Whenever I am asked to present a food and wine event, I always give the advice that the pairing should be like a good marriage in that both:
- have to support each other;
- have to stand up to each other; and more importantly
- have to bring out the best in each other.
As with most things in life, pairing food and wine is all about balance and with wine, it’s about balancing two factors – sugar and acidity. Presenting foods rich in either will have a significant impact on the flavour, perception and experience of wine on your palate and therefore it is crucial to have harmony in this “marriage”.
The Science of Taste
The human tongue detects five primary categories: sweet, salt, bitter, sour and umami. With wine, the game-changers are acidity and sugar which impact flavour and your overall experience in the following way:
Sugar
Consuming foods rich in sugar will heighten your taste buds’ sensitivity to sweetness. Anything consumed thereafter that is not equally or higher in sugar seems less sweet (think about trying to talk to your friend during a concert – everything seems quieter with the speakers cranked up).
The direct impact on your wine then is that your wine will taste more acidic or bitter, more drying and less fruit forward.
Acid:
Consuming foods high in acid will stimulate saliva production as your mouth creates a protective barrier against oral tissue damage. The saliva production will cleanse and heighten taste buds which sharpens their perceptions. Anything consumed thereafter seems less acidic.
The impact on the wine is that the wine is perceived as fruitier, softer and almost sweeter.
Getting the Pairing right
Understanding the direct influence of your food on the wine is crucial to achieving a harmonious pairing. It is crucial then to always start with drier styles of wine and food pairing and then progress through to the sweeter styles. This is known as the “classic progression” and is based on the above principles of building layers from acidic styles then progressing to sweeter, richer styles.
Key Guidelines:
- Start with the food: Unless you are looking to pair a specific dish, it is always easier to start with the food choice and pair wine for it based on the balance principles.
- Taste before serving: As far as possible, it is a great idea to prepare the dish in advance and actually taste the wine and food for harmony.
- Challenge the rules – The general rules of white meat paired with white wine and red meat for red wine are changing: we recently paired an Asian style salmon with Cinsaut (a red varietal) and it was delicious!
The real joy of discovery in wine and food pairing are the experiments and the little surprises that we discover on this journey.
Examples of Harmonious Pairings:
The following, based on our actual pairing events, are examples of the magic of a balanced pairing:
- Tuna Tartare with Kaapzicht Kliprug Chenin Blanc: Tuna tartare having a milder and more meaty texture and flavour is perfectly balanced with a barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc. The texture and weight of the wine adds richness to the fish making it an excellent starter.
- Freshly Shucked Oysters with Masottina Prosecco: The zesty, tropical profile of the Prosecco bubbles (high acidity) balances the saltiness and lemon dressing of the oysters beautifully. If you are inclined to splash a little Tabasco on the oysters, the sweetness of the Prosecco counteracts the heat resulting in a brilliant finish.
- Granadilla Cheesecake with Benguela Cove Noble Late Harvest: The Sauvignon Blanc noble late harvest expresses bright notes of granadilla and passion fruit which complement the cheesecake’s tartness. The intense sweetness of the wine also harmonises the dessert’s sugar content.
A Final Thought
Balancing wine and food is an art that combines science and good old-fashioned intuition. I have seen first hand how our strict attention to getting this balance right has resulted in unforgettable experiences for our guests. It’s also not just about blindly following the rules but constantly experimenting to get the dance between sugar, acid and flavour correct.
The next time that you’re planning a wine pairing, take a moment to think about the harmonious marriage being prepared for your table.
If you have an unusual pairing that you would like to tell me about, please do so. I would love to try it!
