Food and Wine Pairings

Question 1

The really important guidelines

Answer 1

Weight with weight. Acidity loves and needs acidity. Fish oil love acidity but hate tannins. Tannins love fat but hate fish oils. Acidity can cut saltiness.

Question 2

Building Blocks 3

Answer 2

Tannin: is always counterbalanced by protein/ fat. Is variable; not all red wines are created equal. Fades with age.

Question 3

Building Blocks 2

Answer 3

Alcohol: balances weights/ body. Accentuated easily….so pay attention (salty, heat……)
Oak: is best in small doses

Question 4

Building blocks of wine

Answer 4

Acidity: is the ultimate contrast balances high acid ingredients. Highlights the integrity of core focal point ingredients.

Sugar: Required for “sweet foods”. Counters aromatic heat (Provençal Italian, Nth African). Can counteract salt.

Question 5

The key to it all…..

Understand the…..

Answer 5

Flavours: Thousands and thousands
Textures: Increasingly important in the play of modern food/ wine.
Tastes: Critical matching points. Sweet, sour, salty, bitter (and, though nota taste, heat)

Question 6

Which of the following tastes is not in wine?

Answer 6

Salt

Question 7

When will acidity most likely be detected?

Answer 7

In the mouth

Question 8

What cheese is ideal with Recioto Della Valpolicella DOCG?

Answer 8

Blue Cheese

Question 9

After looking @ the richness what is the most important factor?

Answer 9

Flavour and how intense the flavour is (delicate wines and strong- flavoured foods do not match). Consider method of cooking food.

Question 10

What types of wines are best with fruity flavours?

Answer 10

Fruity flavours in food can be matched with fruity, floral wines.

Question 11

What effect do hot spicy foods have on wine?

Answer 11

Hot spicy foods reduce the sweetness in wines and can make dry reds more astringent

Question 12

What types of wines are good with spicy foods?

Answer 12

Spicy foods are best with wines that are made from really ripe, juicy fruit either unoaked or slightly Oaked. Spicy wines go well with spicy foods.

Question 13

What types of wines are good with smokey foods?

Answer 13

The stronger the smoke, the greater the oak can be.

Question 14

What types of wines are best to pair with fatty or oily foods?

Answer 14

High acid wines are best to pair with fatty or oily foods

Question 15

What types of wines are best to pair with salty foods?

Answer 15

Salty foods are enhanced by sweet or high- acid wines.

Question 16

What is the relationship between protein content and tannin?

Answer 16

Tannin reacts with protein foods with high protein content soften the effects of tannin pair chewy meat with tannic wines

Question 17

What is the relationship between tannin and salty foods?

Answer 17

Wines with high tannin can taste bitter with salty foods

Question 18

What is the relationship between tannin and oily foods?

Answer 18

Tannin with oily foods can give a metallic taste

Question 19

What effect do sweet foods have on wines?

Answer 19

Dry wines can seem tart and over acidic when consumed with sweet food. So best to match sweet food with sweet wines.

Question 20

What effect do sour flavours in food have on wines?

Answer 20

Sour flavours make wines taste less acidic (and less vibrant and refreshing). Need to match acidic foods with high- acid wines.

Question 21

What is the first and most important element to consider when pairing food and wine?

Answer 21

Match the weight of the food to the weight of the wine

Question 22

What are the key compounds to think about when pairing food and wine?

Answer 22

Structure- Body/ Weight, Acid, RS, Flavors: Sweet/ Sour/ Salty/ Bitter/ Umami/ Heat/ Textures

Question 23

What are the principals for pairing regarding body?

Answer 23

Weight of the wine and food should match. If wine is lighter bodied, it must be powerful in flavour/ high acid to stand up to food.

Question 24

What are the principals for pairing regarding alcohol?

Answer 24

Balances weight and body in food.

Accentuated easily with too much spice/ heat

Question 25

What are the principals for pairing regarding acidity?

Answer 25

Acid of the wine must match/ exceed acidity of the food (or will appear flabby). Highlights other core focal ingredients in food. Great balance to sugar.

Question 26

What are the principals for pairing regarding residual sugar?

Answer 26

RS must match/ exceed sugar in food or will appear sour or bitter. Counters heat. Great match to salt.

Question 27

What are the effects of salt on pairing?

Answer 27

Great with sweet or fruity Flavors. Can soften tannins.

Question 28

What are the effects of oak on pairing?

Answer 28

Best in small doses. Cooking techniques (grilling, smoking) can offset.

Question 29

What are the rules for pairing fruits/ herbs/ veg/ spices/ nuts?

Answer 29

No solid rules. Mirroring and/ or contrasting flavours can work

Question 30

How does tannin affect pairing?

Answer 30

Proteins and fat will soften tannins.

Oily fish and tannin= metallic taste

Question 31

How does oils/ fats/ butter affect pairings?

Answer 31

Acid and tannins can balance

Question 32

What are the steps to determine a pairing?

Answer 32

Determine the primary component of the dish and how to work with it. Determine the supporting players. Don’t forget the sauce. Think of the arc of a multi- course meal.

Question 33

Why is chocolate so hard to pair with wine?

Answer 33

Chocolate is slightly bitter, slightly acidic in nature and its own tannins can over power most wines.
Add sweetness and it becomes difficult

Question 34

Guideline 2

Answer 34

Sweets need sweets. Intensity with intensity. Alcohol + spicy= fire. Spicy + sugar= no fire. Vegetarian and souls will always be tricky.