Wine For Thought: A strange pair!!

The objective today is to challenge the concepts of conventional food & wine pairings by offering alternatives for you to try at home. The pleasure of discovering a new combination for a meal you know and love, allowing you to interpret different sides to it, is a small personal adventure for your mind and palate.

Fish & Chips + Champagne – Obviously this will not be within everyone’s budget and I will offer more affordable alternatives, but first the why you should try this. Fish & Chips is an iconic British meal that is as delicious as it is fried. What makes Champagne so perfect for it is the combination of elevated acidity and citrus notes, especially present in Chardonnay dominant champagnes or the ever wonderful Blanc de Blancs  (champagne made 100% from Chardonnay). Even by adding a squeeze of lemon to your Fish & Chips helps accentuate the citric profile of the champagne which in turn complements the food, while the acidity helps cut straight through the greasy, fattiness of the dish. As an alternative to champagne, see also Cava, Franciacorta, Cap Classique and even English sparkling wine, all of which are made in Methode Tradittionelle.

Roast Chicken + Pinot noir – This may not seem so outlandish to some, but bear in mind that most people pair their wines on the red with red meats/ white with white meats basis. A lighter, more aromatic style of Pinot can compliment well basted chicken, acting as support to the herbs used (think rosemary), whilst the elevated fruit notes and the fresh acidity help keep the mouth watering like a good cranberry sauce. On the other hand, if you go for a more straight lemon and herb roast chicken, try  a big fruit forward Pinot from somewhere like Oregon or Sonoma, the rich and intense dark berries and spices being the spark that unites all the flavours from your meal.

Tacos + Riesling – It´s Taco Tuesday and you are ready to dig in to your spicy, flavor-filled Mexican delight that is the Taco….. but you aren’t really feeling the idea of drinking Coronas today or any other light, refreshing beer! You want something different, something sophisticated! Look no further than a German or Alsatian semi-sweet Riesling (chilled to between 8-9 ºC). Note that semi-sweet can simply be replaced by a fruity Riesling; the important thing is to avoid the classic super dry style. This combo works because the aromatic fruitiness of the Riesling balances with the spice and the heat and the fresh acidity will help to augment the citric notes in the Taco.

Popcorn + Chardonnay – You are probably thinking one of two things…either A) I don’t like Chardonnay dear writer (if this is the case, please visit the blog I wrote on the divinity of Chardonnay and its misrepresentation around the world) or B) How do I sneak a bottle of wine in to the Cinema?? Well, first things first, let’s talk about the kind of Chardonnay we need to drink. 6 months barrel ageing ( American if you want sweeter aromatics and French if you want a more serious fruit character ) but more importantly you want these grapes to have sat on their “Lees” for at least 5 or 6 months to give it what is known as a pastry profile ( buttery, briochy notes ) and a light creamy texture.

Don’t be scared to try new things when it comes to wine and food, dare to try the strange combinations and maybe even write them down and share them!

Bon Appétit!!