Wine With Food, it Isn’t Just About Colour

What you need to know:

Food and wine pairing is an art, if you get it wrong then you risk having a terrible meal.
Heavy red wines that are more full-bodied such as Cabernet Sauvignon are best paired with rich and hearty stews.
Such combinations are also perfect for those chilly days as the wine and stews will help get you warm from the inside.

Wine is delicious. Wine is amazing. Wine lovers, I bet you agree with this. In fact, wine, when correctly paired with food, results in a match made in the stars.

Food and wine pairing is an art, if you get it wrong then you risk having a terrible meal. There are a few things you need to know when it comes to food and wine pairing, and I’m not just talking about white wine goes with white meat and red wine goes with red meat.

Here are other components of food and wine pairing you should consider:

Wine Texture

Heavy red wines that are more full-bodied such as Cabernet Sauvignon are best paired with rich and hearty stews. Such combinations are also perfect for those chilly days as the wine and stews will help get you warm from the inside.

Sweetness

Sweet wines are not necessarily fruity wines. Sweet wines are best paired with sweet foods such as desserts. However, the level of sweetness of the entire meal should be considered to avoid an overly sweet meal.

For a balanced meal, the level of sweetness in food should not be higher than the level of sweetness of the wine otherwise the wine may end up losing its character.

Smokiness

If you are hosting friends for a barbecue, a smoky wine will be ideal such as a pinot noir. It pairs well with flame-grilled meats. If the food features kick from spices then a Malbec will be ideal due to its sweet and spicy flavour and aroma.

Effervescence

Bubbles in a wine help reduce the effects of salty foods and also cleanse your palate when you indulge in food that has some bitterness. A key point to note though is you should not pair salty foods with red wine as it increases the bitterness.

But there are others who don’t want to create the experience at home but would rather enjoy a food and wine pairing at a restaurant.

I had the T-bone steak with fries and pepper sauce on the side at Live-Inn restaurant at Park Inn by Radisson in Westlands. The medium cooked steak was tender, flavourful and balanced perfectly with the Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Merlot, a soft easy-drinking red wine.

You can enjoy the Merlot wine with a variety of meat cuts including; T-bone, rib-eye, beef fillet, and pork loin.