Pairing wine and food is a serious endeavor—it’s a task not to be taken lightly! Since we’re not all natural pros, scroll down for some helpful rules and tidbits from Fine European Wines—take a peek, and bring your culinary experience from everyday to extraordinary.
FOOD PAIRINGS FOR WHITE WINES
White wines are best served with foods that go well with lemon or lime.
White wines can act as a replacement for lemons due to their citrusy acidity—thus they will emphasize the flavor of foods such as fish, grilled chicken, grilled vegetables and cheeses. The 2015 Muscat of Alexandria from the Thracian Valley in Bulgaria will the just the perfect fit for the above listed dishes.
Less alcohol in your whites when paired with spicy foods!
If you’re one of those people who puts hot sauce on everything, you should know that alcohol empowers the oils that make spicy food hot, so you should choose wines with less alcohol and a bit of sweetness to go with your jalapenos. There is none better than the 2015 Chardonnay from the Danube River region in Bulgaria.
If you are looking for dessert wine, go a bit lighter.
Go for a less sweet and more sour white wine when you want to pair it with dessert, otherwise you risk being overwhelmed with sweetness. You are looking to accentuate the sweet taste of the dessert, not overpower it with the wine. Pour a glass of the 2014 Muscat Ottonel from the Thracian Valley in Bulgaria.
FOOD PAIRINGS FOR ROSÉ WINES
Rosé—the perfect choice for appetizers and hors d’oeuvres.
Rosé wine is the perfect combination of the fresh acidity and lightness of whites and the fruity aroma of reds. If you are having a light bite to eat at a cocktail party with cheeses and hors d’oeuvres, you will never go wrong with a glass of the 2015 Cabernet franc (50%) and Syrah (50%) Blend from the Thracian Valley in Bulgaria.
FOOD PAIRINGS FOR RED WINES
Match red meats with tannic reds.
That juicy steak will be perfectly complemented by a red wine, rich in tannins—the compounds in red wine that give it structure. Try the 2013 Early Melnik Vine from the Thracian Valley in Bulgaria. It’s a local vine sort with a ruby red color, rich with specific aromas of black currant, ripe fruits and blackberries.
For earthy foods, choose earthy wines.
You can never go wrong when combining food and wine with the same character. For example, if you are having wild mushrooms with your steak, it is best that you have a glass of an equally earthy wine, such as the 2012 Mavrud (60%) and Rubin (40%) Blend wine.
Ready for a drink? Read more at fineuropeanwines.com.
This post is brought to you by Fine European Wines.
