As an etiquette professional for well over twenty years, I have been asked
thousands of questions. Obviously, the majority are etiquette-related, with
many about relationships. However, as we see here, some concern entertaining,
which makes it perfect for posting here.
Dear
Rebecca,
Please tell me what kind of dishes are best for serving with red
wine?
Best
regards,
Visitor
from Sofia, Bulgaria
Dear
Visitor from Sofia, Bulgaria,
There
are many styles of wine, so this question is a bit difficult. First, the
darker the wine, typically the fuller the body. The body style is the
texture and weight of the wine, think skim milk, to heavy cream. Some lighter
reds (Chianti or Beaujolais) have more acid which would pair with more food—heavier
wines (Cabernet) usually don't unless they are fruit-forward.
Look
for some fruit or pepper flavor in the wines, such as a Pino Noir or a Cabernet
Franc, because both match easily with many dishes. I just had a lighter
style Syrah, remarkably like a Rhone-style that also sported a blackberry
flavor. It went very well with a lightly
seasoned prime rib, asparagus, and roasted potatoes. However, an
Australian or Rhone-style Syrah would go with just about anything except
dishes with acidic tomato sauce. Sautéed
chicken, with dry tomatoes, (a few) capers, and cream would be perfect.
Be
careful with wines comprised of heavy oak flavor because it is difficult to
pair; it would be like pairing two dishes
with heavy seasonings. Depending on the wine, heavy oak tastes like butter,
vanilla, and/or butterscotch.
Start
with something you already know. Trust
yourself. If you think that the wine would be good in a sauce to cover your
dish, generally it would taste good alongside it. I like to add a
generous amount of wine into stews and marinara and I drink the same wine
with the dish—usually a Cabernet with many stews and Chianti or Sangiovese with
Italian. Be brave. I recently had grilled tuna cut into small
pieces, topped with sautéed onions, and placed on top of a grilled Portobello
mushroom, paired with a nice Sangiovese. The fruit in the wine made it a
match made in heaven.
Mushrooms
have an earthy flavor that can help you pair heavier wines to a dish.
Mirror
flavors and weight. Match heavy to heavy, light to light, like a heavy
Cabernet with a roast or stew, or a broiled salmon fillet with a nice Pino
Noir. Or you could contrast. Choose a Gamay Beaujolais to serve with a
fried fish, if the spices don't conflict. Speaking of spices, consider them.
Also, sauces matter, you can bridge the wine and the food through a sauce
made with the wine.
Bottom
line, a Pino Noir, Gamay, Beaujolais (it is made with the Gamay grape), or a
Sangiovese, in my opinion, will be your most versatile red wine. Perhaps
use the wine in cooking the dish or choose seasonings that help pair the two.
Rosemary tastes like pine and sometimes helps bridge wine with food.
Of course, salt helps bring all of it together.
Most
of the wines I mentioned are from America because that is what I am most used
to. I am not a wine expert. I just teach Wine Etiquette—everything
about sharing wine. I have been teaching my students how to learn more
about pairing, which is what I have shared with you. I sincerely hope
this helps you.
Sincerely,
Rebecca
Why the
Mediterranean Diet is Best for Long-Term Weight Loss
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