Welcome Back Post- Wine Pairing Basics

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.