Grilling, Food & Wine

I am participating in a podcast this Friday discussing what the perfect wines are for grilling. With summer quickly approaching, I thought it might be good to open up a discussion on the topic. My general approach to pairing wine and food is matching and/or contrasting flavors and textures. I have selected an Australian sparkling shiraz from Black Chook Winery for is vibrant fruit, bold flavors and fun factor, Lodi Zinfandel for its berry flavor and black pepper spice and an Italian Valpolicella for its rustic, smokey quality. Do any of you wine lovers have some classics you like with grilled foods?

Here are some of my thoughts on pairing wine & food in general.

A good food and wine pairing will result in both the food and wine tasting better than they did on their own. Unfortunately, few people know much about pairing food and wine and cling only to the clichés of white wine with fish or chicken and red wine with meat.

With the explosion of fusion and crossover of so many flavors, sauces, spices, preparations, ingredients and textures from all ethnicities, food pairing can be quite a challenge. With so many options, I see it as a plethora of opportunities for food and wine and I’d like the consumer to be able to explore this.

• Separate before together: For a true understanding, try the wine by itself and then the food by itself. Then try them together to get the full affect.
• Compare and contrast: A general rule of thumb in food and wine pairing is to compare and contrast texture and flavor.
• Full vs. light: Full flavored foods work well with full flavored and textured wines while light flavored foods work well with light flavored and textured wines.
• Sip while eating: Sip the wine while you still have the food in your mouth. This also applies to the sauces that accompany food.
• Think condiments: Pair a wine that has a similar flavor or texture as the condiment. For example, when having shrimp with lemon, pair with a high acid Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

Here are some classic food and wine pairings:

• Chablis (Chardonnay) with Oysters
• Champagne with Caviar
• Prime Ribeye Beef with Cabernet Sauvignon
• Salmon or Duck with Pinot Noir
• Lamb or Venison with Shiraz
• Thai Food with Riesling, Gewürztraminer or Viognier
• Sancerre (Sauvignon Blanc) with Goat Cheese
• Vintage Port with Bleu Cheese
• Fois Gras with Sauternes (Botrytis Semillon)

I believe “the best wine for you is the wine you like best. Your favorite wine with your favorite food shared amongst your favorite friends will always equal a truly great pairing.

For more info on each wine:
Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz
http://wineshop.justgrapes.net/istar.asp?a=6&id=1013439NV75W!PURE

Klinker Brick Zinfandel
http://wineshop.justgrapes.net/istar.asp?a=6&id=47505!HER

Villa Montelone Valpolicella
http://wineshop.justgrapes.net/istar.asp?a=6&id=77199!MED

Just Grapes
http://wineshop.justgrapes.net/istar.htm