There is very little better in life than good company, great wine and fantastic food, and harmonising these three makes for an unforgettable time no matter the occasion.
With summer upon us and entertaining in overdrive, here’s a few tips and tricks to ensure your food and wine pairings always hit the mark.
When creating any truly brilliant dish, the key is balancing flavours, finding the perfect complement of acidic, sweet and salty tastes. And when it comes to pairing wine with a meal, these principles don’t change. There are, however, two ways you can pair food and wines; by congruently pairing your food and wine or by complementing them.
Quite simply, a contrasting pairing creates balance by contrasting tastes and flavours whilst a congruent pairing creates balance by amplifying shared flavour compounds. Foods that share similar compounds will complement each other when eaten together, and this goes for food and wine pairings as well. On the other hand, food or wine pairings with very few compounds in common will work well together, as their differences create contrast and enhance the flavours in their partner.
When attempting a food and wine pairing, the very basic ground rules are not to overwhelm one with the other and decide ahead of time if you want to complement the dish or enhance it.
Here are a few key principles to consider as you embark on your food and wine pairing journey.
If it grows together, it goes together!
It is conventional food and wine pairing wisdom that foods and wines with the same providence will have flavours that marry together. Classic examples of this include Italian prosecco and parmesan or goats’ cheese and Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc.
Closer to home the go to at Warrabilla is a secret summer food and wine match…a Louisiana inspired Po’ Boy sandwich, made with yabbies from the vineyard dam and finished with homemade remoulade, a Cajun version of the classic French mayo-mustard sauce. Absolute heaven when paired with Warrabilla Reserve Riesling 2022, the mouth-watering lemon and lime notes, crunchy acidity and steely minerality cutting through the richness of the yabbies.
Get adventurous!
While it is easy to have your favourite wines and return to them time and again, it can be eye-opening to try something new.
Why not try a different grape or a wine style you’ve never heard of before like Cofield Sparkling Shiraz Durif matched with a zesty chicken, zucchini, lemon, and pine nut summer salad? Or Jones Winery & Vineyard Sparkling Shiraz 2021 with kangaroo tartare and Hotson’s cherries. Absolute perfection!
Over at De Bortoli the light and refreshing De Bortoli Rutherglen Estate Arneis 2021 with crisp aromas of pear, almond and citrus pairs amazingly well with fresh salads, lighter pasta dishes and delicate seafood.
Looking for the ideal match for salmon? Then the De Bortoli Rutherglen Estate Renaissance VRM 2021 is your go to with the complex blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne adding stunning layers of flavour to the richness of the salmon.
Story tell!
Tell a story with your pairing. Whatever story you choose to tell, good food and wine pairing can make you stop and imagine you are on another continent entirely.
According to Jones Winery & Vineyard, you can transport yourself to the seaside when pairing the floral, crisp and dry Jones J6 Muscat Sec 2022 with passionfruit, chilli and verjus dressed Oysters, with the salt of the oyster making the wine sing.
Happy pairing!
