Food and Wine Pairing Flashcards
Explain the concept of perfect match in food and wine pairing
- There are classic pairings that work because of the taste interaction between components
- Impossible to have an objective perfect pairing because of personnal sensitivities
Explain the concept of matching or contrasting flavours in food and wine pairing
- Flavours in the food can be mirrored or contrasted by flavours in wind.
Ex.: smoky, spicy, gamey dish with smoky,spicy,gamey wine
- Success is dependent of the interaction of structural components in food and wine
Explain the concept of local wine with local food in food and wine pairing
- Regional dish is likely to be best suited to a wine from that region
- Successfull food/wine pairing are likely to have evolved locally
- Still demands some knowledge in most regions with range of wine styles
- Need to find wine for food in a region with no local wine production and vice versa
Explain the concept of red wine with red meat and white wine with fish in food and wine pairing
- Tannins bind with meat proteins, softening the impact of the wine. However, salt in meat also plays a role in softening
- Fish are often umami and makes red wine bitter. Can be counterbalanced by salt and acid.
- Red wine and oily fish brings a metallic taste
- Important to consider sauce and side dishes
Name the alternative food and wine pairing approaches
- Matching or contrasting flavours
- Local wine with local food
- Red wine with meat, white wine with fish
Explain low-risk wines in wine and food pairing
- Simple unoaked wine with a little residual sugar. However can be less interesting.
- Examine well established pairings and find why they are successful. Use wines with similar characteristics.
Explain high-risk wine in wine and food pairing
- The more structural components in the wine and the food, the more taste interactions
Most problematic
- high levels of bitterness and astringency from oak and tannins combined with high acidity, high alcohol and complex flavours
Explain the impact of sweetness in food , on the taste of wine
Suggest a wine
- Increase perception of bitterness, astringency, acidity and warming effect of alcohol
- Decrease perception of body, sweetness and fruitiness
- Select a wine with higher level of sweetness than the dish
What components tend to make wines taste harder and softer?
Harder : sweetness and umami
- more astringent, bitter, acidic, less sweet and fruity
Softer : salt and acid
- less astringent, bitter, acidic, more sweet and fruity
Food has more impact in the wine then the other way aroung
Explain the impact of bitterness in food on the taste of wine
Suggest a wine
- Increase perception if bitterness
- Bitter flavours add to each others (subjective)
Suggest a wine with less bitterness
White wines or low tannin reds
What considerations should be taken into account when pairing food and wine?
- Individual sensitivites and preferences
- Primary food and wine pairing interactions
- Flavour intensity should be matched to avoid overpowering. There are exceptions for highly flavoured food with light flavour wine.
- Pleasing effect of acid cutting fat and cleansing palate
- Combining sweet and salty can be subjectively satisfying
Explain the impact of salt in food on the taste of wine
Suggest a wine
- Increases perception of body
- Decreases perception of astringency, bitterness and acidity
Very wine friendly. Will enhance fruit character and soften astringency
Explain the impact of chili heat in food on the taste of wine
Suggest a wine
- Increases perception of bitterness, astringency, acidity, burning effect of alcohol
- Alcohol increases burning effect of chili
- Decreases perception if body, richness, sweetness and fruitiness
Wine pairing is really subjective
White wine or low-tannin red
Lower alcohol level for sensitive people
Chose a wine with higher level of fruitiness and sweetness
Explain the impact of acidity in food on the taste of wine
Suggest a wine
- Increases perception if body, sweetness and fruitiness
- Decreases perception of acidity
Wine with very high acidity that will benefit from balance and enhanced fruitiness.
Avoid low acidity wines
Explain the impact of umami in food on the taste of wine
Suggest a wine
- Increases perception if bitterness, astringency, acidity and warming effect of alcohol
- Decreases perception of body, sweetness and fruitiness in the wine
Salt in the dish can help reduce adverse effects on wine.
Choose balanced high tannins wines with concentrated fruit flavours, that would be hard to unbalance
Avoid low tannins, light bodied wines
