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Become a pro at pairing wine with food

If you’re a newbie, here are some things you should know before you plan to mix and match these! 

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Become a pro at pairing wine with food

Wine and food make a fantastic duo and it has always been talked about at length, even in a lot of culinary books. There are so many foods that match perfectly with wine and can enrich your dining experiences and at the same time make it ‘happy high.’ Well, blending food and wine together is no rocket science! Of course, there’s a wrong and right way to do it, but there are some basic rules which will help you become a pro at pairing wine and food together.

If you’re a newbie, here are some things you should know before you plan to mix and match these! 

Generally, there are 2 ways in which you can pair wine with your meals:

  • Complementary pairing: You sip on a glass of wine to drink and enhance your mood and dining experience.
  • Congruent pairing: You can add a dash of wine to create a wine-infused recipe.

Now, the rules:

Create a balance

When pairing both, it’s all about the balance. Wine and food should be in harmony, complementing each other, neither of them should overwhelm the other. Low fat recipes tend to demand delicate wines so that the flavour doesn’t get overpowered. So, white wines are the best bet in such situations. On the other hand, heavier foods go best with strong and rich wines like some of the selectedred wines. You got to consider the weight, body and richness of both the dish and wine before you plan to pair them together.

Flavours and wine

It goes without saying that we Indians like our share of spicy dishes. Whether it’s tandoori, tikkas, curries or any other dish, it is mandatory to spice up our taste buds. But it is always said that if you’re trying to find a pair to your spicy meal, you should go for alight and sweet wine to complement the spiciness. Contrary to which, if you’re serving a dish like salad with a vinegar dressing, you should be pouring your guests a high-acid wine and become the perfect sommelier.

The ideal temperature

A lot of people get confused by this question, what is the right temperature to serve wine? Did you know that serving it at the right temperature connects to the taste and aroma of the wine too?The temperature generally varies for different wines, like; sparkling wine is best served ice cold, so you only take that bottle out of the refrigerator when you’re ready to serve. White and rose wines are supposed to be served chilled. Now coming to red wine, there’s a myth which says serving red wine at room temperature is the best bet. But experts disagree! Red wine is supposed to be served cool to get the most of its flavour.

Decide for desserts!

Pairing wine with desserts can get tricky. It is said that you can serve a sweet flavoured wine with a dessert, but it does not end there. There are different desserts with unique flavours and you don’t want to go wrong with any. There are 3 major things to keep in mind: first, the acidity, an acidic wine might be best for a fruity dessert; second, intensity, the higher and intense the flavours of a dessert, the more intense should be the wine, and lastly, sugar content, the wine should always be sweeter than the dessert itself.

Trust your instincts

The final and closing point is to go with your taste above any other set of rules. If you’re confused or doubtful about serving the correct wine, go with what you love. It may or may not be perfect for the dish, but you’re going to enjoy it as it is. Nevertheless, everyone has different palates, you might as well try some new combination. Who knows, you might just create one distinct and amazing pair of your own!

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