Does the wine complement the food, or does the food complement the wine?
The answer is: both. But which wine should you serve with which food? The answer depends on your own tastes, the nature of the occasion and other factors. Still, there are some useful guidelines. The general rule is red wine with red meats and white wine with white meats; however, if you take a chicken breast and make chicken parmesan, everything changes and a red wine is now more complementary.
Like most rules, this one was made to be broken. Don’t be afraid to break it with new, unusual and delicious flavor combinations. For example, grilled salmon matches very well with a light red wine or a full-flavored white. Take your pick. Similarly, the “right” wine for pasta depends on the sauce and your taste. Sometimes opposites work best. Try a spicy dish with a sweet, refreshing Vignoles or Traminette to cool off your mouth. Just remember, the wine shouldn’t overpower the food, and the food shouldn’t overpower the wine. The important thing is balance. Here are a few tips, but for a quick cheat sheet click here.
Local Food and Wine
If it grows together, it goes together. This basically means your local wine would most likely go great with some local beef or fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market. Plus, you’re supporting your local economy.
Cheese Pairings
Cheese is a popular pairing for wine. Red wines typically pair well with sharp cheeses. Strongly flavored cheeses like bleu or Gorgonzola, go well with port or Norton. If you like feta or goat cheese, we suggest pairing with a Missouri sparkling! Monterey jack, havarti and gouda all pair well with Chardonel. If you prefer swiss, your best bet is Vignoles. Cheddar goes well with both Norton and Concord. Have fun experimenting with your own favorite wine and cheeses!
Dessert and Wine
When pairing wine with desserts, sweet food goes well with sweet wine. Typically, a wine should be sweeter than the dessert it accompanies. However, dark, bitter chocolate goes great with a dry, red wine like Norton. Another good thing to remember is that sparkling wine is a very food friendly wine, so it pairs well with both sweet and salty foods. If you are a lover of ice cream, try pouring a fruit wine (e.g. strawberry, blackberry, peach) over vanilla flavored ice cream for a refreshing summertime treat.
