Wine Pairing

Ionlycametosnark

Ionlycametosnark

Veteran
Joined
21 Dec 2014
Local time
7:16 PM
Messages
8
Location
Ontario
Do you choose a meal and then find a wine that suits it, or do you have a wine in mind and find a meal that might compliment it well? I have made multiple batches of my own wine, and find it can be a little unique in flavour (though it was made at a winery not at home) and it can make pairing interesting. It also means I am less apt to want to hit the liquor store as I have multiple bottles of wine at home already.
 
Most often, most people, most of the time, will choose wine after the food menu has been chosen. It can be fun to do the other way round. Especially if you have a good bottle of something you want to have as the highlight of the meal and show off the exquisite qualities of the wine.

BTW, ontario is a big place, where are you?
 
To me white wine goes with everything. I prefer certain wines and they all go with pasta or noodles. I get a bottle of red in for friends who drink red, but ask them what they like to drink rather than what may go with the meal, because it's wasted other wise.
 
It depends. If I am in a restaurant, I look at the food first. If I am at home, I may be thinking about what food might go well with a particular wine. In a restaurant, if there's a decent selection of wines by the glass, I can start with one wine and change to another by the time my entree arrives. If I am somewhere without a decent wine list I order something else.
 
I get to do this the other way around ,a wine buyer I do a lot of work with ,chooses some wines and we discuss the set up of the wine ,depths ,tastes and then we discuss foods ,that the wine will suit,and I create dishes to match,we do this so we deliver different,interesting and current wines,and foods that elevate the wines.
 
I had an Italian white wine at a tasting in a wine shop on Wednesday. I can't remember the producer, but the grape, which was new to me, was Favorita. It's kind of hard to describe, and i didn't make notes, but it would be a good semi-hard/soft cheese wine.

Berties said:
I get to do this the other way around ,a wine buyer I do a lot of work with ,chooses some wines and we discuss the set up of the wine ,depths ,tastes and then we discuss foods ,that the wine will suit,and I create dishes to match,we do this so we deliver different,interesting and current wines,and foods that elevate the wines.
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That's the way it is supposed to go, but you have to have the opportunity to taste the wine first. While one person's tastebud's may pick up on the grapefruit in a Sauvignon Blanc, all my nose and mouth usually get is green bellpepper and I detest bellpepper so I will dump that wine and move on. Some Sauv Blanc is grassy and fruity though, so you always have to taste it to be sure of the pairing.
 
Berties said:
I get to do this the other way around ,a wine buyer I do a lot of work with ,chooses some wines and we discuss the set up of the wine ,depths ,tastes and then we discuss foods ,that the wine will suit,and I create dishes to match,we do this so we deliver different,interesting and current wines,and foods that elevate the wines.
Click to expand...
We did something very similar on saturday. A representative from a New Zealand winery was visiting the UK and we used 5 different wines, one to go with each course. The wines we were asked to use were:
-Gruner Veltliner (as the aperitif)
-Pinot Gris
-Sauvignon Gris (yes, Gris, not Blanc and this is not a blend!)
-Riesling
-Pinot Noir
-Cabernet Franc blended with a little Syrah & Viognier.

So our chef came up with this menu:
-canapés (with GV)
-terrine of duck rillettes, confit and cured breast, pickled cucumber, lemongrass & beansprouts
-parmesan pannacotta, roast asparagus, lemon oil, anchoiade
-roast baby monkfish on tarragon hummus, yoghurt, pomegranate molasses, crispy onion & micro herbs
-palm sugar cured beef fillet, mint & walnut pesto
-cannon of lamb, beetroot and redcurrant confit, baked new potatoes
and to finish, coffee with beetroot brownies and chocolates

A good evening!!

Edit: yes, all wines from new zealand and not a sauvignon blanc in sight - wonderful!
 
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Shadow said:
We did something very similar on saturday. A representative from a New Zealand winery was visiting the UK and we used 5 different wines, one to go with each course. The wines we were asked to use were:
-Gruner Veltliner (as the aperitif)
-Pinot Gris
-Sauvignon Gris (yes, Gris, not Blanc and this is not a blend!)
-Riesling
-Pinot Noir
-Cabernet Franc blended with a little Syrah & Viognier.

So our chef came up with this menu:
-canapés (with GV)
-terrine of duck rillettes, confit and cured breast, pickled cucumber, lemongrass & beansprouts
-parmesan pannacotta, roast asparagus, lemon oil, anchoiade
-roast baby monkfish on tarragon hummus, yoghurt, pomegranate molasses, crispy onion & micro herbs
-palm sugar cured beef fillet, mint & walnut pesto
-cannon of lamb, beetroot and redcurrant confit, baked new potatoes
and to finish, coffee with beetroot brownies and chocolates

A good evening!!

Edit: yes, all wines from new zealand and not a sauvignon blanc in sight - wonderful!
Click to expand...
Nice menu ,some combinations I've used there,I quite often do tro of duck style duck with a duck ham or a bresaola ,even a croquette
,mint ,coarse Dijon mustard is a good combo for me on fillet
Nice to see micro herbs are a global ingredient
Just a observation but I tend to use a few less known cuts of meat ,or do a bit of both,it shows skill and care
Like fillet of beef with a shin boudin
Or rump of lamb ,and stuffed belly
But each to their own as they say
I've done loads of these over the years,pol roger champagne house was a memorable one so was Laurent ,I have attended a few with a ex sommelier champ of the world ,some of his selection was sublime ,true love for his wines
 
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