Guide to Wine Podcast: Episode 11

Wine & Food Pairing 101: My Simple 2-Step Signature Process

Air Date: Wednesday, August 2nd 2023

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Welcome to another exciting episode of the Guide to Wine Podcast!

Today, we delve into the art of wine and food pairing, a topic that has sparked curiosity and questions among many wine enthusiasts. Most importantly, I'll provide you with a two-step process to create perfectly cohesive and delightful combinations. So, let's uncork the knowledge and embark on a delicious journey together!

Why Pair Wine with Food?
Wine and food pairing is a centuries-old tradition. Historically, wine was a safer alternative to local water supplies, but today, it's about elevating the flavors of both the wine and the food. There are two ways to approach pairing: balancing all components for a harmonious experience, or letting one element shine while the other complements it.

It's time to get to the basics of wine to understand how to achieve these pairings effectively.
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Understanding the Basics of Wine
Three essential aspects of wine play a significant role in pairing: body, acidity, and tannin.

• Body: The body of a wine is the weight of the wine in your mouth and it can range from light to full-bodied. Matching the body of wine with the intensity of the food ensures a balanced pairing, ensuring neither overpowers the other.
• Acidity: Described as fresh, tart, and sour attributes, acidity can be tested using the saliva test. Simply take a medium sip of wine and after you swallow, tip your head forward (but be sure your mouth is shut). If you would have drooled all over, that's a high acidic wine. Not so much? that's low acidity! 
• Tannin: Present primarily in red wines, tannin causes a tactile drying sensation. It's best described as the feeling of having cotton balls in your mouth.

Flavors in Food:
Now it’s time for the food flavors. Whenever I lead a wine & food pairing experience, I always divide the shopping list into these categories:

• Bitter - walnut, dark chocolate, green vegetables
• Sweet - jam, berries, sweet chocolate
• Umami - steak, roasted mushroom, soy sauce
• Salty - popcorn, potato chip, etc
• Acid - fresh tomato, pickled anything, vinaigrette
• Fat - prosciutto, cheese, unsweetened pb
• Spicy - hot sauce, spicy salami

When pairing wine and food, it's essential to consider the flavors in the dish beyond the main component. Sauces play a crucial role in determining key flavors, so be mindful of the sauce's influence. Additionally, cooking techniques like grilling, smoking, roasting, and searing impact the overall flavor of the dish.

The Two-Step Process for Pairing Wine & Food:

1. Match Body and Intensity: Pair wines with foods of similar intensity to create a cohesive experience. Avoid pairing delicate dishes with bold wines or bold dishes with delicate wines.
2. Determine the Structural Pairing: Identify the main flavor aspect in the food (acid, sweet, salty, etc.) and pair it with a corresponding wine style. During the rest of this episode I’ll be sharing with you the recommended structural pairings for each style of food, and you’ll also find these in my free downloadable wine and food pairing guide. But keep in mind…these are guidelines and not rules! At this stage, your goal is to achieve a good mouth feel between the wine and the food.

Optional Step: Building a Flavor Bridge: For a more intricate pairing, consider matching specific flavors in the wine with complementary flavors in the food. While optional, this step can elevate your pairing to a new level. However, it requires some time and experience to master.

Guidelines for Structural Pairings:

1. Acidic Food & Acidic Wine: Pair acidic food with equally acidic wines for a vibrant and balanced combination.
2. Salty Food & … Just About Anything: Salt is versatile and pairs well with tannic and acidic wines, as well as sweet wine, enhancing its sweetness. 
3. Sweet Food & Sweet Wine: Match sweet food with wines of equal or greater sweetness to avoid bitterness in your wine.
4. Fatty Foods & Acid/Tannin Wine: Pair fatty foods with acidic wines to cleanse the palate or tannic wines to reduce the drying sensation of the tannins.
5. Sweet & Spicy: Contrast spicy food with sweet wines to balance out the burning sensation.

Experimentation is key with umami and bitter flavors in food, as these can be more challenging to pair. There is no agreed upon guideline for these so feel free to try them out for yourself!

Congratulations! You've just completed the Wine & Food Pairing 101 crash course. Armed with the knowledge of wine basics, flavors in food, and the two-step process for pairing, you can confidently select the perfect bottle of wine to accompany your meal tonight. Remember, the guidelines provided are just starting points - the real fun lies in experimenting and discovering what works best for your palate. So, grab a glass of wine, some delicious snacks, and embark on your journey to wine and food pairing bliss!

Looking for a guide to help you on your journey? Consider booking a Private Wine Tasting and choose Wine & Food Pairing as your theme! I'll lead you through this experiment and help you determine your own unique palate for wine & food pairings.