Dining with friends and family is one of life’s most enjoyable moments. Whether it’s a casual picnic lunch or a celebratory dinner, different types of wining and dining can bring about a plethora of experiences. So how can we make the most of our food and wine adventures? Most of us know white wine goes well with fish, and red wine goes well with rich, hearty dishes, but what if we went a step further? Here are some food and wine combos that you need to know.
Steak and Cabernet Sauvignon
Red meat and red wine have long been a dynamic duo at the dinner table. There’s no ‘wrong’ red wine in this scenario, you can simply pick your favourite red wine online and it’ll taste good. However, there are times where you may want to take your pairing to another level. If this is the case, the red wine you choose for your steak will depend on a few different factors; fat content, the way it’s cooked, the cut, and of course, which sauce you choose, all play an important role.
A fattier cut goes well with a more robust red like grenache, however leaner pieces work better with a light-medium bodied tipple like a pinot noir. Our favourite combo has to be steak and a cabernet. A cabernet adds sweetness and ripeness to your meat, especially if it’s been charred, meaning your bbq nights with friends will be cranked up a notch.
Tapas and Tempranillo
Tapas are the perfect way to casually entertain guests, and taste a variety of flavours in one sitting. It’s all about sipping, chattingand eating bite-size portions, so having the right wine to come along for the ride is really important. Tapas is a big feature of the Mediterranean and the moderate density of tempranillo is the perfect complement. Medium-bodied, packed full of tannins and with moderate-high acidity, this is a bold red that goes with so many different ingredients, meaning you have the creative freedom to choose an array of delicious snacks for your meal.
Malbec and hard cheese
When it comes to grazing boards, the sky is the limit. Quite like a steak dinner, if you choose your favourite wine to sip on with your cheese, it’s not going to taste bad. However, if you really want the perfect pairing and to impress your guests, matching wines to the types of cheeses on your cheeseboard will make you a fully-fledged wine connoisseur!
With extensive selections of red wine available online, it’s also a great party idea for friends and family to experience a ‘mini wine-tasting’. One of the best pairs you can start with is adding hard cheese with a malbec. Firm in texture and sharper in taste, cheese such as Pecorino, Cheddar, Gruyere and Emmental pair beautifully with the dark fruits and smokiness of a full-bodied malbec.
Goat’s cheese with Sauvignon Blanc
Another delicious partnership to your grazing board; goat’s cheese and a sauvignon blanc. Also known by its French name ‘Chevré’, this cheese is versatile in texture, age and flavour. Itsalmost spreadable form means it can be light and playful just like the crispness of a sauvignon blanc. Whether you have this cheese on your board, on a salad for lunch or as a pizza topping for a casual dinner with friends, you can never go wrong with this classic combination.
Spicy dishes with reds
It’s often suggested that riesling is the preferred pairing choice with Indian food, but while it’s a good match, there are more contenders. We’re seeing more reds combining beautifully with your favourite curry, meaning you can swap out sweeter white wines in favour of a more acidic red that’s full of character, like a Pinot Noir. For Chinese food, there are many suitable choices specific to each dish, however, if you want something that goes the distance, pairing Chinese food with something like a Bordeaux rosé means its light and citrus freshness can beautifully enhance the entire meal.
Seafood and sparkling
With some wine bundles on Hairydog.com.au featuring delicious sparkling wine, we had to include this partnership on the list! You don’t need to be a wine expert to know that fish and other seafood go hand in hand with white wine, like scallop and chardonnay, but again there are opportunities to be more specific across the board.
Beer has also been known to go well with seafood, but what if you’re having prawn tempura or beer-battered cod? The bubbles in drinks like Cava, Champagne and prosecco cut through the texture and taste of fried seafood perfectly. Oysters of course are a go-to when you think of shellfish and Champagne. The fresher the oyster the more you’ll taste ‘the sea’, and with that, you’ll want champagne with subtle acidity to perfectly complement the after tease.
If you are looking to buy wine online, check out our wide selection of wine bundles at hairydog.com.au
