Find the perfect wine pairing for your next meal

Pairing a wine with a meal is not something that can be done at random. It is a rule-based process that harmonizes different flavors and makes a meal even more successful. In this new article, you will discover all the criteria you need to take into account in order to find the perfect wine for your next meal…

Six criteria to consider to choose the perfect wine

On our website, you can find many recipes with foods that have very different characteristics. For example, citrus fruits are sour and dark chocolate is bitter. The same goes for white and red wines, such as those presented on this blog, which have very distinct attributes.

There are six criteria that should be taken into account to perfectly match a wine with a meal. These key points are: saltiness, sweetness, fat, acidity, bitterness and textures.

You can match a wine and a meal based on their similarities or differences. For example, lamb, which is tender and has a very strong flavor, goes extremely well with Bordeaux wines which are red and powerful (for example, Pomerol wines). On the other hand, the fatty character of a meal can be attenuated by certain white wines which are dry.

Saltiness and wine

Salty meals tend to alter the taste of wines, for example by making bitter those that are very strong in alcohol. However, pairing a salty meal with a sweet wine can be very interesting. High-salt foods and seafood also go very well with acidic and sparkling wines because the latter reduce their salty taste.

Which wine is suitable for a sweet meal?

For sweet recipes such as desserts, everything will depend on the sugar level of the concerned dish. White wines go very well with slightly sweet dishes. Red wines, characterized by their strength and smoothness, go very well with very sweet and fruity dishes. With desserts, the wine you choose should always be sweeter than the dessert, so that it does not become acidic or bitter.

How to balance wine and fat?

Meals containing meat and dairy products are predominantly fatty. To balance this, it is best to choose a wine that is acidic, fruity or rich in alcohol. A dish with beef, for example, goes perfectly with a red wine such as a Merlot or a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pairing a wine with acidity

The acidity of a wine adds freshness and energy to a meal. The rule for pairing wine with acidic food is simple: you should choose a wine with an acidity which is equal to or greater than your food. If you don’t follow this rule, the flavor of your wine will be masked by the acidity of the food and you will find it bland.

Wine and bitterness, finding the harmony

When a wine is produced from unripe grapes, it becomes bitter. Bitter meals, such as artichokes, endives or asparagus, are not easy to pair with wines. They increase their bitterness and make them dry in mouth. However, a musky wine, such as a Muscat d’Alsace, goes very well with this type of food.

Associate the good wine with textures

In terms of textures, you need to consider the lightness and the density of your meal and your wine. A light wine will always go better with a light dish. The same goes for a dense wine that will pair well with a dense food. It is also possible to pair a light wine with a dense dish or vice versa, in order to balance the two textures. However, this is a more complex operation that requires experimenting and trusting your palate!

By applying these basic rules, you should be able to find the perfect wine pairing for your next meal. And don’t forget: the more flavor characteristics a wine or a dish have, the more diverse the pairing can be!