{"id":12212,"date":"2021-11-30T11:15:40","date_gmt":"2021-11-30T10:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vinhood.com\/?p=12212"},"modified":"2023-04-27T11:31:39","modified_gmt":"2023-04-27T09:31:39","slug":"the-complete-guide-to-pairing-food-and-wine-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vinhood.com\/en\/magazine-en\/the-complete-guide-to-pairing-food-and-wine-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The complete guide to pairing food and wine (part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s start with a basic premise: the science of pairing food and wine is anything but simple. Otherwise it wouldn\u2019t be called a science, right?<\/span><\/p>\n

It requires knowledge of the characteristics of the dish – something which, all things considered, is familiar to us – and of the characteristics of the wine – something which is extremely difficult, even for experts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, what we propose isn\u2019t to get into the details of each wine, but rather to understand the general dynamics of pairing so that you don\u2019t make any \u201cunforgiveable mistakes\u201d and, above all, so that you have fun experimenting.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a free spirit, that feels an overwhelming repulsion at the mere mention of \u201crules\u201d, then we recommend focusing on our first three suggestions, which we consider to be the cornerstones of food pairing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Otherwise read the whole article, because it really is one of the most complete free guides you\u2019ll find on the internet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

THE THREE CORNERSTONES OF PAIRING<\/b><\/h2>\n

1. BALANCE IS KEY\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Food and wine must have the same flavor intensity so that they don\u2019t overpower each other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Explore regional pairings. Especially if you try a traditional recipe, pair it with a local wine. Very often the wines produced in a certain place are, in fact, produced to accompany the food in that area.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. ARMOCROMIA: IN FASHION AS WELL AS IN WINE PAIRING<\/b><\/h3>\n

This advice is a bit simplistic, but it\u2019s a lifesaver if you find yourself paralyzed by doubt. White wines pair with \u201cwhite\u201d plates (white meat, eggs, fish, white sauces) and red wines pair with \u201cred\u201d plates (red meat, any dish made with tomato sauce).<\/span><\/p>\n

HOW TO BUILD A PAIRING<\/b><\/h2>\n

The pairing between food and wine (or any other beverage) is like a marriage: couples have some things in common and others that put them at opposite ends of the human spectrum, but which help to compensate their excesses and shortcomings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Food and wine pairing is also based on the concepts of <\/span>harmony<\/b> and <\/span>contrast<\/b>, which seek to find a balance between the sensations of the food and those of the wine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Every dish has predominant characteristics which, once identified, make it possible to choose and pair it with the right wine, whether because of its contrasts or similarities.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, spicy dishes should be paired with a soft wine while fried fish needs an acidic or sparkling wine that cleanses the palate.<\/span><\/p>\n

But let\u2019s not get ahead of ourselves.<\/b><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s first start by analyzing the predominant characteristics of food, which we are certainly more familiar with.<\/span><\/p>\n

WHAT DO I NEED TO ANALYZE IN A DISH?<\/b><\/h2>\n

I know that while you\u2019re thinking about what wine to pair, the least natural thing in the world is to start scientifically breaking down the plate of pasta carbonara that you\u2019re preparing.<\/span><\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not as bad as it sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

The art of pairing food and wine is a cross between deliberate choice and \u201cgut instinct\u201d. But before you trust your intuition, let\u2019s try to understand the theory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Food sensations <\/b>can be divided into two macro categories:<\/span><\/p>\n

SOFT SENSATIONS<\/b><\/h3>\n