I’ve long chafed under the “Red Wine with Beef and White Wine with Chicken and Seafood” mandate (Gasp!). Then again I’m not a think-like-the-crowd kind of guy – and neither is my family – after all who’d be crazy enough to plant vineyards on their property and start a winery in California?
About all you can say is the weather here is conducive to growing fine wine grapes (and fine grapes can make fine wines), the farming regulations, taxes, and water supply problems are maddening. At least wine grapes need little water relative to other high value crops. But again I digress.
Back to the simple issue of wine and food — Lisa Magnuson’s article resonated with me and I felt was worth of sharing with our blog readership. She is the Wine Examiner for the Rhode Island Examiner, a loosely affiliated on-line newspaper with reporters throughout the country and world.
Please enjoy her June 28th ruminations on Red with chicken and seafood, and white with beef…She advocates the common-sense pairing of foods and wine – Surprise! – such that the wine compliments or contrasts the dish, the bottom-line is not to outshine either the food or the wine.
I submit that gentler Red wines such as Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, and Petite Syrah (not related to Syrah BTW) are an excellent option for non-beef dishes.
Please visit us at Eagles Nest Winery, near San Diego, CA We offer award winning wines and white and ruby Ports (the TTB insists we call them “dessert wines”) and luxury agritourismo wine themed lodging.
White wine with beef and red wine with chicken?
The old culinary claim that red wine is best for beef and white wine is favored for fish and poultry has disappeared. Today, most people believe that wine and food combinations should be what one likes the best. As a general guideline, try to match the weight of the food with the weight of the wine. Or, in other words, the alcohol content of wine to the protein or fat in food. For example, a delicate flaky fish is light and would be overpowered by the rich flavors and high alcohol content found in a tannic red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon. However, chicken is denser in protein and fat than a light white fish and can go with many red wines. Weight also accounts for why Pinot Noir becomes a classic pair with the fleshiness of salmon.
In addition to matching the weight of food and wine, it is important to balance the flavors. Using herbs like thyme or rosemary on chicken will accentuate the right red wine. Younger Cabernet’s have ripe blackberry, bell pepper, and sometimes eucalyptus flavors that will complement an herbed roasted chicken.
Although not impossible, it is more of a challenge to pair the crisp acidity or tropical fruits of many white wines with the brawniness of steak. However, if you are creating a stir-fry, making a stew, or perhaps a casserole, a medium to full-bodied white, can sometimes measure up. For instance, the creamy sauce and egg noodles in beef stroganoff can partner with a rich buttery oaked Chardonnay. Of course lighter reds like Grenache balance with both the beef and the sauce.
Overall, it really is just a matter of taste. Great chef’s experiment with ingredients, especially those they love. You can too. Be adventurous and try something new. Decide on the dish and think about the ingredients. If it is an earthy dish with lots of mushrooms, garlic and shallots look for earthy wines like Pinot Noir. If it is a spicy Asian dish, consider wines with spicy notes such as a dry Alsatian-style Gewurztraminer. Or, if you want to cool hot spices down, the sweetness found in a semi-dry German Riesling will do the trick.
Whether the wine compliments or contrasts the dish, the bottom-line is not to outshine either the food or the wine—weight and balance are the two main ingredients to a perfect pairing.
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