| In recent years, it's begun to seem as if writing | | | | an ill-advised wine and food pairing isn't the end of |
| about food and wine matching has gone out of | | | | the world. Unless you're entertaining the wine critic |
| fashion. A lot of people I know think that it's just | | | | from the Sydney Morning Herald in your home, |
| more highfalutin wine snobbery, that it doesn't | | | | don't worry about impressing anyone with your |
| really mean anything, and that its main purpose is | | | | refined tastes. Just keep the basics in mind: Red |
| to make the wine critic feel like he or she has | | | | wine goes with heavy cheeses, red pasta sauces, |
| some special refined information. It's like wine | | | | and red meats. White wine goes with lighter |
| jargon: Who ever really tastes a glass of wine | | | | cheeses, seafood, white pasta sauces, and |
| and says, "Wow, this wine is really vegetal," or, | | | | poultry. Start from there, and adjust according to |
| "Hey, that's a velvety palate!" Some wine tastes | | | | the situation. |
| good, and some tastes not so good, so what's | | | | 2. Even easier--match colors. It's funny, but in |
| the difference? | | | | most situations, you really can get away with |
| When buying wine online, it's common to | | | | matching wine and food based on color: red wine |
| encounter this sort of thing--jargon-heavy | | | | with red or dark-colored things (see point 1); and |
| reviews, or blurbs that say a certain wine is | | | | white wine with white or light-colored things. |
| perfect for a certain type of food. Many people | | | | 3. Consider geography. Generally, the specific |
| roll their eyes at this and feel frankly lost. Buying | | | | wines and foods of a given region have grown up |
| wine online, you can't talk to the store clerk about | | | | together, and have been cultivated for the |
| it, and you certainly can't sample anything, so for | | | | purpose of going well together. It's not a hard and |
| those of us who aren't wine snobs, it's hard to | | | | fast rule, but if you're making a French dish, |
| know what to make of wine jargon and | | | | whether red or white is called for, go with a |
| references to food and wine pairing. | | | | French wine. At the very least, it will give you a |
| From my own experience, I can tell you with | | | | reason to explore wines from all different regions. |
| certainty that these things do have meaning. | | | | 4. The meal is in the driver's seat. When buying |
| Once you taste enough fine wines, and once you | | | | wine online, you might have to experiment before |
| begin to learn how to differentiate between | | | | you get this right. But the most important thing |
| different types and qualities of wine, it becomes | | | | when considering wine and food pairings is to start |
| much easier. Just a few years ago, I was pretty | | | | with the meal, and choose the wine based on the |
| lost when it came to analyzing wine complexity. | | | | food. In rare occasions, you may have a fine wine |
| But with experience, I was able to develop a | | | | that you want to show off, but even in this case, |
| "wine sense," and now I know there is some | | | | a poor meal will dishonor the wine. Choose wines |
| truth to these advanced wine concerns. | | | | that bring out the special qualities of foods, and |
| Okay, now for the wine and food matching tips: | | | | don't be offended if the food gets much more |
| 1. Don't take it too seriously. I will admit that, yes, | | | | attention from your guests than the wine. |