Food and Wine Matching for Rocket Scientists

Directions

Still nervous about the whole food and wine matching thing? It isn’t an art, or a mystery - and it’s certainly not rocket science.

Essentially, it’s about balance: choosing a wine that doesn’t dominate your meal – or disappear under the weight of it. There’s no right or wrong, and people hardly ever die from making a poor choice. So, don’t sweat the small stuff.

There are two simple ways of making great food and wine matches: Contrasts or Complements .

Contrasting Matches

Black and White…

Abbot and Costello…

Salt and Caramel…

Contrasting matches take the opposites attract approach - pitching flavour and texture combos from opposite ends of the spectrum to create balance. Think: a lively young Riesling with pan roasted scallops in a rich butter sauce: sweet, luscious Tokay partnered with a stinky blue cheese; or a crisp young Chardonnay with creamy pasta dishes.

Complementary Matches

Pink and Red…

Donny and Marie…

Salt ’n Vinegar…

A complementary match balances the weight, texture, and flavour of the food with a similarly weighted and flavoured wine. Think: aromatic and spicy Gewürztraminer with Thai red curry… full-bodied Cabernet with a rich braised beef stew… earthy Pinot Noir with Mushroom risotto. There are a couple of notoriously tricky foods to wine match: asparagus, artichoke, green beans for example. With these, complementary matching is the way to go. Imagine herbaceous cool climate Sauv Blanc - with Asparagus quiche.

Hot tips

Sparkling is an incredibly versatile food wine: it loves salt, umami and smoke flavours; and its combination of acid and bubbles helps it cut across fats and oils.

Surprisingly, chocolate and dry red wine is not a match made in heaven: the tannins in each can interact, causing unpleasant bitterness.

BUT – for a mind-blowing taste experience, try pairing white chocolate with… Sauvignon Blanc! Choose a tropical, passionfruity Aussie or Kiwi Sauv Blanc, and get ready to be astounded.