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Leslie Cramer

Wine Examiner
Leslie Cramer has worked in the fine wine industry for twenty- something years. Known in some circles as "The Wine Wizardess," she'll cover topics from wine education, to trends o' the day and how to properly propose a toast, to health benefits of the grape.

Wine trends, continued
Wine trends
The Wine Spectator's top choices for the best wines in 2007
Best wines of 2007, so says the Wine Spectator
Smell: maybe the most important sense in the wine experience
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101 Wines
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    Food and Wine- Finding the Right Match

    April 29, 12:44 PM
    by Leslie Cramer, Wine Examiner
     
     
    It is generally considered true, that table wines are never better than when they are served with a worthy meal.  Having said that, a few basic guidelines may be helpful in choosing a wine to enhance your meal.  A regular rule of thumb should prevail, though:  that light-bodied wines pair best with light-bodied dishes, while heavier, full-bodied wines go with more flavorful, heartier dishes. 

    Take into consideration how the food is prepared.  Fried or grilled dishes (with either red or white meat) would call for heavier-bodied wines.  Pay attention to spices and sauces.  A lighter-bodied, more delicate wine would compliment a butter-based sauce, where a heavier sauce (tomato-based or one with pungent spices) would best be served with a full-bodied wine. 

    The color of the wine is not always where the importance lies.  Lighter red wines--pinot noir or Beaujolais for instance--may pair beautifully with a cream-based pasta dish, or one with fish or chicken.

      A deep, heavy chardonnay may complement a beef entree.  Champagne or sparkling wines--at least in this girl's humble opinion--are likely the most versatile of all, they often pair well with anything.

    Wine has certain enemies that one needs to be aware of when looking for the perfect food/wine match-up.  The first is vinegar.  A vinegary salad will turn the wine into vinegar.  This isn't just a matter of taste, but science.  The next enemy is acid--citric--as in oranges, grapefruit, or lemons.  You cannot taste a wine with any of these citrus fruits.  The third enemy is puzzling and less easy to define.  It is something that occurs in oily fish, making the wine taste metallic.

    Components in the wine interact with the food to provide different sensations.  Food high in acid--if a wine must be drunk--pair better with more acidic wines, such as pinot grigios, sauvignon blancs, or pinot noirs.  Sweeter foods like teriyaki, fruit-laced sauces, or honey-based glazes pair best with off-dry wines, like Reislings, chenin blancs, or a Guwertztraminer.  Astringent or bitter foods--salads of mixed greens for instance--would best be complimented with full-flavored, possibly fruity wine like a merlot or chardonnay.   Grilled beef or lamb would best be served with a "big" wine loaded with tannins; a zinfandel, a syrah/shiraz, or a cabernet sauvignon.

    Experiment, and let me know what you've found out!  Salud!
    Topics: tannins , Reisling , chenin blanc
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