wine pairing

A sensation of harmony on the palate. This is the objective we are undoubtedly looking for when we talk about pairing wine and food, trying to achieve a uniform perception. The sine qua non condition:  they don´t loose the personality of either of the both elements. We will seek to enhance the singularities and strong points of both.

We must start from a simple premise: it´s much more difficult for a wine to spoil a dish than the other way round.

Although we could adopt a methodology as complex as we could imagine, we have decided to propose a basic system on which everyone can develop their own variations. 

Identifying negative ingredients for wine
vinaigrettes: acetic acid is highly unstable and can result in a very sour mixture.
ice cream: due to the difference in optimum temperature.
bitter chocolates: they accentuate the tannins of the wine too much, making the pairing very bitter.
Excessive salt: over-expose the tannins in the wine, making the wine pairing coarsely bitter.
Analysis of the ingredients.
dish:

• raw material
  seasoning
  type of cooking
  taste
  texture
  colour

wine:

• smell
  taste
  colour

The equation must give us a balanced result. Light smells and flavours in the wine will be paired with similar or complementary characteristics in the dish. Thus, the persistence of flavour and/or smell in the wine can accompany a dish that possesses this quality. Or maybe complement a dish whose common characteristic is more limited. We should pair similar intensities and types. For example, a floral or fruity white wine with a dish rich in light smells. Thus, a very light wine will not go well with a  too spicy dish.

This is why we could establish certain GUIDELINES that will lead us to a practical result.

⟹ the most seasoned dishes require a fresh wine that helps to alleviate thirst.

⟹ root vegetables and tomatoes, which release methanoic acid that makes the wine much more acidic.

⟹ rustic cooking goes well with strong red wines.

⟹ spicy dishes are best paired with beer, as these seasonings destroy the aroma and flavour of the wine, no matter how old it is.

On the type of wine:

fresh red wines: river fish, cold meats or mild cheeses.

medium red wines: roast poultry, lamb, stew, mild stews.

strong red wines: red meats, traditional long-cooked stews, mature cheeses.

light dry white wines: freshwater fish, scallops, fish pastas.

full-bodied dry white wines: lobster, crab, turbot and light chicken stews.

semi-sweet white wines: fruity desserts

sweet white wines: not too sweet desserts

sweet wines: contrast (between sweet and salty) and are a fantastic complement to strong smoked or “blue” cheese.