For a nice and satiable meal, you should do a correct pairing of the food and wine you serve. The pairing is essential as it balances a dish’s components and a wine’s qualities. There are several tips with which you can make a balanced pairing; like the wine should be more acidic and sweeter than the food, it is advisable to match wine with the sauce rather than with the meat, etc. This article discusses some good wine and food pairings that will hit during the holiday.
Champagne and Oysters
Oysters are very palatable, and their combination with champagne creates a luxurious and more desirable meal. People refer to this combination as magical, backed up by umami synergy from several scientific reports. The reports state that the levels of glutamate and nucleotides in oysters and champagne bring the maximum umami sensation to life.
Furthermore, due to many contacts with yeast cells, aged champagne was the best match with European oysters, not to say that you should overlook the West Coast oysters. The mouthfeel is attributed to the balance of acidity and bubbles in the sparkling wine, making the meal more satisfying. However, you can use something other than a vintage champagne bottle. Instead, traditionally made sparkling wine, aged on dead yeast cells, can also amplify the umami synergy with the oysters.
Southtyrolean Snack and Maddalena Wine
Maddalena, named after the creator, is an authentic rich wine that has gained global recognition in the recent past. The wine from two famous vineyards, Monterey and Paso Robles, is rich with flavors and aromas that can complement any food but are more of an afternoon snack. You will get to taste the fruits of the passion and the complexity of the wine that has been made with unique and high-quality techniques. For a date or in a movie session, Maddalena Wines, along with some snacks, will make your time worth it.
Sauternes and Foie Gras
If you want to try something unique, go for this combination. According to VinePair, Sauternes, also called noble rot, is a dessert wine made from grapes with botrytis; thus, it’s rare to find it on the market left alone on your shopping list. Due to the rot in the wine, a honey taste makes the wine rather sweet for any meal.
On the other hand, foie gras, a French specialty, is a controversial duck or goose liver product. However, without duck or goose liver, you can choose a fatty meat portion with the sauternes. The combination is exquisite since the gentle acidity of sauternes offsets the buttery feel of the foie gras.
Pinot Noir and Salmon
Most people prefer pairing white wine with fish, but it is prudent to rethink that and instead go with pinot noir, a red wine that boasts elegance and a low degree of silky tanning. Apart from having a low degree of tanning, pinot has an acidity that neutralizes salmon fish’s bold flavor and texture.
Depending on its cultivation in the vineyard, pinot includes numerous styles and completes the edge styles you’ll appreciate. Therefore, for a rich finish, you’d consider pinot-grown cultivated using biodynamic rather than organic means. Biodynamic is chemical-free and uses horns covered in manure in the grape plantations to be uncovered later.
Sancerre and Goat Cheese
You get the sauvignon blanc wine from France’s Loire Valley, commonly called Sancerre, which undisputably gets along with a plate of creamy goat cheese. It is not surprising to note that the small municipality of Chavignol, situated within the confinements of the wine region, is popular for its goat cheese production. From this, we conclude that the pairing was present long before people adopted it globally.
From the basics of wine pairing, you note that you can pair wine with a dish of the same acidity level. The Sancerre wine and the goat cheese have the same amount of acid, making them a great pairing. With the quest for an enriching meal, this combination serves you well since the Sancerre wine comes along with herbal and mineral add-ons that complement the notes of the average goat cheese.
Finally, you want a complete and satiable meal with a suitable dish and a carefully chosen wine bottle. Certain wines complement dishes well, thus making the feed more palatable. To get the desired experience, you need to consider the above suggestions and acquire several basic rules in the dish and wine pairing.