Matching food with wine can seem like a daunting task at
first, but once you understand the simple rules of pairing dishes together with
a tasty wine that will complement the meal, you are sure to become the
designated wine order chief at every dining occasion. The process of wine
pairing relies on flavour strength, sweetness and saltiness, as well as
richness of the foods and a simple understanding of the types of wine that pair
well.
Taste Canowindra was recently reviewed in the Gourmet Traveller and has been praised for its variety of quality wines and great
service. We are experts when it comes to pairing wine with food and love to
help our customers select the very best wines from our wine list to complement
our delicious food.
Choosing a Great Wine for Different Meat Dishes
Meat dishes are the most popular in restaurants, and if the
menu doesn’t already offer a choice of wines that pair well with the particular
dish, you can always fall back on a simple technique that many people use.
Whilst you may not have tasted every wine out there, you may have tasted a few
red, whites, and select European wines, so you may know their qualities.
Choose a wine that compliments the richness, sweetness or
lightness of the meal itself, so as rich red meat dishes go, a hearty Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend (eg Wallington Cabernets) or
Shiraz is the ideal complimentary wine to go with a rich, red meat. Often with
beef dishes, the sauces are rich, fruity, just like the wines you are pairing
them with.
Pairing the Best Wine with a Fish Dish
Choosing a light wine with a light meal compliments the meal
and the wine, and neither is overpowered, creating a perfect balance that pairs
well. Light wines such as a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc go perfectly well with
light fish dishes, because they are equally light on the palette.
For more fuller flavoured fish meals, or fatty fish that
comes in a rich sauce, Chardonnays or Semillon are the best choice, with many
Falls wines particularly being the perfect addition to a rich shrimp dinner
that compliments equally the rich sauce and the light tang of the wine itself.
Salty Foods
Some of the best salty foods taste all the better with
Champagne, they pair well together like a match made in heaven. There is
something about the sharp taste of champagne (Gardners Ground Methode Traditionale for example) that brings
out the salty richness in certain foods, so it is little wonder why so many
events where champagne flutes are handed out you will see a selection of salty
finger foods to enjoy.
Spanish Cava is also a great choice when it comes to salty
foods, as it has a slight hint of sweetness that compliments salty foods the
best. The trick here is to compliment the taste of the food and the wine, so
choosing an even playing field is the best choice when it comes to matching
your wines up with your meals.
