What We Get Wrong about Wine and Food Pairings

Eric Asimov has an, as usual, thoughtful  article on wine and food pairings at Swurl Media. His complaint is that we’ve made it far too complicated and intimidating.

In the realm of “pairings,” we’ve developed the idea that there’s always a right way to do things — which means, there are plenty of wrong ways, too. Conceptualizing pairings has become a minefield in which the fear of a faulty move provokes shame and embarrassment — and that’s one of the most damaging elements of American wine culture.

With all the advice available  about what to pair with what, he worries that the perhaps unintended consequence is the assumption that pairing the wrong wine with a meal is a disaster, a social faux pas that will drive people away from your dinner parties. Of course nothing could be further from the truth.

The truth is, pairing is simple. It’s hard to go wrong. Here’s the secret: Forget about violating sacred rules, or universal principles. With delicious food in front of you, a nice bottle, and good company, all will be well…Most foods go well with plenty of different wines, not just one. Almost always, you will not be miserable if you enjoy both elements. The absolute worst thing that can happen is that you will have a good meal, with a good wine. You may not swoon at the combo, but both will still be delicious.

He is absolutely right. I can think of only one guideline that is helpful to keep in mind. A very dry wine will not show its virtues when paired with sweet food. But even in that case, a glass of water to cleanse the palate after sampling the food will help immensely.

But I say this as someone who devotes considerable attention to wine pairing and who adores well constructed tasting menus with dedicated wines for each course.

Why? Well because it’s fun. The wrong wine will not harm your meal but the right wine will enhance it and it’s great fun to try to find that perfect synergistic match.

That is, it’s great fun as long as you don’t mind falling short of your ideal most of the time. The truth is finding a perfect match that will make you “swoon” is very much a hit or miss affair. Part of the enjoyment is in the process, not the result.

The mistake we have made with wine and food parings is thinking of them as a science based on rules. Azimov is right. Throw the rules out—at best they get you generic pairings that are only occasionally exciting.

Wine and food pairing is an art. Every dish, every wine, even each vintage of the same wine presents a unique challenge. If you like to experiment and get creative then pairings can be great fun. If that isn’t your thing, just buy good wine and make good food for good company. The pairing isn’t going to be a big deal.