A combination of wine and food for life

To achieve this perfect match, we need to understand the rules and elements of wine and food. The rule of thumb is to try to balance all the elements and not let any one taste too strong. In order to make this rule can be successfully realized, in the collocation process should pay attention to the following elements:

 

1. The taste of wine and food is light and important.

 

2. Pair sweet wine with sweet food.

 

Pair high acidity wines with acidic foods.

 

4. When drinking high tannin or astringent wines, avoid very salty or oily foods.

 

Because there are so many different kinds of wine, different grape varieties, different country regions, different wineries, different geographical locations, different weather conditions, different winemakers and so on, all these factors make the wine has too much difference. And food is the same, different countries and regions, different types of cuisine, different raw materials flavor, different cooking methods, different chefs and so on, these factors also like wine, make the variety of food is very diversified. So, when we appreciate wine and food together. It becomes a simple mathematical combination that, although seemingly simple, can be matched with an endless number of forms and patterns. Let as a wine lover gourmet, in order to seek self-satisfaction, constantly want to find a wine and food collocation reflected by the different artistic conception.

Sweetness in Food
 

Sweetness in food tends to make wines that are paired with it more bitter, sour and astringent, while sweetness and fruit in wine are reduced and the wine becomes lighter. When paired with foods that have a certain sweetness, dry wines can appear sharp and overly acidic. It is best to pair them with wines that have a similar or higher sweetness. The sweeter the food, the sweeter the wine needs to be. For this reason, late - harvested wines, especially noble rot and musky sweet wines, are the best companions for desserts.

Sour taste in food

 

The acidity in the food will make the wine that matches it sweeter and more fruity, but the acidity will be reduced, so the vitality and freshness of the wine will be reduced. The acidity of the food should match the acidity of the wine. One of the distinguishing characteristics of Italian wine is its high acidity, so the main ingredients in most Italian food are tomatoes and olive oil, as well as other more acidic ingredients such as lemon, lime and vinegar.

Umami in food
 

Umami is found in dried mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese, dried meat, and some cooked game. It is the main ingredient in shellfish such as oysters and Marine fish. The umami in these foods can make the wine taste bitter, astringent and sour, while reducing the sweetness and fruity aroma of the wine, and can also produce an unpleasant metallic taste. Therefore, the best pairing with umami foods should be wines with almost no tannins, that is, white wines that are generally not affected by oak.

 

 

 

Greasiness in food
 

Wines with high acidity can be paired with fatty foods. Fresh Riesling and oak-free Barbera wines pair well with fatty meats such as duck or goose. Tannins in red wine can combine with animal protein, so foods rich in animal protein, such as beef and mutton, can soften the astringency of wine, so wine made with grape varieties with high tannin content, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syra, can be a good match for grilled red meat and steak and other delicacies.