The whole concept of pairing wine with food is very simple. The flavour and intensity of any particular wine can change the way a food tastes and by the same token a certain wine can alter the taste of food. Therefore, having a suitable wine to match the food can greatly enhance your dining experience.

Most people already know the basics, i.e. white wine with white meats and red wine with red meats. These are not specific “rules” but guidelines as you should mix it up, experiment and go with what you think is best. Matching food and wine is as easy as drinking what you like with what you like to eat. If pairing a well-done Filet Mignon with your medium-sweet German Riesling makes you happy, then go for it. This has some value to it in that it removes some of the mystical barriers to wine. Yet, the original rules have truth to them also. They recognized that some foods do not interact well with some wines.

There are certain foods and wines that when combined together bring out the best of both worlds. You should at least consider trying a different type of wine with that Filet Mignon even if it is something you would normally not drink. What you are looking for is a blending of two different taste sensations, wine and food, which when combined will create a third sensation that is greater than the two.

Try selecting light-bodied wines to pair with lighter food and fuller-bodied wines with heartier, more flavourful dishes. Take salmon for example. A Pinot Noir works beautifully with this fish because you are matching a lighter food to a light wine. A full-bodied, heavier wine will overpower this delicate dish. Similarly, a lighter style wine served with a hearty roast beef will not even register on your personal flavour meter.

One of the main considerations when pairing wines with food is to think about how the meal is going to be prepared. Look at whatever the sauce is, any seasonings or what the principal flavour of the dish is and pair the wine with the dish. Conversely, start with a favourite wine and build your food around the wine. If you love Sauvignon Blanc, thinks oysters. Fine, old Bordeaux or a smoky Syrah is perfect with lamb and nothing beats Pinot Noir and duck. For dessert, Port and chocolate are de rigueur. When serving wines, be aware that dry white wines taste best before red.

One more thing to consider is high alcohol wines which seem to be quite prevalent these days. Pairing a spicy dish like Jamaican Jerk Chicken with a high-alcohol red wine may seem like a good choice but in fact the heat in Jerk Sauce will ignite the alcohol in the wine to produce an unpleasantly hot, harsh impression. A better choice is a low-alcohol, fruity wine like Riesling or a Gewürztraminer, which will tame the spicy flavours of the dish.

Above all, try not to place too much emphasize on finding the perfect pairing…it will find you. Life is full of surprises and there is great joy in unearthing a new wine/food combination. The best combination I have found is good food, good wine and good friends. Enjoy.

In Vino Veritas

Weekend Wine Picks:

From the Blaye region on the left bank of Bordeaux, the 2005 Chateau Peyraud ($21-$24 PWS & GLS) is a rarity for a Bordeaux red wine given that it is aged only in stainless steel tanks, no oak barrel aging whatsoever. This vintage is 100% Merlot, a deliciously supple wine with its rich cassis, blueberry and black raspberry aromas with sweet licorice, creamy chocolate, soft acidity and firm tannins. One of the best vintages from the right bank region in 15 years, this fantastic red offers out-of-this-world flavours at an exceptional price. Stock up on this one before it is all gone.

The 2006 Jackson Triggs Proprietors Reserve Shiraz ($20-$25 PWS & GLS) is a very seriously wine.  Rich with juicy aromas and flavours of blackberries, cassis and black plum, black cherry, smoke, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and chocolate, the concentrated texture on the palate of black fruit, licorice, vanilla and cocoa combine with the velvety acidity and firm tannins to offer a deliciously long finish. Superb paired with roast or grilled lamb, this wine will reward with another 5 years of cellaring.

A classic Aussie Riesling, the 2006 McWilliams Riesling ($16.90 PWS) exhibits lots of passion fruit, peach, pear, with hints of apple, and freshly cut lime. The palate is very fruit-forward with its vibrant tropical and orchard fruit flavours yet crisp and steely with lively acid and a clean, crisp mouth-watering finish. Excellent with spicy Indian food.

O-MY-GAWD is this ever good!! The new vintage of the Laughing Stock Chardonnay is out and it is a stunner. The 2007 Laughing Stock Chardonnay ($34.90 PWS) is a production of only 580 cases, a 100% Chardonnay that was aged in older French oak so that the true character of the grape shows through. Stunning complexity of rich, full aromas of pineapple, Fuji apple, buttery, creamy lees, and toast with a soft, hedonistic texture of rich tropical fruit, creamy, buttered apple, vanilla and a hint of toast. Get some before it is all gone!!

The Stags’ Hollow Winery in OK Falls continues to produce exceptional Sauvignon Blanc’s. The 2007 Stags’ Hollow Sauvignon Blanc ($21.90 PWS) is a repeat of the phenomenal ’05 and ‘06 with its complex aromas of crisp kiwi, grapefruit, pineapple, gooseberry, and passion fruit with hints of lime and honeydew. The flavours are all tropical and citrus fruits with a hint of honey and a crisp, refreshing finish. One of the best Sauvignon Blanc’s from the valley and VERY limited

The 2005 Nk’Mip Qwam Qwmt Merlot ($29.90 PWS) is a repeat of previous vintages only much better. Sourced from only the finest Merlot grapes in the 30-year-old Inkameep vineyard, winemaker Randy Picton has again crafted a “Monster Merlot”. Leaping out of the glass and overwhelming your senses are aromas of rich blackberry, plum and cassis fruit with layers of black olive, licorice, menthol, Asian spice, chocolate, tobacco, fresh roasted coffee, subtle toasted/smoky oak, vanilla, clove and pepper. A multi-dimensional wine in ever sense of the word, this still could do with another year of cellaring to round out the tannins but if you wait for that to happen, you will not find the wine anywhere. DO NOT DELAY AND DISAPPOINT YOURSELF. Awarded “Best of Class, Gold Medal” at the 2008 L.A. International Wine Competition.