How to Pair food and Wine

Wine-food pairing is an integral part of the dining experience. The right wines can accentuate the good flavors of a meal, bringing out certain flavors and nuances. The right match enhances the characteristics of both the food and the wine. The wrong pairings can ruin the dining experience altogether by making foods taste bitter, overly sweet, or metallic.

Match mild foods with mild wines. Match big, flavorful foods with big, flavorful wines. Try pairing a bold-flavoured Pepper Steak with a spicy with a bold red Zinfandel. Generally it is good to pair rich food with a equally rich wine. For instance, pheasant in a cream sauce a full bodied Chardonnay.

If you’re eating a relatively rich, ‘fatty’ dish and thinking about drinking a red wine it is a safe bet to choose a highly tanic wine (red) such a Bordeaux or Pino Noir. The high level of tannins in the wine help cleanse the palate thus increasing the over satisfacton of the meal.

Semone Noel

I am a native New Yorker, who holds an MBA in International business as well as formal training in culinary arts and film production.