Pairing Wine with Dinner

Confused about the kind of wine to have for dinner? Here’s a simple guide to ensure that you serve the right wine with the right food.

When matching wine with food, there are some things to consider like weight and intensity. What do these words mean?

The weight of your food should go with your wine. This is self-explanatory. Never serve a cabernet with a light salad. Bring out a light chardonnay or sauvignon blanc instead. Remember that light foods go with light wines while heavy meals go with heavy wines.

Intensity refers to how strong or flavorful your meal is. Learn to balance flavor intensity. You can do this by pairing light-bodied wines with lighter food. Fuller-bodied wines, on the other hand, go well with heartier and richer meals.

To create the perfect pair, take into account how the food is prepared. Delicately flavored foods (those that are poached or steamed for example) generally go well with delicate wines. You can’t go wrong if you match the wine with the sauce, seasoning or dominant flavor of dish you’re serving. For instance, an earthy Pinot Noir is best with mushroom soup while the grapefruit/citrus taste of Sauvignon Blancs is good with fish.

Don’t forget to balance sweetness too. Never pair wine with food that is sweeter than the wine. This might not work well although chocolate with Cabernet Sauvignon isn’t so bad.  

Opposites attract so keep this s mind while pairing wine with food. Sweet desert wines usually work well with hot or spicy foods that are found in Thai or Indian dishes. Opposing flavors can play off each other and work to your advantage since they bring new and exciting sensations to your taste buds.