2. Wine with Food Flashcards
What are two things to take notes of before pairing wine and food?
The individual’s preferences and sensitivities.
What two components in food make a wine taste ‘harder’ (more astringent, bitter, acidic; less sweet, fruity)?
- Sweetness
2. Umami
What two components in food make a wine taste ‘softer’ (less astringent , bitter, acidic; sweeter and fruitier)?
- Salt
2. Acid
Which generally has more of an impact on the other? Wine on food? or Food on wine? Is it more likely to be a positive or negative impact?
Food has more of an impact on wine. It’s more likely to have a negative impact.
Sweetness in food increases the perception of ___ in wine.
Sweetness in food decreases the perception of ___ in wine.
Increases the perception of
- bitterness
- astringency
- acidity
- the warming effect of the alcohol
Decreases the perception of
- body
- sweetness
- fruitiness
What type of wine should you pair with food that contains sugar?
A wine that gas a higher level of sweetness than the food
Umami in food increases the perception of ___ in wine.
Umami in food decreases the perception of ___ in wine.
Increases the perception of
- bitterness
- astringency
- acidity
- the warming effect of the alcohol
Decreases the perception of
- body
- sweetness
- fruitiness
What can counteract the negative effects of umami with wine pairing?
Salt
Which types of wines should you pair with umami-rich foods? Which types of wines should you avoid?
Pair: balanced high-tannin wine
Avoid: low tannin reds, skin-contact or oaky whites
Acidity in food increases the perception of ___ in wine.
Acidity in food decreases the perception of ___ in wine.
Increases the perception of
- body
- sweetness
- fruitiness
Decreases the perception of
-acidity
When pairing wine with an acidic dish, what type of wine should you pair? Why?
A wine with good acidity (same or more than food). Otherwise, the wine might seem flat and flabby.
Acidity in food increases the perception of ___ in wine.
Acidity in food decreases the perception of ___ in wine.
Increases the perception of
-body
Decreases the perception of
- bitterness
- astringency
- acidity
Acidity in food increases the perception of ___ in wine.
Increases the perception of
-bitterness
Chilli Heat in food increases the perception of ___ in wine.
Chilli Heat in food decreases the perception of ___ in wine.
Increases the perception of
-the warming effect of the alcohol
Decreases the perception of
- body
- richness
- sweetness
- fruitiness
Name three common considerations/strategies when pairing food and wine.
- Flavor Intensity: try to match the intensities of the dish and the wine to not overpower each other
(This can also be reversed. Big dish with a lighter wine.) - Acid and Fat: acidic wines with fatty/oily foods to cut the fat
- Sweet and Salty: sweet wine with salty cheese is dope.
What’s the safest assumption to make about personal preferences with food and wine pairing?
Most people prefer their wines to taste more fruity, less acidic, bitter, and astringent.
What are “high-risk” foods and why?
- Sugar - wine must be at least as sweet as food.
- Umami - emphasizes bitterness of tannins, requires additional fruity character in wine to balance astringency or more salt to the dish.
- Bitterness - makes wine more bitter, look for whites or low-tannin reds
- Chilli Heat - increases all burning sensation, consider whites or low-tannin reds, low in alcohol
What are “low-risk” foods?
- Salty foods
2. Acidic foods
What are “high-risk” wines?
Complex wines with high levels of bitterness and astringency, coupled with high levels of acidity and alcohol and complex flavors
What are “low-risk” wines?
Simple, unbaked wines with little residual sugar (but less exciting)
Name three alternative approaches to food and wine pairing.
- Matching or Contrasting Flavors
- Local Wine with Local Food
- Red wine with red meat; white wine with fish
Why does red wine pair with red meat?
The salt content of meat dishes softens the wine tannins.
Also, the tannins in red wine bind to meat proteins, softening the impact of the wine.
Why does white wine pair well with fish?
- Fish high in umami, makes red wine bitter and astringent.
- Reaction of red wine compounds and oily fish results in metallic taste
Name 4 classic wine and food pairings.
- Goat cheese with Sancerre
- Oysters with Muscadet or Champagne
- Stilton with Port
- Olives with Manzanilla
What is the most important thing to take into consideration when pairing food and wine?
The structural components of both the wine and the food (e.g. acid, salt, sweetness, etc.).
