The Skinny: Wine and Food Pairing

Our goal at sipply has never been to pair the textbook perfect wine with your food. Instead, we’re on a mission to find a tasty drink that elevates your meal!

… however, as a Sommelier I hold some tension around this!

I’m one of those types who dives deep into the world of wine and loves to nerd out over the details. Malolactic fermentation. Phenetic bitterness. You name it. But, the reality is that I’m in a small echo chamber with a few fellow oenophiles. Sad but true.

Food and wine pairing is much the same. You can find the textbook ‘perfect’ wine for your food, but that doesn’t guarantee you will love it. And you may be drinking alone!

In the spirit of keeping things simple and getting straight to the good stuff, below are the two most important pairing approaches that will elevate both your food and wine, without needing to read a book or pass an exam.

Complementary Pairings

The aromatic and flavor compounds in wine interact with fat, protein and carbohydrates in food.

The easiest way to find a great pairing is super simple — lean into the similarities of a dish. Light foods like salads pair with lighter wines. Sweeter dishes pair with sweeter wines. Rich foods pair with rich wines. You get the idea, don’t overthink it! This style of pairing harmoniously balances two similar tasting experiences so that 1 + 1 = 3. Delish!

Contrasting Pairings

It turns out opposites attract, especially in the world of pairing!

With contrasting pairings, one flavor cuts through and balances out the richness of the other. For instance, a creamy pasta dish like mac and cheese could work perfectly with a complimentary pairing like Chardonnay, or you could choose a contrasting pairing like a sharp Pinot Grigio that cuts through the fat. While the margin of error is higher with this approach, when you nail a contrasting pairing you will unlock true bliss.

I’ll be exploring other aspects of pairing in upcoming posts — stay tuned and happy pairing!