some basics about food and wine pairing for food and beverage service students

1. THE HARMONY OF FOOD ANDTHE HARMONY OF FOOD AND
DRINKDRINK

2. •THE ROMANS BROUGHT THE VINE TO FRANCE
AND THE GAULS HAD WERE FAMOUS FOR CHEESE
SO THE FIRST MARRIAGE OF FOOD AND DRINK
WAS BORN.
• WINE REPLACED OTHER DRINKS, EG BEERS AND
WAS INCORPORATED INTO FRENCH EATING
HABITS.
•1600’S SAW DEVELOPMENT OF FORTIFIED WINES,
ENGLAND IMPORTED SHERRY,PORT ,MADEIRA
AND WHITE GERMAN WINE AND FRENCH RED.
SHERRY WAS ESTABLISHED AS AN APERITIF AND
PORT AT THE END OF A MEAL.

3.
•WINES BEGAN TO BE CATEGORISED TO SUIT
COURSES OF THE FRENCH CLASSICAL MENU AND TO
COMPLEMENT FOOD OF A REGION.
•Eg COUNTRIES
• VINTAGE
• REGIONS
• COLOUR
• STYLE
• THE MATCHING OF THE FLAVOUR OF THE WINE WAS
DESIGNED TO BALANCE THE FOODS FLAVOUR AND BODY.
• THE ONE SHOULD NOT OVERPOWER THE OTHER

4. BASIC CONSIDERATIONS
•ANALYSE COMPONENT ELEMENTS OF BOTH
•MATCH THE WEIGHT/ RICHNESS OF FOOD TO WINE
•MATCH THE FLAVOUR INTENSITY OF THE FOOD
AND THE FLAVOUR INTENSITY OF THE WINE
•MATCH ACIDIC FOODS WITH HIGH-ACID WINES
•MATCH SWEET FOODS WITH SWEET WINE
•CONSIDER COOKING METHODS eg FRIED FOODS
CONTAIN MORE FAT AND NEED ACIDIC WINE

5.
WINE HARMONY
THIS IS PLANNED TO ACHEIVE COMPATIBLITY AND
MAXIMISE ENJOYMENT AND TRANSFORM THE MOST BASIC
MEAL.
•CONSIDER YOUR GUEST TASTES;
TIME OF DAY
WEATHER
OCCASION
THEME OF EVENT
• SOME FOODS KILL WINE SO CARE IS NEEDED OR
AVOID IT COMPLETELY
eg CURRIES , PEPPERS, CHILLIES.VINEGARY FOODS,
CHOCOLATE, EGGS, OILY FISH,HOT SPICY FOODS,SALTY
FOOD

6. •BALANCE THE WEIGHT, FLAVOURS, RICHNESS OF BOTH
•DRY WHITES CAN TASTE SOUR WITH DESSERTS
•WINES WITH HIGH ACIDITY GO BEST WITH RICH
FATTY DISHES
•HIGH TANNIN WINES EG CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SHOULD BE COMBINED WITH FOODS RICH IN PROTEINS
AND CHEWY MEATS
• AVOID HIGH TANNINS WITH SALTY DISHES AND FISH, USE
SWEET OR HIGH ACID WINES
•AVOID OAKY WHITES WITH FISH
•MODERN CUISINE STYLES NEED ROBUST WINES
•Eg Fusion cuisine

7. APERITIFS
PURPOSE,SOCIAL ICE BREAKER,NOT TOO
ALCOHOLIC EXAMPLES CRISP DRY WHITE WINE
EG MUSCADET WITH HIGH ACIDITY OR
DRY SHERRY,MADEIRA,
DRY CHAMPAGNE (festive drink)
SEQUENCE OF WINES
DRY BEFORE SWEET
WHITE BEFORE RED
YOUNG BEFORE OLD

8. TAKING THE MEANING OF AN APERITIF TOO FAR!

9.
TRADITIONAL RULES
•WHITE WINES WITH WHITE MEATS
BECAUSE LESS STRONG, NO TANNINS
•REDS WITH RED MEATS BECAUSE FULLER BODIED AND
TANNIN HELP CUT THROUGH FAT CONTENT.PROTEINS IN
MEAT SOFTEN TANNINS MAKE TASTE WINE FRUITIER
TANNINS REACT WITH PHOSPHATES IN FISH
MAKE IT METALLIC
•DESSERTS NEED A SWEET WINE. (dry wines taste tart)
MORE NEUTRAL WINES eg SOAVE/ PINOT GRIGIO WITH
DELICATE FOODS

10. FIRST COURSE
NOT ESSENTIAL..AVOID IT WITH STRONG
STRONG VINEGARY FOODS/ DRESSINGS.
CONSIDER WINE TO FOLLOW
SMOKED FISH...HIGH ACID WINES AND OAKED
WINES REASONABLY STRONG
GAME ... DRY HIGH ACIDITY OR SWEET WINES
SHELLFISH...BONE DRY WHITES GO WITH
EG CHABLIS/MUSCADET/SAUVIGNON BLANC/ PINOT GRIGIO
SALTINESS IN THE FISH.
IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE SAUCES EG chardonnay is rich and
buttery, goes well with creamy sauces

11. FRESH WATER FISH MORE DELICATE, BEST WITH
REISLINGS, CHENIN BLANC ,SAUVIGNON BLANC
(good with prawns, mussels)
SEA FISH HAS MORE FAT EG SALMON ..NEEDS
STRONGER WINE eg BURGUNDY/ALSACE
.
TROUT ( LIGHTER FISH) eg REISLING/LOIRE
SARDINES. ( OILY) eg MUSCADET
LIGHT RED WINE WITH FISH…TUNA, SWORDFISH
(PINOT NOIR)

