes demand formidable wines equipped with sturdy tannins and acid so they will flourish not fade. Plus, the protein of the food will soften the tannins and acid creating a more approachable wine when paired with food rather than simply alone.
Grilled meat or Pasta dishes demand formidable wines equipped with sturdy tannins and acid so they will flourish not fade. Plus, the protein of the food will soften the tannins and acid creating a more approachable wine when paired with food rather than simply alone.
Example: A Red Zinfandel, Cabernet-based Bordeaux, Barolo or Shiraz with Seared Ahi Tuna or a Filet.
Example: A Chianti or Brunello partnered with Fresh Parmesan is a classic; the parm will tone down the tannic structure of these Sangiovese-based wines.
Like sweetness, wine should be equal to, or higher, in acid than the dish so the food can match wits with the wine.
Example: Chianti or Barbera matches well with tomato-based sauce as both the food and the wine come equipped with a high degree of acidity.
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