The primary rule of pairing wine and food is that there are no rules about pairing wines with foods, or at least no “hard and fast” rules. That is the beauty of wine; it is actually very versatile and able to work in many dining situations.

One guideline about wine pairing or pairing wine and food is the “light to dark” rule. Basically this is a visual cue to wine and food pairings which illustrates that as a meal progresses, it tends to get heavier, and usually the heavier the food the richer or darker the wine. For instance, many people happily sip white or sparkling wines with appetizers, salad or soup courses, but tend to prefer a heavier or darker wine with such courses as a beef dish. While this is not always the case, wine and food generally work together in such a fashion.

When considering wine and food pairings it is best to simply consider the food that will be served, and imagine which wine will accentuate the best flavors or features of that item. Additionally, the person planning the wine and food pairing must consider the effects each of the items will have on the other, meaning nothing should overwhelm the taste, aroma or flavor of the other. This can be tricky when such foods as garlic, onions, or strong herbs are on the menu. Generally, it is not a good idea to pair strong food flavors with equally strong wine flavors as this is too much on the taste buds.

Pairing wine and food is not an exact science, and calls for some experience and experimentation with wines and foods before being able to be achieved easily or successfully. When stumped for a solution in wine and food pairings it is easiest to just stop and think about the interaction of the flavor. That garlic from earlier in the discussion… is it in a salty dish? If so, it might be best to find a sweeter wine to balance the interaction, if that is not the case consider a light flavor that won’t overpower the tongue of the diner.

Additionally, the weight of a dish or food must be considered against the taste of the wine in the pairing. If a food is hearty or “heavy” it will probably benefit from a heavier or darker wine, whereas a “lighter” bit of fare is probably best suited by the lighter, white wines. Unfortunately, these are generalizations, but cuisine is not an exact science, and generalizations are the best approach to successful wine and food pairings.

What about dessert? Should a dessert dish always be paired with a dessert wine such as port or a fruity selection? Desserts are just like any other part of a meal and can be heavy or dark, meaning they may be best served by a heavier or darker wine. Additionally, desserts can be as light as air, such as meringues and mousses, and may benefit from something equally as light, such as a sparkling wine or even an “ice wine”.

Wine and food pairings, even for such courses as dessert or the cheese course require a complete consideration of the flavors, textures and potency of each dish and each wine. The main rule is to remember that there are no “set in stone” rules around pairing wine and food, and it is a good idea to keep a written record of the vintages and foods that have worked well together. Some people simply pencil this in next to a recipe in a cookbook, while others keep a comprehensive food journal, itemizing the meal or foods served and keeping the label from the bottle to use as a future reference.

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