Definition: wine and food pairings

A successful pairing of food and wine requires consideration of the taste characteristics of both. The season, the setting, the atmosphere, the guests, the conversation—all of these factors can contribute to the success of the meal and the memories it will leave behind.

Here are the main principles of wine and food pairing: many enthusiasts struggle with this aspect of gastronomy, unhappy at having to choose the ideal wine to accompany the dish they have prepared. Some will go so far as to claim that any wine goes with any dish as long as it is enjoyed. Others would like to refer to a list where the perfect pairing appears spontaneously. It is not that simple, and there is no magic formula in this area. Only by considering the nature of the dish and the wine can an informed choice be made. Here are a few basics to help you succeed:

Basic questions:

Why try to pair wines and dishes?

To enhance the pleasure of the senses. Some wines succeed in enhancing the flavours of a dish, while others seem to create bad combinations.

What is a successful pairing?

A successful pairing is like a never-ending climb, where the wine enhances the flavours of the food and seems to taste better after each bite. It's hard to stop eating under these conditions!

How do you achieve a successful pairing?

• First, consider the atmosphere of the occasion.

It's unfortunate to taste refined dishes in bad company; we're talking about wine, of course. So let's respect these conventions:

- a light dish calls for a light wine,

- a simple meal calls for a simple wine,

- a light dish is served before a dish with stronger flavours,

- a dish with stronger flavours calls for a more flavourful (powerful) wine,

- an elaborate meal calls for wines of the same calibre.

• Next, examine the two partners.

When considering pairing one or more wines with a meal, the excellence of both elements is not enough to guarantee a harmonious marriage. It is preferable to seek complementarity between the solid element, the dish, and the liquid element, the wine. It is desirable that the flavours of both correspond in terms of intensity, nature and texture. If the flavours are not on the same level in these three respects, one element will dominate the other, which will then fade into the background. The result will not necessarily be disastrous, but the food and wine will be enjoyed separately rather than combining their flavours to create a whole that is more satisfying than each of the two components individually.

It is therefore advisable to ask the following three questions about the dish and then apply the answers to the style of wine you are looking for.

1- Is it mild or strong in flavour (intensity of flavours)?

2- What is the dominant flavour, taking into account the sauce, if applicable?

3- What is its texture: rather light and dry or rather rich?

These few examples will help you in your approach:

• A fish grilled in a pan, drizzled with a little lemon juice and seasoned with herbs, will pair perfectly with a Sauvignon Blanc with lively acidity and citrus and herbaceous flavours. The same fish, poached or baked in foil, topped with a creamy mushroom sauce, will pair much better with a Chardonnay, which has a richer texture and woodier, more vanilla-like flavours that are more suited to this type of sauce.

• Grilled white meat (poultry, veal or pork) or even beef is better accompanied by a red wine with a supple texture (low in tannins) and a dominant fruit flavour. Wines that pair well with these grilled meats are made from Gamay, Pinot Noir, Merlot or Sangiovese grapes.
• Grilled beef with pepper sauce, roast lamb or game with a strong flavour could overwhelm the more delicate taste of the wines mentioned above; it is therefore necessary to choose wines with a fuller texture and spicier, even peppery flavours. Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties most often fit this description.

The extensive experience of gourmets has led to the following conclusions:

- tomato sauce requires a light red wine,

- brown sauce goes better with red wine,

- lemon juice in the sauce goes better with a dry, acidic white wine,

- a cream sauce calls for a rich and smooth wine,

- mushroom sauce goes well with woody wines,

- Red meats are best paired with red wines.

- rare red meat calls for a full-bodied red wine,

- Salty dishes increase the bitterness of tannic red wines.

- Roasted white meats go very well with red wine.

- Shellfish require white wine.

These experiences also recommend that we:

Avoid vinegar, garlic and bitter vegetables such as radishes, cucumbers and endives, which distort the taste of wine.

not pairing strong mustard, curry or very spicy sauces with a very powerful wine. You will not enjoy the taste. These sauces are better paired with a rosé wine or beer, for example.

What is a successful pairing?

It's successful when it tastes good! The wine and food complement each other without shocking the palate. In an ideal pairing, the wine enhances the flavours of a dish and tastes better itself after the first bite. In this context, it's hard to stop eating!

How do you create the perfect pairing?

First, you need to follow certain conventions that have already been mentioned:

- a light dish calls for a light wine,

- a simple meal calls for a simple wine,

- a dish with more pronounced flavours calls for a more full-bodied wine,

- an elaborate meal requires wines of the same calibre.

What would your favourite pasta dish or your best roast pork be without sauces and seasonings? Quite bland, in fact! As you may have guessed, the flavour of sauces often dominates that of the main ingredient in your dish, and herbs and spices add depth and character. In principle, it is these that will dictate your choice of wine.

Once you have identified the dominant flavours, turn your attention to the wine. Remember that you are the final judge.

Remember that:

- red meats are best accompanied by red wine,

- rare meat requires a slightly more full-bodied wine than usual,

- roasted white meats go very well with a light red wine,

- fish and shellfish are best paired with white wine.

A comprehensive book entitled "Harmonisez vins et mets" (Pairing Wine and Food) by Jacques Orhon (a professional sommelier and sommelier instructor since 1981, based in Canada) was published in 2004 by Les Éditions de l'Homme (ISBN 2-7619-1986-6) - 350 pages. This is a^second edition, entitled "Le nouveau guide des accords parfaits" (The New Guide to Perfect Pairings), which contains 500 wine purchase suggestions, with more than 1,000 food suggestions, supplemented by 50 recipes from 10 top chefs. The book contains an index of dishes and recipes, as well as an index of wines and appellations.

Jacques Orhon, a knowledgeable gastronome and wine expert, suggests a multitude of wine and food pairings and explains why they will make your meals a success. While respecting the rules of the art, he offers, with verve and humour, several possible combinations depending on the circumstances and budget of each individual. In addition to presenting 500 dishes accompanied by more than 800 quality wines, from the simplest to the greatest, of all prices and from all countries, he offers a selection of menus for different occasions and provides a guide to the best buys. This carefully crafted book is the work of a gourmet who applies his passion for wine to all the pleasures of the table. Beautifully illustrated with photos by Guillaume Pouliot, it is the first truly comprehensive guide to wine and food pairings.

We highly recommend it.

There is a wide selection of books available in bookshops that offer advice on pairing food and wine or wine and food. Look for books that contain this double index.

See also the entry "Food and wine pairings".