12. MEAT
CONSIDER COOKING METHODS
STUFFINGS HERBS ETC.
WHITE MEAT..CHICKEN,PORK TURKEY VEAL. SHOULD
NOT OVERPOWER.
STRONG MEAT NEEDS FORCEFUL WINE BEEF AND LAMB
MOST DISTINCTIVE FLAVOURS GOOD WITH CLARET,
FULL BODIED REDS EG SHIRAZ ,CHATEAUNEUF DU
PAPE
LIGHTER MEATS..FRUITY WINES EG BEAUJOLAIS
SPICY FLAVOURS (PEPPER, CLOVES) NEED
SPICY, JUICY FRUIT WINE EG GEWURZTRAMINER
NEW ZEALAND SAUVINGNON BLANC

13. COLD MEATS HAVE MORE ACIDITY
REGIONAL DISHES PARTNER THEIR WINES
CASSEROLES/STEWS NEED FULL BODIED REDS
DUCK AND GOOSE NEED STRONG ASSERTIVE HIGH
ACIDITY WINE/WHITE EG BURGUNDIES
PINOT NOIR /CHIANTI
SIMPLE PIZZAS GO WELL WITH SOFT FRUITY REDS
EG BARBERS, ZINFANDEL
VEGETARIAN PIZZA WITH CHIANTI

14. SALADS
USE FRUITY ,SOFT LOW TANNIN REDS eg BEAUJOLAIS
AVOID VINEGARY DRESSINGS OR SOFT WHITES
BARBECUED FOODS…FRUITY WINES/SPICY/ SMOKY eg
SHIRAZ AND ZINFANDEL
CAJUN FOODS …ZINFANDEL (FRUIT AND ROBUST)

15. WINE WITH INDIAN FOOD
The Indian palate often wants a wine that is mineralic
and acidic, which adds to the spices and brings them
out.
The western palate tends to prefer combinations of
flavour.
Creamy wines coat the palate
.
Buttery whites combines with the flavours of Indian
food quite well.
Something to calm down the spice: go for something
sweet such as Pinot Gris or Riesling or
Gewürztraminer that have some residual sugar.

16. Qupe Roussanne 2005 Central Coast, California
Really intense, nutty and broad with notes of vanilla
and toast. Thick textured and bold – a bit oily even?
Viscous, rich and structured.
This was a magical match with Mallayetti Kachipeu, a
curry leaf and tarragon infused lobster dish. The
intensity and oiliness of the wine made for a brilliant,
synergistic combination.

17. Muddy Water Pinot Noir 2006 Waipara,
New Zealand
Cherry and berry fruit nose with some herbiness.
Bright but intense, with some attractive meaty depth
on the palate. Fruit driven and nicely balanced with
good acidity and texture.
Served with Tandoor Paneer, a Tandoori grilled
Indian cottage cheese, which is wild, smoky and
spicy: the Pinot is a bit overwhelmed but with its rich
texture works well. A solid match.

18.
SWEETS AND PUDDINGS
DESSERT WINES NEEDED
LIGHTER SWEETS WINES FROM THE NEW WORLD EG
MUSCATS.
OR FULL FLAVOURS FROM OLD WORLD ..SAUTERNES
FROM FRANCE, TOKAY FROM HUNGARY
ICE CREAM NEEDS FULL BODIED DRY CHAMPAGNE ,
DRY CHAMPAGNES GOOD FOR CREAMY SWEETS
FRESH FRUITS..MADEIRA OR SWEET OR FLORAL WINE
CHOCOLATE GOOD WITH RED WINE, ASTI
SPUMANTE, BANYUL , PORT
HEAVY PUDDINGS...MADEIRA, TOKAY, SAUTERNES

19. CHEESES
CLASSIFIED BY TEXTURE
REDS WITH HARD CHEESES (more tannins the wine can have)
WHITES WITH SOFT CHEESES
WINE AND CHEESE OF A REGION
BLUE CHEESES go well with sweet wines
Tawny ports, Madeira, Sauternes
SOFT CHEESES eg Brie, Camembert
lighter styled wines, fruity wines eg Beaujolais, Merlot, champagne,
sweet sherry

20. CREAM CHEESE (NO RIND) CREME FRAICHE, MOZZARELA
LIGHT CRISP WHITE OR ROSE
MATURE CHEESES
GO BETTER WITH STRONGER OR SWEETER WINES WITH
MORE FLAVOUR
eg PORTS , SAUVIGNON BLANC, BAROLO, BURGUNDY,
BORDDEAUX

21. COFFEE
DIGESTIF
HEAVIER DRINKS THAN APERITIFS AND MORE ALCOHOLIC
Purpose is to settle the stomach
LIQUEURS; single herb eg Crème de menthe or multi herb
eg Benedictine
FORTIFIED WINES eg PORT, OLD SHERRY
SPIRITS ,GOOD QUALITY ,MATURE STYLES
COGNAC XO, MALTS, ARMAGNAC

22. FURTHER READING;
EXPLORING THE WORLD OF WINES AND SPIRITS, C.FIELDON
EUROPEAN GASTRONOMY. W . BODE
THE STUDENTS GUIDE TO FOOD AND DRINK,
J COUSINS AND A DURKAN
EUROPEAN GASTRONOMY INTO THE 21ST
CENTURY, C . GILLESPIE
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