Tricky Pairings

Artichokes Asparagus Problem: Makes most wine taste metallic or sweet. Contains cynarin, a type of organic acid that produces an undesired sweet taste in wines that do not normally possess a sweet component Solution: Lemon juice or vinaigrette. Wine Match: Choose a white wine with higher acidity. Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet, Chablis Asparagus Problem: Assertive flavor can clash with most wines Contains chemical mercaptans which makes wine taste bitter Solution: Addition of Fat: butter, olive oil, bacon… Wine Match: Choose wines with higher acidity. Wines that mirror the green notes. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Entre Deux Mer, Viognier

Spinach Eggs Problem: Can make wine taste bitter or metallic. Contains sulfhydryls Solution: Effect can be muted with the addition of fat in the form of butter, cream or a grating cheese. Wine Match: Choose a straight forward white or red with good acidity. Sangiovese, Salice Salentino, Semillon, un-oaked Chardonnay Eggs Problem: Yolk coats the mouth. Solution: wine paired to accompanying flavors of the preparation. Wine Match: Medium bodied wines with moderate to higher acidity for both white or red (where appropriate). Sparkling wine. Champagne, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

Strong Cheeses Problem: Pungent, fatty, salty, high in acid or ammonia. Further complicated by maturity and style of producer. Solution: Dry whites often better than dry reds, sweetness plus fuller body can also be a plus, one cheese instead of many Wine Match: White blends Preferably Alsatian: Hugel Gentil, Jezebel Blanc, Brooks Amycayas, Sokol Blosser Evolution Ice Cream Problem: Temperature Solution: Try intensely flavored fortified wines Wine Match: Muscat, Beaumes-de-Venise or PX sherry Chocolate Problem: Sweetness and heavy, mouth-coating texture Solution: Wines sweetness and body should match that of the dessert. Moscato d’Asti can be the exception with lighter weight chocolate desserts. You preferring dry reds with your chocolate are on your own ;-) but at least consider a dry Cabernet, Merlot or Shiraz with “fruit bomb” status. Wine match : Port, Banyuls, Late Harvest mouvedre!

Oily fish Problem: Distorts flavors of wine, metallic taste with reds Solution: Nicely oaked Straightforward whites with medium-plus to high acidity Wine Match: The perfect place for your mothers CA Chardonnay Smoked fish Problem: Flavor can over power wine Solution: Higher acid whites such as rieslings, Sancerre, sparkling wine or even lightly oaked chardonnay Vinegars Problem: Acidity can exceed that of the wine Solution: Better Quality Milder acid like aged Balsamic or increase oil to vinegar ratio.( think salad dressing 4/1) Wine Match: Serve a more perceptibly tart wine like Chianti Salsas Problem: Heat, acid and assertive flavors Solution: Pair to main element while avoiding high alcohol and tannin

Chutney Problem: Various issues - sweet, hot, acidic Solution: Use main element to mitigate effects before pairing. Ginger Problem: Not the flavor, but the assertive aroma Solution: Wines with high aromatic profiles Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Viognier, and Riesling Soy Sauce Problem: Saltiness Solution: Wines with good acidity and possibly some sweetness. Riesling and Gewurztraminer are popular choices with Asian style cuisine.

Citrus Problem: Acid and bitterness, particularly in grapefruit Solution: Acidity of wine should match or exceed that of the dish Olives Problem: Saltiness and assertive flavors Solution: Requires a wine with higher acidity to mirror those of the olives, either white or red. Wine Match: Pairs well with manzanilla and fino sherries. Tomato Problem: Acidity Solution: Higher acidic wines for both white and red. Wine Match: Sauvignon Blanc, Young Italian reds, Beaujolais Chiles Problem: Numbs the taste buds, increases perception of alcohol. Solution: White, chilled and refreshing or Sangria!

Salads: The Troublemaker

~ Andrea Immer, Master Sommelier “in the world of food, salad is something of a troublemaker…for foodies and cooks who know the flavor potential of a great one, it’s a grail, the path to which is littered with a lot of iceberg lettuce and cloying vinaigrettes and dressings.” ~ Andrea Immer, Master Sommelier

Factors to consider when pairing wine with salad the overall tanginess of the salad other flavor components such as meat, cheese, fish, oils Remember the weight of the salad (dressing) should be matched with the weight of the wine

Cabernet franc (Loire) Sangiovese Chianti Cabernet (CA) Salad Style Simple green salads Mesclun greens Spinach Salad Frisee or arrugula Greek Salad Beet salad Pea salad with crème fraiche Cabbage salad Asian salad Coleslaw Ceasar salad Potato salad Caponata Salad Nicoise Chicken Salad Tuna fish salad Anti pasti Beef Salad Wine Styles Fino Sherry Orvieto Soave Greek Whites Pinot Blanc Pinot grigio Albarino Cava Sancerre Viognier Provence Rosé Beaujolais Villages Pinot Noir Rioja Cotes du Rhone Rouges Cahors Malbec Cabernet franc (Loire) Sangiovese Chianti Cabernet (CA)

To Build a Salad Salad Serves 4 Ingredients: ***** Dressing 1/4 Cup Vinegar 1 Cup Oil 1 Tblsp mustard 1 Tblsp honey 1 Tblsp fresh herbs Salt Pepper 1 shallot finely diced combine all ingredients until well combined 12 to 16 ounces Lettuce Mix Fruit Nuts cheese