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How to Pair Wine with Food

Bill’s Package Store gives you the low-down on the best way to pair your favorite wines with food

bills-package-store-clarksville-tn-wine-pairings

Great food and wine pairings create a balance between the components of a dish and the characteristics of a wine.

Here are the basics:

  • The wine should be more acidic than food.
  • The wine should be sweeter than the food.
  • The wine should have the same flavor intensity as the food.
  • Red wines pair best with bold-flavored meats:
    • Red meat
  • White wines pair best with light-intensity meats:
    • Fish or chicken
  • Bitter wines (red wines) are best balanced with fat.
  • White, Sparkling, and Rosé wines create contrasting pairings.
  • Red wines will create congruent pairings.

Congruent vs Contrasting

  • A contrasting pairing creates balance by contrasting tastes and flavors.
  • A congruent pairing creates balance by amplifying shared flavor compounds.

Generally, you can group wines into 3 different categories:

  • Red wines have more bitterness.
  • White, Rosé, and sparkling wines have more acidity.
  • Sweet wines have more sweetness.

Wine and Cheese

If you love wine and cheese, here are some pairings suggestions:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon & Cheddar
  • Shiraz & Gouda
  • Pinot Noir & Gruyere
  • Sauvignon Blanc & Goat Cheese
  • Prosecco & Asiago
  • Riesling & Cheese fondue
  • Chardonnay & Triple Cream Cheese

Consider Intensity – Wine is either light or bold. Here are some examples:

  • Sauvignon Blanc is light-bodied, but it has a higher acidity.
  • Chardonnay has more body, but it’s usually not too acidic.
  • Pinot Noir is lighter bodied (for red wine) and it doesn’t have too much Tannin (bitterness).
  • Cabernet Sauvignon is more full-bodied and has high tannin (more bitterness)

The basic truth is unless you’re having a true wine connoisseur over for dinner, just serve whatever wine you prefer. Just remember that Bill’s Package Store is your go-to place to find your favorites from the great selection on hand.

We offer superior quality, top-shelf brands of your favorite liquors and wine at the lowest prices in Clarksville, TN. Call (931) 647-5566 or visit us at 1651 Fort Campbell Blvd Clarksville, TN, 37042.