Keeping wine and food pairing simple

Continuing our series on all things wine.

Matching food and wine is not rocket science – you don’t have to learn complicated systems for choosing the right bottle to enhance what you’re eating. A few simple guidelines will help you create winning wine-and-food pairings.

Play safe with tried and tested tips

The wine should be more acidic than the food
The wine should be sweeter than the food
Red pairs best with bold flavoured meats, such as red meat
White pairs best with light-intensity meats, such as fish or chicken
It is better to match the wine with the sauce than with the meat

Drink and eat what you like

Choose a wine that you would want to drink by itself. That way, even if the pairing isn’t perfect, you will still enjoy what you’re drinking.

The same holds true for the food. If you detest liver, there is no wine pairing in this world that will make it work for you.

Do the balancing act

Consider the weight – or body, or richness – of both the wine and the food. The wine and the dish should be equal partners, with neither overwhelming the other.

If you balance the two by weight, chances are the pairing will succeed. This is the secret behind many classic wine-and-food matches.

It makes sense that hearty food needs a hearty wine. Cabernet Sauvignon complements grilled lamb chops because they are equally vigorous.