In order to enjoy your dining experience to the fullest, it’s important that you understand the guidelines to food and wine pairing. If you want to have a better understanding of this, simply follow some of these guidelines;-
Red Wine
How does red wine get its colour? Wine is produced from grapes which undergo a process to extract the juice. The color comes from the tannins which are in the skin of the grape. The longer the skin stays in the juice, the more tannic the end product becomes.
It’s not just the grape variety which gives the wine its taste. There is a lot more to winemaking than that. Other influences are at work including climate, region and soil of the vineyard. You may not realize this until you become a more experienced wine taster and have visited a number of vineyards. This is why some people inquire about the region the wine has been grown. It’s not because they want to show off as being a wine buff, but because the region really does have an effect on taste.
Normally red wines are fuller and heavier bodied than white, which means they should be served with red meats and pasta. The heavier the wine, the more suited it is to heavy foods including gravy and cheese.
An Introductory Guide to Red Wine and Food Pairing:
Pinot noir – This is the lightest of all the red grapes so can be enjoyed with game or duck depending on what gravy is served.
Merlot – This is medium to heavy and the most mellow of the reds. This is the ideal wine for those who have never had a glass of red before.
Cabernet Sauvignon – This is the most heavy of the red family and works with heavy cheese and red meats.
The above wines are of course the type of grape used and doesn’t refer to the region. This makes food and wine pairing much easier for a beginner.
White Wine
The funny thing is that white wines can actually be made from red grapes. Most people think that they’re made from white grapes but it’s the opposite which is normally true. The actual flesh of the grape is white, whilst the color is contained within the skins. So white wines made from red grapes have simply had the skins removed immediately before processing.
A Quick Guide to White Wine and Food Pairing:
Pinot grigio – A very pleasant light white wine that is ideal for vegetarian dishes and salads.
Sauvignon Blanc/Fume Blanc – Medium white which compliments light pasta, poultry and pizza.
Chardonnay – A heavy white which makes an ideal choice when eating heavy white meats and grills.
There are of course many more types of wine other the ones listed above so more experimenting can be done to find the perfect food and wine pairing. However these are good general rules for a beginner to follow.
Don’t just read what the books tell you, decide for yourself as you’ll learn better that way and develop a taste. You can only hope to become a professional wine taster by tasting, tasting and even more tasting. Also read up on subjects such as “How To Cook Anything” because it’s not just the wine that makes a meal it’s the food too.
We drink cabernet and thinking of switching to a white wine because the red is staining the teeth. What do you recommend that is as hearty as a red. Please, not a chardonnay…at least I have not had a good one yet.What else to good? We prefer not to drink cold wine, we like room temp.