Food and wine pairing is about creating harmonious relationships between flavors, intensities, weight, and texture. When done well, the right pairing complements each other. Simply better together.
The Intensity Match Principle
The fundamental and most important rule of food and wine pairing is matching intensity. Delicate dishes pair best with lighter wines, while robust foods need bold wines that won’t be overpowered. Think of the luxurious pairing of champagne with caviar - the effervescence and bright acidity of champagne intermingles harmoniously with the salinity of caviar while maintaining a delicately balanced intensity.
Another compelling example is Carignan and Korean BBQ. Both possess high intensity with spicy flavors and complement each other perfectly. Better Beverage Company offers an extraordinary example in Korea from Master Sommelier Chris Miller’s BOLD Wine Company. Produced from a certified organic vineyard planted in 1918, these vines are still managed today by the great-grandchildren of the farmer that originally planted the vineyard more than 100 years ago!
Rich, fatty foods like steak find their perfect match in high-tannin red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine’s tannins bind with the fat molecules, cleansing the palate between bites and enhancing both flavors. This creates the refreshing sensation that makes this classic pairing so successful.
What Grows Together, Goes Together
One of the most reliable approaches to food and wine pairing follows the “what grows together, goes together” philosophy. Regional foods and wines have evolved alongside each other for centuries, creating natural affinities:
- Italian Sangiovese and tomato-based dishes exemplify this principle perfectly. Sangiovese grapes often develop tomato leaf aromatics, creating an echo of flavors when paired with tomato sauces in pasta or pizza.
- Spanish Albariño with seafood from Galicia’s coastline
- French Muscadet with oysters from Brittany
- Greek Assyrtiko with Mediterranean seafood and feta
Contrasting and Common Elements
Sometimes the most interesting pairings come from either shared or contrasting characteristics: - Spicy Thai food with off-dry Riesling that balances the heat or Acidic wines cutting through creamy sauces.
My favorite wine with the distinctive flavors of fermented vegetables and seafood is a super-intriguing Falanghina from Adrôit. This ‘natural’ or ‘orange’ wine is produced with extended skin-contact and without the addition of sulfur to stabilize the wine. The resulting subtly wild and funky characteristics complement Korean foods that incorporate fermented ingredients and sauces to create a mind-blowing food and wine pairing experience.
The next time you’re planning a special meal for family or friends, consider these principles to create a memorable dining experience that celebrates the beautiful relationship between what’s on your plate and what’s in your glass. A perfect pairing makes them better together.
