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Wine is a social drink which
should be enjoyed in the company of friends and .. food.
The right combination
between food and wine is a source of ultimate bliss for
every connoisseur. Both wine and food can benefit from the
right pairing. The right wine can accentuate unexpected
gastronomical aspects of food and vice versa, wine can
shine in a new light when accompanied by the right dish.
In order to savor the splendor of such combinations, one
does not need to frequent expensive restaurants and buy
overpriced wines. Rather, when combining food and wine it
is one’s intuition and curiosity that are of paramount
importance.
Most rules for agreeable
food - wine combinations date back to the 19th century and
are made by French cooks who travel around Europe showing
other nations the French savoir-vivre. It is since then
that we know that champagne goes well with oysters, white
wine – with seafood, and red wine – with game and red
meats. Those rules, however, have been broken many times
throughout the years because the nature of certain dishes
and the rich wine variety available allow for a much freer
interpretation. For example, some red meats could be made
more enjoyable by stronger white wines.
A more practical approach
for combining wine with food is to avoid any possible
dissonance between them. For example, an exceptional wine
stands out much better when accompanied by a not so
sophisticated dish that will bring out the wine’s superb
qualities instead of fighting with it. Certain wines and
foods have “found” each other over the years and
represent especially suitable combinations. Generally
those are the regional wines and foods. Almost all local
dishes go best with the wines from their regions.
Some tips for making good
food – wine choices:
Try to balance the weight
of both, i.e. heavy dishes and those with a strong taste,
such as game and red meat should be enjoyed with an
equally heavy wine. In most cases those are red wines but
some full-bodied whites could be an equally suitable
alternative.
Dry wines could develop a
very unpleasant sour or even bitter taste if served with
desserts. Generally deserts are served with wines that are
at least comparably sweet, if not sweeter.
Wines with high acidity go
best with heavy, rich in fat dishes. This is because the
high fat content negates the impact of the acid.
High-tannin wines should be
combined with foods rich in proteins. The proteins combine
with the tannins, thus diminishing the tannin taste. Wines
made from grape varieties that contain a lot of tannins,
such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are an excellent
match for red meats and other protein-rich foods. On the
other hand, high-tannin wines acquire an unpleasant
metallic taste if combined with fish and other seafood. Or
they could have an extremely bitter taste when combined
with salty dishes.
So finally… which wine?
You could have in mind the rules above when making your
selection but don’t be blinded by them and never take
things for granted. Even when you are convinced that you
have found the perfect wine for a certain dish, a small
change, such as a bad yield, a change in the production
technology, or other, could disappoint you. So have an
open mind and be ready to experiment. Needless to say, a
lot of times the results would be a bit strange but
that’s what will make the whole experience interesting!!
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