There is a universal assumption that chefs always eat like gourmands, and for the most part that is not the case. Although most chefs like myself love indulging in a meal worthy of being deemed “over the top”, there is a bigger and more real spot in our hearts for the foods that comfort us, remind us of childhood, or that allow us an escape from the pretension of the fine dining scene. Most of my favorite meals left stains on my “good” shirts, were eaten with my hands, and only set me back $50 or less.
Along with the assumption that us chefs are constantly fancy feasting, it is also assumed that wine pairing is a skill that is unapproachable to the layman – and best left to the professionals. Well, that may be true if you are a wine novice celebrating an anniversary at a chi-chi joint looking to drop $100+ on a bottle of wine and want to make DAMN well sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. But for everyday wine pairing, there are only a handful of rules, that if adhered to, will keep you from the infamous toothpaste-then-orange-juice effects of a bad pairing.
Salt & Fat, our heroes once again. If you want to play it safe in the wine pairing game, salty and fatty are the way to go. Because saltiness is not a component of wine (if your wine tastes salty, you should get your money back), there is less worry about a competition for your palates attention. Fried foods are an easy way to bring out the fruit flavors, crispness and refreshing qualities of a dry white wine. Since fatty foods have a rich, adhering quality on the palate – a wash of white wine provides an excellent pause between bites. If your fried food is seasoned with (or dipped in) something more intense like truffle salt, herbs, garlic, etc. – you can even reach for the reds. You can climb up the scale of red wine up to medium-full body before your wine is going to take all the attention away. Unless red meat, gravy, or intense cheese enters the picture…then you can start reaching for the big boys. No matter what you end up choosing, a wine with medium to high acidity will be best at standing up to more intense flavors.
When in doubt- fried cheese. Maybe not the frozen mozz sticks of our past- but something a little more grownup. This fried goat cheese croquette with roasted red peppers was rich, salty, and paired very well with our Suhru Ember. (I would also suspect this would go very well with a dry white wine (perhaps our Pinot Blanc?)
There is nothing quite like a plate of fried fresh seafood to pair with a sparkling dry white wine. It is one of my favorite pairings, and I go back to it every year when my local waterfront joint opens up for the season. Lieb Cellars Reserve Blanc de Blancs is always ready to go for this day!
Sweet with sweet. This rule is always a bit of a hard sell because most people don’t necessarily want to add another sweet component to their dessert. But, we have all made the mistake (and probably still do) of brushing our teeth and then pouring a glass of orange juice only to end up wincing at the results. Our palates “hold” a flavor for a bit of time after consuming something and this sensation feels almost like a “taste memory” – and when we follow it up with something harshly different, in the wrong order, it is quite an awful feeling. Food and wine pairing is based on this whole experience! The same effect happens when we eat a bite of cake then follow it up with dry wine – what is normally a fruity, refreshing wine turns into a caustic, offensively harsh sip. You want to find a wine whose color matches the intensity of your desserts flavor – and stick to dessert wine whose sweetness can match closely. (Red fruit desserts & chocolate pair well with red dessert wines like port, while vanilla and light fruit desserts pair better with white dessert wines like ice wine or Sauternes if you’re feeling spendy).
Don’t fuss over the protein. The ages-old “white with fish, red with beef” rule is actually still pretty relevant. But, what has changed over the past few decades is how we are preparing those proteins. In the old world of cooking, fish and pork were always dressed lightly or smothered in something white with of course lemon. Beef was usually cooked all the way through, or braised ‘til fall-off-the-bone status. Modern chefs have thrown that deck of cards in the air and have been using experimentation as a 52 card pick-up. Crispy pork is being served with watermelon, steak is being chicken-fried and spaghetti with clams all of a sudden co-stars chorizo and peppers! Thinking about your dish as a whole is way more important than pigeonholing your protein. The best way to find out what works best is to try a variety of wines with dinner – but if you are looking to pop just one bottle, there are lot of great guides online that have plenty of wiggle room to consider not just the protein – but everything else that is served alongside. (And, a seared steak will always beg for a rich big red wine…we can count on that being a consistent homerun.
Can’t decide on red or white? Nothing like a variety of tacos to have an excuse try a little bit of both!
The Danger Zone: Spice heat, vinegar, acids. (Think pickles, vinegar-heavy salad dressing, sriracha, spicy Indian & Asian foods). These foods are a kick in the mouth, and the last thing you need to swallow it down is something that is combative like super-dry white wines and especially not red wine. Stick to off-dry or fruity white wine and rosé. A bit of sweetness on the palate will be a relief from the intensity of the food and will offer an interesting, but not offensive, contrast. If I can’t find an off-dry Riesling on the menu I stick to an ice cold beer or fruity cocktail.
Danger Zone chicken! This Korean-style fried chicken & rice bowl came pre-drizzled with spicy gochujang sauce so an off-dry or fruity white wine was in order. Our very own Suhru Dry Riesling and Suhru La Crescent are a great match! (check out Industry Standard in Greenport, New York)
I hope that this relaxed guide made food and wine pairing feel a little less daunting. Something so delicious should never feel daunting. No pressure- happy eating & pairing!
Alicia Ekeler-Valle
Tasting Room Manager & CIA Trained Chef