1. Tricky Pairings

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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!

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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!

8. Salads: The Troublemaker

9. ~ 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

10. 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

11. 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)

12. 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