One thing we get asked quite frequently here at Elma Wine & Liquor is, “What wine will go with well with __________ (insert any meal you can imagine)?”

My short answer is typically, “Whatever wine you like.”

Sure, there is a science to matching different flavor, acidity, and tannic profiles of wine to food and a perfectly paired bottle of wine with a meal can do wonders for both. However, a good majority of wine drinkers have a preference on the style of wine that they enjoy and that should take priority over any type of pairing.

A person that loves Moscato and sweet Riesling is not all of the sudden going to enjoy a rich, full bodied Cabernet just because it is paired with a steak. And on the reverse side, personally, I’m not a big fan of sweet wines so I choose to drink a light bodied red with my turkey rather than a Riesling that would be a better fit according to the experts.

If you are just starting to drink wine and still a bit unsure what styles or varietals you like then pairing the wine with the correct food (or no food at all) is important to ensure that you are experiencing the wine as it was meant to be enjoyed. Even small amounts of food can impact how the wine reacts with your taste buds and give you the false impression that you either enjoy or dislike that particular wine. A bite of something sweet followed by a sip of wine can leave you thinking that the wine has less sugar than it actually does, for example a sip of a sweet riesling after a bite of cake may deceive your taste buds into thinking the wine is dry or at least less sweet than it actually is. Other examples could include eating something exceptionally bitter or spicy followed by a dry wine, that wine may come across as even drier than it is or lighter and more refreshing than it really is because of the perception of your taste buds.

The best way to learn what you like and what wines pair well with what food is to try! Start with the wine that you already like. Pick up some different cheeses, crackers, dips, olives, fruit, dark chocolate, or whatever you want and try a sip of wine or two after a bite of each different thing and see how the flavors and textures meld or fight in your mouth. With the ones that work best, think about what it is that makes those things work together and then try to build off of that food into other similar items the next time around. Eventually you can work on creating entire dinners that fit your wine preference.

As a next step, the next time you are with a friend who drinks a style of wine you do not typically enjoy you can try a small glass of theirs with some of the food items that did not pair well with your wine (think opposites). In this manner you may find that wine more enjoyable than usual, or at least more palatable. If not, then you definitely know it wasn’t worth buying a wine you don’t normally enjoy just to match a meal.

Attending tasting and pairing events or dinners is another way to experience different types of wine you may not typically drink paired with something that will bring out the best qualities of both. You may find you still don’t enjoy certain styles of wine, but at least you didn’t spend money on an entire bottle. Or you may discover that you really enjoy something new.

If you found this article useful, please share the link with your friends on Facebook or other social media!