A Sense of Food

Since the first cork was pulled some 8000 years ago wine and food fell in love with each other and that relationship has lasted and grown ever since.

Whether it’s cooked into the meal or enjoyed with it- wine will always make a good meal even better. And it doesn’t take a lot of experience to take advantage of the the special relationship between wine and food.

A good recipe will do the work for you- and that’s what you’ll find on the Recipes page of A Sense of Wine. These recipes are tried and true and often designed specifically for wines that we carry at Wine Sense. We’ll also make sure to give you a few wine options- just in case you need to adjust the recipe to the contents of your wine rack.

We’ll be starting with the Limited Edition recipes from past and present. The first two recipes are for this year’s January releases- South African Shiraz and California Lake County Trio Blanc. Both are very easy recipes that will make your friends think you are a kitchen pro. Look for more recipes to be posted every week or so.

When it comes to serving wine with food it’s good to think of wine as a ‘condiment’ to what you are eating. As ketchup is to your hot dog there is always a wine for what you are eating. Yes, the fall-back is ‘drink what you like’ but the following guidelines are a good rule of thumb- especially when you are entertaining:

Wine and Food Matching Principles

Match your wine to the strongest flavour on the plate.

Balance the weight of the wine to the weight of the food.

A full flavoured meal needs a full-bodied wine; a lighter dish requires a lighter wine.

Fatty, greasy or rich dishes need a dry wine with good acidity to clean the palate.

Salty dishes need a slightly sweet wine with full fruit flavours, moderate acidity, lower alcohol and no tannins.

Hot, spicy dishes require refreshing acidity, lower alcohol and fruity wines with a touch of sweetness.

Cream sauces and butter require wines of good fruit and matching creamy style or contrasting acidity to cleanse the palate.

The dessert wine should be sweeter than the dessert.

Rare meats need young tannic reds and well-done meats need older or fruity reds with little to no tannins.

Foods high in acidity are complemented by wines high in acidity.

 Whatever the meal there is always a wine for it!

Bon Appetit!

Craig

Wine Sense

Filed under: General by Craig