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Wine to Dine
By Katie Ayoub, senior writer for Kraft Culinary Centre
What wine goes with what food?
The key to a good food and wine pairing is harmony. Each should enhance the other—the wine making the food more vibrant, and the food bringing out the nuances of the wine.
Often, diners aren’t sure what wines match well with the food on the menu. By offering suggestions, you increase check average, but perhaps more importantly, you extend hospitality. Good hospitality is remembered, and repeat business might just be the return on that investment.
Good rules of thumb when recommending wines:
- Suggest wines that hail from the same region as the dish. So, if serving a pasta with a tangy tomato sauce, perhaps the food-friendly, fruity Chianti would be a good match.
- Pair lighter-style wines with lighter-style foods. For rich or strongly flavoured dishes, suggest more complex, robust wines.
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These dishes, although each offering unique profiles, all carry forth the fresh, light flavours of the Mediterranean. Acidic brightness is delivered through either KRAFT vinaigrettes or tangy cheese. The grilling technique brings out the natural essence, while keeping the concentration on the fresh flavours of the ingredients.
Flavour notes:
Riesling: lively, apricot, citrus
Sauvignon Blanc: bright, grassy, herbaceous, crisp
Pinot Grigio: light, orange blossom, fruit-forward, delicate
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These dishes still reflect the delicious, fresh flavours of the Mediterranean, but they also deliver a decadent mouthfeel, with the addition of PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, and in two of them, a crisp pastry packaging.
Flavour notes:
Pinot Noir: mushroom, plum, cherry, smoke
Chianti: fruity, bright, round, earthy
When pairing wines with Mediterranean foods, stick to crisp, acidic whites to complement fish dishes, grilled vegetables and grains. For dishes flavoured with spices such as saffron or cumin, move to a medium-bodied red. In general, this cuisine’s mantra chants freshness and simplicity. Mellow wines reflect those flavors, making the whole experience even more delicious.
Katie Ayoub is a wine expert, certified by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc, Chicago, in 1996.
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