Food & Wine                                                                 

(See full list of 'Nays & Yeahs' pairings below)

Brief History

Food and Wine have a long history with the accompaniment rooted more as a staple beverage that was often more sanitary than the local water supplies. As culinary traditions developed, these foods of certain regions began associating with specific winemaking traditions of these areas. Many of the "classic" pairings today emerged from centuries old relationships between the region's cuisine and their wines available at the time. For instance, in Europe, lamb was a very staple meat of the diet and is directly related to many of the leading wine regions today in France, Italy and Spain. In Italy, the culture has always had a very intimate connection between food and wine with Italians rarely dining without wine at their side. Hence, the wines were often crafted in a leaner style to be ' food friendly' with bright acidity and sometimes tannic undertones. By today's standards, these wines would come off as tart and somewhat undrinkable on their own.

Whites vs. Reds

You've heard the words many times, "White wine with fish, red wine with meat." This anecdotal saying has a history of its own going back to the simple fact that meats were generally 'red' and fish was 'white' and assumed to just pair better. Although somewhat antiquated today, the root of the adage still rests on the solid principle of matching the body (weight) of the wine with the weight of the food. Quite simply, white wines are generally lighter in style and go better with lighter prepared foods; red wines are generally fuller bodied and go better with heavier or richer meats and dishes. However, one critical factor that is the major difference between the two is that white wines have little or no tannins and all red wines have tannins at some level. This is due to the fact that white wines are generally not fermented with skin contact and red wines are in contact with the full grape (and their seeds) for varying lengths of time. Tannins come from the skin, the seeds and remaining parts of the grapes. Tannins can be best be described as a drying or puckering sensation that occurs in the mouth similarly to when a brewed tea bag is left too long in hot water creating a "tannic" dry taste (see 'tannin' in the glossary section).

Food Pairing ABC's

There are many expert opinions on the Food & Wine pairing concept ranging from absolutes to disdain on the entire subject. For our purposes here, the first and foremost concept as mentioned earlier is to match the weight of the wine with the weight of the food (i.e. the lighter the food the lighter the wine and vise-versa). Following this basic principle is the key to then matching your taste preferences to your food preferences and there are no wrong answers. Secondly, try to match your favorite wine varietal or style preferences to dishes that generally compliment what you already like. Third, try to consider the accompanying dishes and the type of food you will be encountering around the four basic tastes - salty, sweet, sour, and bitter (and a fifth by some referred to as 'savory').Fourth, consider the preparation of the foods being served. The more delicate the preparation, the more delicate the style of wines. The more flavorful or richly prepared foods generally pair better with more robust style of wines. Lastly, ask for advice when dining out or research online at home. Expert opinion can at least serve as a guide and point you in the right direction to then make you own decisions.

Pairing Nays & Yeahs

First of all, there are few absolutes with Food & Wine pairings. And, arguably, someone who wants to drink whites or reds with whatever food they want is strictly a personal choice and there are no wrong answers. However, certain foods with react (pair) with certain types of wines by the simple nature of the chemical composition of each other. There is no denying the fact that certain chemical reactions occur with specific food and wine combinations and should be avoided. Some of the more challenging foods are - eggs, acidic fruits & vegetables, asparagus/artichokes, cabbage, hummus, chocolate (surprisingly)

Nays:

The less than optimal combinations are numerous, but some of the most common are:

Red wine with shellfish - the chemical compounds in shellfish react violently with the tannins in red wines often producing a 'metallic' or even a mercury effect on the tongue. Avoid reds with lobster, shrimp/prawns, mussels/clams, or mixed fish stews.

Dry red wine with (hot) spicy dishes - the tannins in red wines accelerate and intensify the spiciness of the food or sauces creating an overpowering effect in the mouth and on the tongue.

Red wine with goat cheese - the cream and acidic structure of goat cheese almost always conflicts with red wines negatively. Stick with Sauvignon Blanc or lighter acidic whites.

Red wines with vinegar sauces or dressings - the vinegar base completely thins out the wine often leaving it with no noticeable structure on its own.

Dry red wine with milk chocolate - milk and wine do not physically mix anyway, but the main fault here is that the milk chocolate completely kills any dark fruit characteristics of the wine. Plus, the tannins in chocolate itself can overpower tannins in the wine creating conflicts. Go with lighter, fruitier reds if you must or just a fortified wine.

White wines with ultra-rich or fatty red meats - the lack of tannins in white wines limit its ability to match (break down) the fats or proteins in red meats and lose any structure the white may have had.

Fruity acidic white wines with fruit - the combination of sugar and acid in the fruit kills the characteristics of the white wine often leaving a metallic taste and lacking fruit flavor altogether.

Yeahs:

These are some premium 'perfect' pairings that you might want to try:

Rib Eye Steak - Cabernet Sauvignon (St. Clement 'Steinhauer Ranch' Cab)
Rack of Lamb - Bordeaux/Syrah (KIND Cellars Red)
Pork/Lamb Loin - Chateauneuf du Pape (Keenan 'Mernet')
Roasted meats/stews - Tempranillo ('The Doctor' Red)
Grilled meats/onion - Malbec ('The Doctor' Red)
Buttery whitefish/lobster - Chardonnay (O'Brien Reserve Chardonnay)

Seared Ahi Tuna - Pinot Noir (Cuvaison 'Block F5' Pinot)

Oysters/Mussels - French Chablis (St. Clement Abbott's Chardonnay)

Mushroom Burger - Merlot/Zinfandel (Brandlin Cabernet)
Grilled Salmon - Pinot Noir (Chronicle 'Cerise' Pinot)
Herb Crusted Halibut - Pinot Gris (Carly's Cuvee)
Spicy/Asian - Riesling (Spatlese/Auslese)

Spicy (spices) - Grenache, Gamay Beaujolais
Chili/Pizza - Zinfandel/Grenache
Sushi/Oysters/Caviar - Champagne/Sparkling
Red sauce pasta - Chianti/Sangiovese (Salvestrin 'Retaggio')
Creme Brulee - Sauternes/Moscato or white dessert wines
Rich Dark Chocolate - Porto/Tawny Port
Mexican food - Gewurztraminer (or beer if yo must)
Goat Cheese - Sauvignon Blanc
Blue Cheese - Cabernet Sauvignon (BURLY Cabernet)

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