There are some basic wine and food pairing rules that will help you mix together the right combination of flavors that will improve your dining experience. A great wine pairing can make your dining memorable and a wrong combination can contribute to a poor dining experience. Of the basic wine and food pairing rules, the number one rule is for you to remember is to pick a wine that you will enjoy. If you really have a preference for white wines versus red wines, then its okay for you to choose your favorite type of wine with your meal.
Four questions that will help you choose the right wine for dinning.
When you are considering which wine to order for your meal, keep in mind the following four questions. (1) What is the main dish that will be served? Is it beef, fish, or chicken? (2) How will it be cooked? Will it be grilled, baked, lightly fried, or pan-fried? (3) Is the dish accompanied by a sauce and if so, what kind of sauce and what are its flavors? (4) What are the sides dishes being served and how will their flavors impact the wine? Today there are so many new varieties of wine that the old standby wine and food pairing rule may not always apply, but until you become better at matching the right wine with your meal, stick to these basic wine rules, red wines with beef, and white wines with fish and poultry.
Keep "wine power," in mind, when choosing your wines.
Generally speaking, red wines will work best with dishes that are rich, heavy and have a big flavor. When choosing a beef dish, you should consider the powerful strength of beef and choose a wine that has equal power. This rule also is effective for dishes that are served in rich, thick, heavy, full-of-herbs types of sauces. The reason why red wines and beef goes well together is that red wines contains tannins which mixes with proteins, allowing the flavors to blend well together. As a rule, white wines and red meats do not work well together, because white wine lacks tannins that enables this flavorful combination to occur.
For foods that are light in taste, such as fish or chicken, white wines are better suited for these types of foods. Both color and smell influence taste buds and lighter wines will enhance the flavor of the foods and not overwhelm it. But even with light types of foods, if it is cooked in a heavy sauce or with spicy flavors or full of herbs, then it would be better paired with a wine that has more power, like a red wine or a Rose or a wine that has a bit more spice.
Choose more than one wine with a multiple course meal.
You should choose more than one wine if you are eating a multiple course dinner. Multiple course means many different types of flavors and it would be difficult for one wine to taste great throughout the entire meal. Consider ordering by the glass with appetizers or for the first course and then order a bottle of wine for the main dish, and then finish off the meal with a glass of wine appropriate for your desert choice.
You should start off with a lighter wine before drinking the more full-bodied types of wines. Wines that is high in acid works well with most foods, so think about those types of wines when ordering. Wines that are high in acid, you may not choose to drink alone, but can be quite wonderful when appropriately paired with the right food choice. Wines that have low acid can often be overwhelmed even with foods that are light in taste. The following examples of going from light to more full-bodied wines are: White Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewrztraminer and Chardonnay. And among reds, from lighter to fuller: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
You can't go wrong, when you choose what you like.
The four questions guideline will help you to pair the right wine with your meal selection. Until you feel comfortable in making those wine choices for yourself, ask your server to suggest a wine for you. Be sure and tell them the type of wine you prefer, so they can keep that in mind before coming up with their recommendations. They should provide you with at least three to four great wine pairing choices in different price ranges. If you get a bottle or a glass of wine that you don't like, then feel comfortable in sending it back and requesting a new bottle or a new wine pour. Of all the wines rules to follow when it comes to wine and food pairing, the number one rule to remember, is to always choose the wine that you like.
Four questions that will help you choose the right wine for dinning.
When you are considering which wine to order for your meal, keep in mind the following four questions. (1) What is the main dish that will be served? Is it beef, fish, or chicken? (2) How will it be cooked? Will it be grilled, baked, lightly fried, or pan-fried? (3) Is the dish accompanied by a sauce and if so, what kind of sauce and what are its flavors? (4) What are the sides dishes being served and how will their flavors impact the wine? Today there are so many new varieties of wine that the old standby wine and food pairing rule may not always apply, but until you become better at matching the right wine with your meal, stick to these basic wine rules, red wines with beef, and white wines with fish and poultry.
Keep "wine power," in mind, when choosing your wines.
Generally speaking, red wines will work best with dishes that are rich, heavy and have a big flavor. When choosing a beef dish, you should consider the powerful strength of beef and choose a wine that has equal power. This rule also is effective for dishes that are served in rich, thick, heavy, full-of-herbs types of sauces. The reason why red wines and beef goes well together is that red wines contains tannins which mixes with proteins, allowing the flavors to blend well together. As a rule, white wines and red meats do not work well together, because white wine lacks tannins that enables this flavorful combination to occur.
For foods that are light in taste, such as fish or chicken, white wines are better suited for these types of foods. Both color and smell influence taste buds and lighter wines will enhance the flavor of the foods and not overwhelm it. But even with light types of foods, if it is cooked in a heavy sauce or with spicy flavors or full of herbs, then it would be better paired with a wine that has more power, like a red wine or a Rose or a wine that has a bit more spice.
Choose more than one wine with a multiple course meal.
You should choose more than one wine if you are eating a multiple course dinner. Multiple course means many different types of flavors and it would be difficult for one wine to taste great throughout the entire meal. Consider ordering by the glass with appetizers or for the first course and then order a bottle of wine for the main dish, and then finish off the meal with a glass of wine appropriate for your desert choice.
You should start off with a lighter wine before drinking the more full-bodied types of wines. Wines that is high in acid works well with most foods, so think about those types of wines when ordering. Wines that are high in acid, you may not choose to drink alone, but can be quite wonderful when appropriately paired with the right food choice. Wines that have low acid can often be overwhelmed even with foods that are light in taste. The following examples of going from light to more full-bodied wines are: White Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewrztraminer and Chardonnay. And among reds, from lighter to fuller: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
You can't go wrong, when you choose what you like.
The four questions guideline will help you to pair the right wine with your meal selection. Until you feel comfortable in making those wine choices for yourself, ask your server to suggest a wine for you. Be sure and tell them the type of wine you prefer, so they can keep that in mind before coming up with their recommendations. They should provide you with at least three to four great wine pairing choices in different price ranges. If you get a bottle or a glass of wine that you don't like, then feel comfortable in sending it back and requesting a new bottle or a new wine pour. Of all the wines rules to follow when it comes to wine and food pairing, the number one rule to remember, is to always choose the wine that you like.
About the Author:
The Backyard Wine Enthusiast is a wine lover and world traveler who have sampled great wines around the world and is the owner and writer for; The Wine of the Month.Com. Visit the website The Wine of the Month.Com for a completion offering of great wines and wine accessories. The online wine store provides you with a convenient one-stop shop for red and white wines, sparkling wines and wine of the month club recommendations.
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