Posts
from my Spicey not Pricey blog have been coming up on my Facebook memories from
2012. A lot of things have changed in 6
years but I have been inspired by a few friends to give this another shot. I
pulled up the blog and glanced over a few posts. I don’t find much inspiring
about a paragraph about a Trader Joe’s wrap that I ate for lunch, although
delicious the only joy someone can get from that would be reading it aloud in a
Hulk Hogan voice- try it!
A
recent trip to the Central Coast inspired me to write about wine pairing for
the re-launch post. The picture above is a lovely Chicken under a brick entrée
from Ember Restaurant in Arroyo Grande paired with Chamisal Estate Pinot Noir.
It was delicious! By no means is this a “perfect” pairing because I firmly
believe pairing beverages with food is taste is up to the eater. There are basic rules to wine pairing: acidity in
food goes with acidity in wine, a little bit of heat can use a little bit of sweet,
fatty red meats go with wines with tannins, sweetness of the wine must be
sweeter than the dessert and what grows together goes together. What grows
together goes together is always good rule of thumb- the cuisines from around
the world usually have a wine from that region that go with them. But really if
you like the wine and you like the food and you like them together then it is a
good pairing regardless if it follows the rules of wine pairing. A lovely
marbled rib eye will taste great with a top notch Napa Valley Cabernet
Sauvignon because the intensity of each match well with each other. That same
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon would also taste great with a Double-Double from
In-N-Out. That same In-N-Out burger would taste great with a Modelo Lager
because In-N-Out is a great burger and can go well with any beverage.
In
addition to matching foods and beverages that you love together, a big part of
wine pairing is the atmosphere you are enjoying the wine and food. This also
makes recreating a wonderful tasting experience difficult. The pairing pictured
above was enjoyed at a quaint neighborhood restaurant with my girlfriend. This
same wine and food combination would not be nearly as enjoyable in a cramped
loud restaurant with questionable company. Needless to say there are so many
factors that can make a great wine pairing. Some basic rules can help guide you
into making the right decision but ultimately if you have a smokin’ hot date on
Valentine’s Day with a good wine and a delicious entrée, there is no way it is
not gong to be an enjoyable culinary experience.
At
the end of the day the most important thing about wine knowledge is knowing
what you like and how to order it or buy it. A classic pairing is not going to be
enjoyable if it is not something you enjoy. So drink great wine, eat tasty food
and you will stumble into remarkable wine pairing experiences. A great pairing
is up to the taster.
