Combining wine and food – general principles

It used to be very simple. The basic rule was:

Red wines go with red meat, white wines should be served with white meat and fish.

Nowadays, ‘unfortunately’ things have gotten rather more complicated. For the first time in history, wine lovers have such a vast selection of wines of high and very high quality at their disposal. Moreover, we can choose from a comparably impressive selection of dishes coming from various cuisines: African, Chinese, European, international, Thai, Indian, and Japanese. And there is also fusion. In any case, as with drinking wines we prefer, it is easiest to follow the principle: we decide which combination of wine and food suits us best. Of course, this does not mean complete unrestraint in joining wine with food. In spite of all changes, some rules still apply, such as: Burgundy fish soup la pochouse – white Burgundy Givry or Rully; Chablis – snails; Sauternes – foie gras; strong mould cheese – sweet, late harvest type wines; Sauvignon Blanc – goat’s cheese; Gigondas – meat;  Medoc or St. Emilion – cheese; Muscadet or Sylvaner – oysters; Rioja – paella; Chianti, Barbera or Valpolicella – pasta or pizza.

In general, it can be said that:

Acidic wines (white, rose and some red) may balance the distinct flavour of foods. They may also frequently make food seem more salty. The Spanish Cava or Champagne freshen our taste buds while eating fish dishes. Sparkling wines play the same role while consuming hot and spicy foods of eg. Thai cuisine, curry, chilli or just peppery. Some of these dishes offer a relatively high level of acidity, with a hint of sweetness. Sweet dishes served with this type of wine will level out its acidity and make the taste more delicate and fruity.

Red wines with a high alcohol content may make light dishes seem tasteless, therefore red wine should only be served with food with a distinct flavour.

Sweet wines go very well with sweet food, as they mutually unveil each other’s sweetness. These  wines may also be served with moderately salty food.

Tannic wines (with a strong flavour leaving the sensation of dryness in the mouth) will pair well with protein-high food with a distinct flavour.