How Wine Pairings Actually Work

When you think of pairing wines with food, you might picture fancy dinners and sommeliers swirling glasses. Sure, some of what tastes good together is purely subjective, but there's also an interesting science behind pairing wine, rooted in chemistry. A successful combination relies on the interplay between taste, aroma, and molecular interactions.

The acidity, sweetness, tannins, and alcohol content of a wine all help determine how well it will complement a dish. More specifically, a published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry revealed how various non-volatile compounds responsible for these qualities in wine interact with food on a chemical level, significantly influencing flavor perception. The study showed that these interactions can enhance or suppress specific flavors, depending on the pairing.



For example, the astringency of tannins softens as they bind to the fat in meats. a type of polyphenol (a macromolecule comprised of hydrogen and oxygen bonds) that lend a drying sensation and bitter taste to wine. If you're working with a robust, high-tannin cabernet sauvignon, nebbiolo, or petite syrah, you'll notice it complements lamb or beef because the tannins bind to the meat, which reduces the perception of fat and enriches the flavors.

It's helpful to understand these concepts behind wine pairing so you can turn every meal into a sensory experience. Not that you'll have wine with every meal (I mean, it's not like you can't have wine with every meal ..

. ), but you get the picture. The roles of acidity and sweetness in pairings A crisp sauvignon blanc pairs so perfectly with goat cheese.

Why? The secret is in the acidity. Wines with higher acidity cleanse your palate, offering relief from rich, creamy, or salty foods and refreshing your taste buds for the next bite. Think of sparkling wines like Champagne or Prosecco; they pair excellently with fried foods because their acidity and effervescence help counteract the greasiness.

Sweet foods also help balance the puckering quality, which makes for a great pairing. Wines with some sweetness (residual sugar) help mitigate bitter notes in foods, creating a smoother experience. That is why dark chocolate and toasted nuts taste great with something like lambrusco or port.

Sweeter wines are also great with spicy dishes — try a spätlese riesling or chenin blanc. Whether it's finding a wine to complement salty snacks or elevate desserts, using science to guide choices makes for some awesome combos to serve at your next dinner party. Matching weight and considering the alcohol content The feel of the wine is just as important as its flavor when you're experimenting with pairings.

Heavier wines, such as a full-bodied merlot or syrah, pair better with equally weighty dishes like with a rich tomato sauce or braised beef. Wines with higher alcohol levels often feel richer and more full-bodied on the palate because alcohol contributes to the wine's viscosity and weight, making them among . This added weight allows the flavors to linger, sometimes creating a sensation as if the wine needs to be chewed.

Conversely, lighter wines, like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc, shine alongside delicate dishes such as salads, seafood, or sushi. Matching the weight of the wine with the dish means that neither overpowers the other. Additionally, alcohol content can impact spice levels in food.

High-alcohol wines can intensify the perception of heat in spicy dishes, making them feel hotter. For this reason, lower-alcohol wines, like gewürztraminer, riesling, and moscato, are better suited to cuisines with bold spices, such as Thai or Indian food. They also tend to have some residual sugar, which also helps tame the heat.

Why wine and cheese are sublime together For centuries, wine and cheese have been the centerpiece of countless social gatherings, and now science provides a clear answer to why this pairing works so well. Another published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2021 uncovered that lipids, which are a type of fatty compound present in cheese and cured meats, help reduce the bitter profile of red wines. The experiment involved using a mixture of oil–water emulsions (to represent the fats in cheese) and catechin (a tannin component).

Researchers found that lipids literally absorbed the tannins, meaning that in wine, they neutralize their bitterness and enhance the wine's overall flavor profile. Many people feel a dry and heavy red wine stands up better to aged cheddar or a stronger cheese, while lighter white wine is the preferred choice for delicate cheeses. If you can't resist grabbing a glass of red even when enjoying milder cheeses, seek out a lighter, fruitier option.

The seafood pairing debate The timeless rule that red wine belongs with meat and white wine should be served with fish might be more than just tradition. A published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shed light on a fascinating chemical explanation for why red wines often pair poorly with seafood: the iron content. Red wines contain higher levels of ferrous ions (a form of iron) due to the soil the grapes were grown in and thus, the grapes themselves.

When paired with seafood rich in unsaturated fatty acids, these ions can trigger lipid oxidation, resulting in a fishy aftertaste. In contrast, white wines generally lack the iron levels of their red counterparts, so they're safer choices for fish and shellfish. The tastes are also quite complementary.

Take a dry chardonnay, for example. With grilled fish, it works beautifully because the wine's crispness accentuates the freshness of the seafood; meanwhile, the mild oaky quality adds depth. However, white wines aren't without their shortcomings.

A from the same journal found that certain sulfites can interact with polyunsaturated fats in seafood, leading to an unpleasant odor as well. Though finding your favorite pairings will take some trial and error, attention to detail can open up a world of sophisticated experiences and flavors for your palate. It doesn't matter if you're a novice or a wine enthusiast, though; with science, you can easily learn that there's a method to the madness.

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