Wine is usually put in a separate category when we talk about fermented alcoholic beverages. Perhaps with good reason. It has one essential distinguishing quality, namely the emotional symbiosis between the history and culture of a given land or people. And here, the connection with food automatically comes into play. Consuming wine is not just drinking, but a social ritual. It is usually accompanied by food served at the table. It is drunk in slow and smaller sips, and during this time, communication with other people also happens.
Before our modern era, however, the idea of the sensory combination of wine and food was not in focus. The logical solution was for local wines to be adapted to local cuisine, and thus, over time, the culinary and wine traditions of different regions developed hand in hand. Lamb, for example, was an essential part of the diet in famous wine regions such as Bordeaux, Rioja, and the Rhône.
Its combination with the wines from these regions is considered a classic. Italians, in turn, are known for not sitting at the table without wine. Over the centuries, their wines have been created to be suitable for their aromatic and heavily spiced cuisine. Light-bodied and with high tannins and acidity on their own, Italian wines are transformed when served with local cuisine.
The combination of food with wine is a phenomenon born from the development of the restaurant and wine industry in the 80s and 90s of the 20th century, and the ultimate goal is for the sum to be greater than its individual parts, i.e., to elevate dining as an experience to a qualitatively different level. The truth is that the combination of food and wine is as easy as it is difficult, because it is sensory, and there is no single right answer.
If we could, however, offer some guidance, it would be as follows:
1. Combine wines and foods with similar consistency/body – wines and foods can have light, medium, or heavy consistencies/bodies. There's no point in offering a delicate white wine with a heavy stew, as the wine will disappear without a trace among the stew's aromas. Conversely, a full-bodied Australian Shiraz combined with seafood will overwhelm the delicate fish flavors. An example of a good pairing is lobster and Chardonnay: both have medium to heavy bodies and high richness and complement each other very well.
2. Acidity – tomatoes, citrus fruits, and green apples are highly acidic foods, and Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are highly acidic grape varieties. If the food contains vinegar or lemon juice, you will need to look for a highly acidic wine to pair with it. Surprisingly, if the food is richer or fattier, highly acidic wines are again a good choice (the acidity in the wine cuts through the fat of the food and cleanses and prepares the palate for the next bite). A classic combination is roasted goose with slightly sweetened red cabbage and a young Riesling.
3. Salt – salty foods mask tannins, and the wine feels rounder, softer, sweeter, and fruitier. In turn, salt in foods stands out when combined with a light sweetness: ham and melon is a classic example of this. Sauternes and Roquefort cheese is a good example where the wine plays the role of the sweet element.
4. Sweetness – the wine should have equal or greater sweetness than the food. If the sweetness in the food dominates, the wine will seem too acidic.
5. Tannins – tannins in wine are responsible for the bitterness we perceive. They bind to proteins in food and cleanse and prepare our mouths for the next bite. In other words: combine fatty foods with high-tannin wines.
6. Umami – umami is the fifth taste after salty, sweet, sour, and bitter. Although similar to salty, it is different and detected by separate receptors. It is activated by glutamate in ripe or fermented foods (Asian cuisine, aged Parmesan, balsamic vinegar, mushrooms). Umami emphasizes the tannins, acids, and warming effect of alcohol and suppresses the fruit, sweetness, and body of the wine. 7. Spicy food – spicy foods emphasize the alcohol in wine, enhance acids and tannins, and suppress the sweetness, fruit, and body of the wine. A possible combination is a wine with residual sugar (Alsatian Pinot Gris or German Riesling), which would absorb the food's attack well and dull its spiciness. Asians, however, do not want to sacrifice the spiciness of their food and combine it with wines with high alcohol and tannins.
8. Local solutions to the question – foods and wines of the same geographical origin are always a good idea. For example, in the Loire Valley in France, you will be served "Anjou Beef" with local dry white wines. The rather hearty Burgundian Coq au vin (rooster in wine) is wonderful with the delicate, but local, Pinot Noir. Bulgarian Kapama combines wonderfully with Melnik wines.
