Wine and food pairing is the art of putting food dishes with wine to elevate the dining experience. In many cultures, alcohol has had a long history of being a staple at the table, and in some ways, both the making of alcohol and other traditions of a country will have evolved together over time.
For instance the process used to be much more labor intensive. It involved collecting baskets and baskets of grapes for processing. Instead of following a single set of guidelines, most local foods were paired with local products.
In restaurants, sommeliers are often employed to make food pairing recommendations for their clients or when creating custom wine baskets. However, taste and enjoyment are individually graded. While there are many resources that are dedicated to food pairing, most experts believe that the most basic element of food pairing is understanding the balance between the type of food and the type of alcohol that is being served.
Heavy products like Cabernets can overshadow delicate dishes, while light bodied wines like Pinots would be taken over by more heavy food. Flavors and textures can also either be contrasted or enhanced. From there a food pairing can also take into consideration the qualities of wine and how they can be brought forward or minimized when paired with certain types of food.
Alcohol has had a long history of being served with food. Those who study history say that it was a staple in most people’s diets, and a drink that was often considered more sanitary than the water supply. Many pairings that are considered classics come from the centuries old relationship between a region’s food and their beverage making tradition. The reds of places like Bordeaux, Greece, and Provence are known for being paired with lamb. In Italy, food pairing is deeply embedded in the culture. As a culture, Italians rarely dine without alcohol, and it is still made to be food friendly.
There have been many different records that have shown food pairing before modern times. Fruits that are high in sugars and acid (such as apples or pears) can alter the taste of alcohol. Consequently, hard cheeses such as cheddar can alter the tannins and make them taste fuller. Another rule of thumb, still used today, is white with fish; red with meat. The basis of this saying is on the idea of matching the body of alcohol with the weight of the food. Meat is typically heavier and red in color, so it was taken for granted that a red harmonized better with the meat. Since fish is generally light in body and in color, it is often paired with white. This saying has become over ruled in recent days because of the magnitude of styles available on the market where now there are many heavy whites and lighter reds than there have been in the past.
Technology has also helped with the development of this art. What used to be time consuming and labor intensive has only gotten easier with time.