Matching food and wine can be a daunting task. Whether dining at home or at a restaurant, there are a few things to keep in mind which should make things a bit easier and ensure that you get the right wine to complement your meal.
Perhaps the first thing to think about is alcohol content. You don't want to have spent hours in the kitchen or a fortune in a restaurant only to drown out your fancy food with a big belter of a wine. Try and keep your choice to under 14% and maybe even below 13%.
The basic food and wine rule is light meats and fish are best with white wines, and red meat is best with red wine. This is a good principle to keep in mind but there are always exceptions and sometimes it's great to try an unusual combination to see how it works.
Fish is best matched with white wine, as the acidity cuts through the oil in the fish. Red wine doesn't go with fish as the tannins in the wine give the fish a metallic taste.
With light meats such as chicken and turkey, you are also safe with something like a New World Chardonnay. However, roast turkey is great with a light red wine as are tomato-ey chicken dishes. Tarrango is a great one to try here as it can be lightly chilled which is unusual for a red, but it gives an excellent balance here and doesn't kill the flavours.
Lamb, since it's a light meat, is best with a Rioja, Beaujolais or something from the Rhone valley - nothing too full-bodied which will overpower the flavour.
And what about a good big steak? A well-cooked steak is fabulous with a Cabernet Sauvignon or a New World Merlot. This is one of the classic combinations that can't be beaten in my book.
Stronger flavoured meat (game, for example), can handle a really full-bodied wine, otherwise you might as well drink water and we couldn't have that!
You'll find that a country's cuisine and its wine really complement each other. Italian dishes such as tomato-based pasta are great with Chianti or Pinot Grigio which is very popular at the moment. It's so easily drunk that you could nearly have it with your cornflakes in the morning!
Generally speaking, food and wine are compatible but taking the time to choose the right one can really transform your meal. And if you're really stuck, the restaurant should be able to recommend a wine for you as the wine-list will have been devised around their menu.
WINE OF THE WEEK
Wild Pig
France - £4.99
IF wild pig is on the menu this weekend, then this wine is perfect! This is one of the new breed of French wines that are modernising their look.
We have Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Shiraz in this range of quality Vin de Pays.
