Food and Wine

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE COMBINATION of food and wine that so appeals to our senses? Sure, we can pair beer with food, or bourbon with food, or tea with food and wind up with delightful taste sensations. But wine pairing implies a special sort of decadence. There’s something about it that captures our culinary imagination and can make us plan an entire meal in pursuit of a perfect combination.

This sort of mystique surrounding the concept of wine pairing can make it seem intimidating. You hear about all the “rules” for pairing wine with food, and you might feel like you need to bury your head in a reference book before you can even eat dinner. But that’s not where the magic of wine pairing lies. The point of wine pairing is not to intimidate or overcomplicate things but, rather, to increase your enjoyment of a meal by combining two separate but tasty items and elevating them to something that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Such a transformation may seem magical and, indeed, it is not always predictable, but it ultimately relies on the interplay of textures, flavors, aromas, even temperatures in both the wine and the food. It’s hard to achieve something so complex and nebulous simply by following a strict set of guidelines. There are, however, a few principles that I find useful in navigating my way to the perfect pairing.

Wine pairing can be approached from either side: You can start with a dish and find a wine to enjoy with it, or you can pick the wine first, then design the dish around it. Either way, to help you next time you sit down to a meal, here are some things to consider as you endeavor to make your own wine pairing magic.

“What grows together goes together.” This is a common saying in wine circles, and it’s almost always my first stop on the wine pairing journey. Regional dishes and wines tend to have grown up together; it’s no mystery why the wines of Tuscany pair beautifully with tomatoes, given how often they adorn the region’s cuisine. One of my favorite things about wines is how they allow us to armchair travel to the places they come from. So why not multiply that effect by pairing a dish with a wine from the same place?

“Pair like with like” or “embrace a contrast.” These are two opposite approaches to wine pairing that can be equally successful. Say you’re planning to serve fettuccine alfredo. The sauce is full of creamy, melty cheese and butter, which will coat the inside of your mouth. You could create the ultimate indulgence by amplifying this effect with an oak-aged Chardonnay or a rich Rhône Valley Viognier. Or you could choose a wine that slices through the creaminess and does a little dance on your tongue, like a northern Italian Pinot Grigio. That’s another magical thing about wine pairing — you can play with it depending on what you’re hoping to get out of the match. There’s no one right answer.

A riff on the “pair like with like” concept is to think beyond the texture of the wine (is it creamy, is it tart?) and consider the actual aromas and flavors in a wine. One of the best pairings I’ve ever had was a California Sauvignon Blanc that tasted strongly of fresh peas, paired with a salad with — you guessed it — fresh peas. It may seem too obvious, but if you want the flavors in a pairing to play well together, finding commonalities is a great place to start.

“Experiment.” Sometimes there’s no obvious reason why a pairing goes bananas in your mouth, and you end up with a flavor explosion that you just weren’t expecting. The only way to find these happy surprises is to try different pairings, and a lot of them. I recently paired a Spanish Garnacha with egg rolls out of sheer necessity, and it was delicious. Who knew?

“Have a backup plan.” There are certain grapes that are especially food friendly. For example, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are amenable to a wide range of foods, from salads to seafood to red meat. This can come in handy if you’re unsure, or overwhelmed, or just don’t feel like thinking about it. It can also be helpful if you’re dining out with friends and want to share a bottle, but everyone at the table is eating different things. Sometimes the magic comes out of not overthinking things and taking it easy on yourself.

“Drink what you like.” At the end of the day, this is absolutely the best advice, and most wine professionals will agree. Sure, we’re happy to help you find an exciting pairing that will take your dinner to the next level, but our ultimate goal is for you to be happy. And if drinking South African Pinotage with halibut makes you happy, go for it!

Finally, if you’re interested in letting someone else do the work, consider attending a wine dinner this week. There are plenty of Taos Winter Wine Festival events where you can experience the magic of wine pairing in action. A full list can be found at taoswinterwinefest.com. Happy pairing!