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Introduction to “What Are We Drinking Tonight, Honey?”

by | Jun 3, 2024 | ASW Blog, What Are We Drinking Tonight, Honey?

This wine and food pairing blog was inspired by my husband, Ron. Almost every night, as we prepare dinner, he will look across the kitchen and ask me, “What wine are you planning to serve with this dish?” Or, more accurately, he says, “What are we drinking tonight, honey?” As he knows, I like to complement even the simplest of meals with the appropriate wine.

My blog intends to be fun and inspire others to purposefully pair wine with food by sharing examples of meals we’ve made, the wine I paired with it, and the story behind it. It will be an insightful, informative, and, I hope, entertaining journey through my love for food and wine pairing.

Along the way, I will also include stories about wine regions, interesting wine people, and special wine moments I’ve experienced. Sign up for the newsletter to stay updated on the latest issue.

 

Ron and Susan in their Gloucester MassachusettsKitchen

Ron and Susan in their Gloucester Massachusetts Kitchen

 

Food and Wine Pairing

One of my favorite parts of working in the world of food and wine is pairing wine with a meal to match and enhance the flavors of the food. Food and wine pairing goes far beyond white wine with fish and red wine with meat. See below five easy things to remember when pairing food and wine.

 

There are five simple concepts to keep in mind when pairing food and wine:

1.

In general, the flavors in food have a greater impact on how a wine will taste than the other way around, and most often, it’s negative.

2.

Two food components, acid (e.g., lemon juice) and salt (e.g., anchovies), can enhance a wine’s body and decrease the perception of bitterness, astringency, and acidic bite.

3.

Match the flavor intensity of a dish with a wine of similar intensity so that they do not overpower each other.

4.

Pair food and wine from the same country of origin, such as spaghetti and meatballs, with Chianti Classico from Italy.

5.

Hot and spicy dishes, when paired with a high alcohol wine, can increase the feeling of alcohol burn while decreasing the wine’s body, richness, and fruit flavors.

 

Congruent or Contrasting Flavors

Another and broader way to combine food and wine is to create a congruent or contrasting flavor pairing. A congruent pairing amplifies the shared flavor compounds in the food and wine, for example, buttered popcorn with a buttery chardonnay. A contrasting pairing brings together foods that complement each other, like the salty and sweet combination of blue cheese and Ruby Port.

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