GMG Wine Basics: Introducing Perfect Pairings

Many of you have weighed in with questions on food and wine pairing. While this more of an art than a science, people still get very nervous about which wine is "right" for certain dishes. Just how do you tell what wine will taste best with which food? Although people's palates differ, pretty much everyone can agree that pairing lemon meringue pie with cabernet sauvignon isn't likely to taste good, even if you're not sure why. Yet that same bottle of cabernet might be pretty tasty with my mom's legendary chocolate silk pie.

Keep in mind that wines are of specific weight, which is a big factor in food and wine pairing. So too are the color, the acidity, the  tannin, the use of wood aging, and the relative alcohol and sugar levels of a wine. Then you have to think about the food side of things: Is the dish salty or sweet? Does it have a lot of rich fats or not? Any weird vegetable flavors? How about the sauce component? What's the protein in the dish? It's enough to make you reach for the same trusty bottle of wine you always like, no matter what you're eating, but that just isn't much fun, is it?

Stay tuned for my new series of real-life matches called "Perfect Pairings" in which I'll describe match-ups I think work and why. While there are some basics worth noting, like big steaks with big reds, there are sometimes unexpectedly delicious combos waiting to be tried. I will be featuring real recipe experiments from my own kitchen, and as a busy new mom who loves wine, I can guarantee you that I am definitely looking for maximum tasty with minimum fuss! Happy pairings!