Wine and Food? Or is it Food and Wine?

What came first, the chicken or the egg?
I.  Don't.  Know.
What came first, the food or the wine?
Most of the time, it's the food. And then a decision is made on an appropriate wine pairing.
But if you're like me, sometimes you're craving a particular wine and then the food follows.
Here are some basic guidelines:

• Rich whites like oaky/buttery Chardonnay or Burgundy: Meatier “other white” meats like pork, veal and chicken, in richly flavorful sauces.

• Crisp whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Pinot Grigio or Verdelho, and most sparkling wines: Foods with matching degrees of acidity, such as seviches, or salads in mildly sharp vinaigrettes, or mixed with sharp/earthy cheeses like goat cheese or feta.

• Slightly sweet, spicy and fruity whites like Riesling, Viognier and Gewürztraminer: Seafoods prepared with slightly sweet, sour, salty, and even spicy-hot sauces and ingredients.

• Soft reds like Pinot Noir, Grenache, and lighter styles of Zinfandel or Merlot: Soft but meaty textured, full flavored red fish, like salmon and tuna.

• Zesty, pungent, earthy/foresty red wines like Sangiovese or Tempranillo: Zesty, Italian influenced dishes which make use of pasta, tomato, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and resiny herbs like oregano and rosemary.

• Higher tannic reds like youthful Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and heavier Petite Sirahs: Stronger red meats prepared with slightly bitter peppercorns, vegetables, or char from wood grilling.

• More brightly fruited, zesty, jammy or sweetly scented red wines like most Zinfandels, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Barbera and Grenache: Fatty meats in zesty, sweet or even spicy sauces and marinades like barbecued or even teriyaki style beef or pork ribs.

• Big, herbaceous, richly oak flavored Cabernet Sauvignon or blends of Cabernet Sauvignon: Fatty red meats in sauces reduced with aromatic green herbs, mint, thyme or sage, etc.

• Sweet, high acid, intensely fruity “late harvest” whites: Sweet desserts made with fruits retaining natural fruit acidity like berries, pear, apple, and stone fruits such as cherry, peach or apricot.

• Sweet, full bodied wines like Tawny Port or French Sauternes: Blue cheeses such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Maytag Blue.

• Sweet, full bodied, fortified reds like Vintage Port:  Bitter/sweet chocolate desserts or truffles.

Slightly (and shamelessly) paraphrased from an article in the Wall Street Journal.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

The Chicken AND the Egg!