Discussion Questions 111
unoaked white is preferred when paired with yogurt or lighter creamy sauces. But an oaked
Chardonnay also works well with high-fat, buttery sauces by matching body to body as well
as bringing out the butter flavor in each.
Another strategy to match acidic foods with less acidic wines is to mask the acidity in
the food item with added sweetness or fat. For example, creamed spinach or savory sauces
made with fruit juices (as in Duck a` l’Orange) can take the edge off the acidity in food.
Higher-acid wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Se ́millon, and Riesling generally work
well with foods containing Asian flavors. The acidity in many Asian dishes cancels out the
high acidity in wine, making both the food and wine taste sweeter.
Studies have indicated that squeezing lemon on a dish can reduce the perception of
oak in full-bodied white or red wines.^23 But acid in food is likely to clash with the tannin
inherent in many red wines. Thus, when choosing reds to go with higher-acid foods, select
reds from cooler climates to more closely match the higher level of acidity and for their
inherent lower tannin levels. Wines with lower acidity will taste flat when paired with higher-
acid dishes. Most rose ́s are too soft for high-acid foods.^24 Also, Chardonnays and other oak-
aged whites generally have lower acid levels and as a rule may not pair as well with high-acid
foods.
While Old World examples such as Germany and Austria have successfully paired
wines with high-acid foods, items such as pickles, sauerkraut, and similar foods can over-
whelm many wines that have more subtle flavors and characteristics.
SUMMARY
This chapter has focused on sweetness, acidity, and
their interaction in the relationship between wine and
food. For sweetness, the general rule is that the food
sweetness level should be less than or equal to the wine
sweetness level. The perception of sweetness can be im-
pacted by a variety of elements in wine or food such as
acidity, alcohol, and salt. Wines range in sweetness from
bone dry to very sweet. Food sweetness ranges from im-
perceptible to highly perceived. A number of other ele-
ments in wine can impact the match with food sweetness
to increase a perception of match, including forward fruit,
higher alcohol, and lower tannins.
Acidity in wine and food provides mouthwatering
freshness and a spark in taste that would be noticeably
absent if it was missing. The tanginess in wine and sour
characteristics in food cancel one another when tasted to-
gether and allow other flavor and texture characteristics
to shine. The key when matching wine and food acidity
is balance—in acidity levels, sweetness levels, body styles,
and flavor intensity (more on these last two issues in up-
coming chapters).
High-acid food dishes such as salads with vinaigrette
can be difficult to pair with wines. Some things that the
chef can do are use acids that are less harsh (lemon or
orange juice) and not overdo the amount of total acid in
the dish when pairing with fine wine. Cool-climate and
unoaked white wines are the most likely candidates for
positive marriages with higher-acid food items.DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What are the foundation elements of wine and food
(components)?
- What sweetness level do the majority of wines fall
into? - What is the standard pairing rule for sweetness?
- What are other considerations in the sweetness pair-
ing process?
- What types of acid taste the most acidic?
- What are the five acidity level descriptions? How
would you describe the sensation of each? - What are three examples of higher-acid wines?
- Describe a classic example of a high-acid wine and
food marriage. Can you think of a New World ex-
ample that is relatively high in acid?