Food and Wine Pairing

Over the course of history the people of Franceproducing their own wines. The most glaring
have come to an idea of terroir to describe theirexample is food from Mexico and South America
wine. This concept says that the wine producedwhich profile foods such as beans, rice and fish
from a vineyard will not only take traits from thedishes. Of course all that changes if you find
soil and climate of the vineyard, but also theyourself in Argentina or parts of Mexico where
people and society that produces the wine. Theybeef is king and Cabernet Sauvignon reigns king
truly believe that a wine produced in Bordeaux inas it does in California. For most of latin America
the exact same conditions as a wine produced inyou are going to be looking for white wine to pair
Napa, California will end up tasting differently.well with the traditional fresh fish that you'll be
Although I don't agree with the concept in itsenjoying. Both Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
entirety I do believe that wines and foods fromwill work well, especially those from California and
the same region have been developedNew Zealand.
simultaneously for literally thousands of years. I'mOne other notable exception is the far east
often asked, what wine should you pair with awhere they do not have a history of wine being
specific food, the answer is quite easy for mostproduced. Without native grape varietals you
foods. In Italy they have produced red wines withtypically see producers try the most famous
higher acidity then the rest of the world forfrom Bordeaux such as Merlot and Cabernet
generations, partly because this acidity helps toSauvignon. Luckily for Chinese foodies these
cut through the pasta sauce that we're all sotypes of wines are not only easy to grow, but
accustomed to. In France their wines have athey pair well with the traditional fried Chinese
historically low alcohol content so as to notdishes with complex sauces.
overpower the complex and intricate flavors ofI hope you keep in mind tradition when choosing
their food.wine to pair with your dinner choice. Although it is
There are some notable exceptions to every rulefun to experiment little more can be said then
though and mostly these types of exceptionsthousands of years of experience.
come from regions without a long history of