Our Philosophy about Wine and Food Pairings
Many articles and books about Pairing start with a disclaimer something like this: “Pairing is not an exact science – its success resides in the palate of the taster.”
Certainly true, but we believe there are some key elements that underpin an excellent wine and food pairing:
- Wine is meant to be served with food. It should complement the food flavors in a way that the combination is better than each consumed alone.
- The “weight” of the wine must not overpower nor be overwhelmed by the “weight” of the food. Strive for balance.
- Wine should refresh and stimulate the palate for the next bite or spoonful of food.
- The wine pairing should focus on complementing the dominant flavor of the dish. This is usually the sauce, spice or fat-content of the food, in whatever form it appears (dairy or animal fat). How the protein is prepared is also a consideration. For example, grilling imparts different flavors than sauteing or braising.
- Wine reviews that try to impress with descriptions like tobacco, saddle leather, forest floor, lead pencil, cigar smoke, etc., are of no help when it comes to pairing. Best to focus on a wine’s weight, acidity, sweetness, boldness, structure (delicacy) and mouth feel.
And finally, you will see that our blog posts have two important considerations:
- We try to recommend wines that are, for the most part, reasonably priced and currently available in the marketplace. We buy all of our wines and do not accept samples from producers.
- Some wine pairings are OK, some very good, some are superior in our judgment. As such, for each pairing, we have included a “score” from 7 (just OK) to 10 (The Best!).