Wine and Food Pairing Tips

Acids, fats and sweetness all play an important role in making the perfect food and wine pairing! Here is your guide to choosing the best wine to pair with your dish. 

Acidity: The wine you choose should always have a greater level of acidity compared to your dish. 

Sweetness: The wine should be sweeter than what you’re eating. 

Flavour: Don’t lose the flavour of your wine amongst your dish! It’s usually better to have a bolder wine to compliment most dishes. More intense reds balance well with meats, whilst white wines work with softer food dishes, as they do not have the tannins to cut through the flavours. 

Bitterness: Bitterness balances well with fattier dishes, as the tannins become smoother. Wines with higher acidity cut through fatty flavours, like butter. 

Example; Pinot Noir:

Pinot Noir is characterised by its moderate tannin levels and increased acidity, which makes it a highly versatile wine in terms of food pairings. Pinot Noir can have fruitier, lighter notes, meaning they have less tannic. These Pinots are a great match with fatty fish like salmon, roasted chicken or creamy pasta dishes. The heightened levels of acidity within the wine interrupt the richness of the food and ultimately create a lighter experience. Fruitier and more acidic Pinot Noirs also work as a palette cleanser. Roasted vegetables, mushrooms and stews also balance well with the acidic and lower tannin levels of these Pinot Noirs.

Pinot Noirs can also be more earthier, have greater tannins and include vanilla, oakier flavours. These wines match well with grilled meats, for example, pork, chicken and duck. The strong earthy aromas of the wine will also accentuate the gilled, smokey flavours of a meat dish.