Food and Wine Pairing: Forget Everything You Think You Know

Forget everything you think you know about pairing food and wine. As a trained industry insider I can share that scientists have determined that our palates are affected very specifically by certain flavor combinations. Studies at major wineries have proven that the preparation of the food and its sauce dictate the wine choice not the protein.

Standard meat preparations usually call for a tenderizer: salt, vinegar, oils, etc. This can be very basic or extremely bold in some heavily peppered or sweetened marinades. In the case of mild marinades, most of the flavor is deep in the protein and will not be detected on the palate. The strong marinade may provide the entire flavor and is a great way to thrill the taste buds with inexpensive cuts.

Opposites Attract
Most chefs will add a sauce or something to finish the protein. Cheese is widely used, as is aioli and other fruit preparations. Creamy sauces on your palate and are best countered with a stronger wine. A bold flavored Cabernet, red Zinfandel or a Napa or Sonoma Chardonnay will work well. On the opposite spectrum, pepper is best offset with sweeter, fruitier wines. Now I realize there are snobs out there that would rather eat haggis than order a fruity syrah or white zinfandel with a pepper crusted Ahi tuna steak, but you should try it. Next time you go to a good Indian, Thai or Vietnamese restaurant, look at the wine list. The majority will be Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris. The bright fruity style of these wines helps to balance the peppers and curries used throughout their cuisine.

Food & Wine Pairing Party
Here is a fun experiment for you. Invite some adventurous friends over to play with their food. Your shopping list is not expensive.

1 bottle each of red Zinfandel, white Zinfandel or Pinot Gris and a Napa or Sonoma Chardonnay, pilsner style beer or dry sparking wine
1 pepper crusted brie and 1 regular brie
An assortment of green olives
Sweet oranges - sliced
French bread or water crackers

Pour each person one glass of the first three wines and set out all the foods. Let them try different combinations and see which wine goes best with each food. You can have them write down their favorite combinations and compare later. Here are the sauces represented within the foods:

-Pepper brie emulates a pepper steak sauce: creamy yet spicy. If your guests try just the pepper portion without the cheese, it is similar to spicy Thai. The type of pepper - black or chili - does not matter on your palate. The reaction is the same.

-Regular brie represents any protein with cheese sauce, cream sauce or cheese stuffing.

-Green olives are savory and your guests should find them a difficult match for the wine. These represent oysters, anchovies and gravlox. Surprise them with a simple pilsner beer or dry sparkling wine. Those are usually the best match, but it's fun to watch them try to find a good wine match.

-Sweet oranges are your acidic marinades and fruit sauces. Depending how buttery your chardonnay, it will probably win.

-Bread is simply a palate cleanser. After this experiment, I guarantee you will never order wine in a restaurant in quite the same way. When dining with a large group and bottles of one type are served that don't quite pair with your choice of entree, ask for a glass of the varietal you know will pair with your meal. You will start an entire new topic of dinner conversation and will probably be hosting another of these parties soon.