Florida Weekly: What Goes With What?
A big thank you to Jerry Greenfield at Florida Weekly for sharing his experience at the Supper Club!
Jerry’s original article can be found here.
Among the (many) delights of wine appreciation, one pursuit is especially interesting and engaging. That’s the fun of pairing wine and food. It’s practically an art unto itself, and it makes both our dining and quaffing so much more enjoyable and fulfilling.
There are several basic principles to selecting a certain wine to pair with a certain dish, and they all involve being able to taste critically and really concentrate on what’s happening on your palate. When we start to choose wines to complement various cuisines, there’s a lot to consider. Not just the flavors but also the textures of both the food and wine.
One of the best ways to get familiar with this area of the wine life is to attend events that focus specifically on pairing certain dishes with matching wines. An example is a dinner we recently enjoyed at the Old Vines Supper Club in Naples. On Wednesday evenings, wine steward Zach Bingham puts together a multi-course experience that focuses on the cuisines of a particular region. Our dinner featured French fare with lots of truffles and corresponding wines from that country.
Author Jerry Greenfield
“I formulate a wine pairing based on the story that I want to tell through the course of a guest’s experience with the menu,” Bingham tells me. He says that he considers not only how individual dishes pair with their corresponding wines but how the palate is going to be transported from one course and one wine to the next. Interesting that he uses the word “transported.”
Bingham starts by making a list of the most prominent flavors and aromas he detects in a wine, then comparing that with the structure of the food. He follows the process I mentioned above. “When you taste a wine, make a mental note of the sensations you experience,” he recommends. “The aromas that jump from the glass, and the ones that may linger a bit longer after the sip has passed.” Then, think about how those flavors match or complement the specific dish.
There are two basic approaches to this process: the complementary and what you might call the contrasting. First, you think about how the characteristics of the wine are like those of the dish. For example, a beef short rib is dense and highly flavored, so a good pairing would be a Cabernet Sauvignon, which shares those qualities. If you’re enjoying shellfish with a squeeze of lemon, a Sauvignon Blanc is ideal because the wine has a lot of acidity and pronounced lemon and citrus flavors. In fact, there’s a saying in the wine world that if you can put lemon on it, you can drink Sauvignon Blanc with it.
The “opposites attract” approach is exactly what it sounds like. Example: many people enjoy an after-dinner glass of Port or Sherry with some Stilton or Bleu cheese. The sweetness of the wine somehow (don’t ask me how) enhances the tart and salty flavors of the cheese. Similarly, you might serve chicken with cream sauce along with a Sauvignon Blanc because the wine’s acidity will contrast well and cut the buttery and fatty sensations of the dish.
When you’re ready for a delicious and educational wine and food pairing dinner, contact the Old Vines Supper Club at 239-417-4466. When you’re ready for some new discoveries, try our latest recommendations.
Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano 2022 ($17) – This is made from a grape called Prugnolo Gentile, which is actually a clone of Sangiovese, blended with 20% Merlot. There’s a smooth mouthfeel, redolent with notes of cherry, plum, and tobacco aromas and flavors. The rich flavors are supported by firm tannins. Wine Whisperer rating on a scale of 100: WW 90
Robert Hall Paso Red 2022 ($18) – From the Paso Robles region, an interesting blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zinfandel, and some other rich reds. The concentrated structure supports the 15% alcohol content. The hallmark flavor is rich blackberry. Great with spicy barbecue and burgers. WW 87
Davis Bynum Russian River Chardonnay 2022 ($30) – Lots of different apple flavors in this creamy and complex sample. Apple pie and baked apple predominate with some lemon and butterscotch on the finish. WW 88
Davis Bynum Russian River Pinot Noir 2022 ($20) – You don’t often find decent Pinot at this price, but this sample is a steal. Rich red fruit, dominated by cherry flavors, with hints of baking spice right up front. WW 91
Jerry Greenfield is the Wine Whisperer, a wine educator, author, and consultant. Read his blog and order his books at winewhisperer.com.
