Matching Food with Wine
Firstly match of food with wine is subjective, no matter what anyone says the best wine to drink is the wine you like. The process of matching food with wine should improve the overall dining experience. Start by take a sip of the wine, then a mouth full of the food and if the match works the second sip of the wine should taste considerably better.
The sauce rather than the primary ingredient that determines the taste of the dish, therefore I recommend that you aim to match the taste of the sauce with the taste of the wine. Better still taste the wine first as its taste has already been fixed by the winemaker before he puts it in the bottle. Then decide what you would like to eat with the taste you have just experienced. The flavour of the food can be varied to match the wine.
Having been involved with numerous food and wine pairing with chefs in Bangkok here are a few pairing ideas rather to show what is possible that to be taken as a golden rule.
Squab is a very popular bird from Australia that's making its way onto menus in Bangkok. With a roast breast of squab try a pinot noir from Victoria, Australia. It has medium tannins making it a soft, tender and easy to drink wine. The alcohol content is a little pungent but that works well with the game meat.
The French have been making wines to go with their food style for centuries but today dining is global and its no longer necessary to feel obliged to always think French wines when eating in a French restaurant.
Tomatoe consomme with mascarpone tortellini matches with sauvignon blanc from Bordeaux, as it balances the acidity in the tomatoes.
Panfried foie gras with peach with a Gewurstztraminer from Alsace is a classic combination and the wine doesn't compromise the taste of the foie gras.
A rock lobster caneloni with beurre balnc matches nicely with a chardonnay from South Australia. The acidity in the wine compliments the creaminess in the beurre blanc sauce.
Pairing red wine with fish may be controversial but a light medium bodied red such as a Nuit St George work amazingly well with a firm fish such as sea bass or snow fish. Remember the rules are there are no rules, if it works for you – do it!
Roasted Salmon with a black bean sauce works well with a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc as the acidity of the wine matches the slight fattiness of the fish.
The gaminess of an oven roasted whole quail matches well with the full bodied Shiraz from the Barossa region of South Australia.
Duck Confit with herb rissoto has a heavy taste and needs a wine with sufficient structure such as a vintage St Emillion to balance the taste.
To taste a glass of Greek Retsina alone without food isn't really a pleasant experience. Don't be misled by first impressions combine it with a plate of Greek food and the ugly duckling in your glass will suddenly change to an elegant swan who makes the perfect dining companion.
Italian food and wine are virtually inseparable but there can be the expectation. As was the case with Akumi Tuna and Mango Tartar that I discovered goes perfectly with a glass of non-vintage champagne. The bitterness of the champagne matches the sweetness of the mango without overpowering the tuna. Although an Italian dish it works with French Champagne but not with an Italian Prosseco that would have been too dry and lacking in body.
Rissotto with sauteed foie gras and porchini mushrooms goes well with the fresh and slightly sweet taste of Chianti Classico.
Raviolli of Rabbit a classic Tuscan dish matches with a Brunello di Montalchino as it compliments without overpowering the dish.
Wines to go with dessert can be hard to find. Warm chocolate pudding with vanilla icecream works perfectly with a Moscato from Piedmont. There is a good balance of sweet and bitterness in the wine.
Swiss wines while beautiful drink they are hard to find in Bangkok. A Chilean sauvignon blanc can make a adequate substitute for Fendant with Swiss food.
Matching wines with Thai food depends on the amount of chilli that has been used. Dishes that use large quantity of chilli will numb your taste senses and it doesn't matter what you drink or even eat for that matter you won't taste it. With moderately spiced so as some Thai synics would describe it aharn falang you can taste the all of the ingredient that have gone into the dish and just a blast of chilli. Spicy food generally needs a wine with a high sugar content to balance the taste. Wines from Alsace make some pleasant match but now Thailand has a wine industry even though it's in its infancy lets consider possible Thai food and wine combinations.
Progressive Thai cuisine has some foreign ingredients such as pan-fried foie gras that goes will with a Chenin Blanc from the Khao Yai region.
Tom Kha soups fit very comfortably together with a Colombard from the Pak Chong Hills, a distinctively superior Thai wine.
The ever popular green curry matches the slight bitterness of a Syrah from the Loei region as it has some spiciness as the peppery elements in the wine
Vietnamese generally being a mild to moderately spiced cuisine is wine friendly. Recently I have enjoyed an Australian Sauvigon Blanc with Vietnamese dishes.
It's all a matter of taste, don't be told what you should like, what works for you is right for you – Bon Apetit!
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