Adela’s 5 Tips for Wine Pairing
The Artistry of Food and Wine
Having a glass of wine with dinner is something that humans have been doing for millenia. Since the first creation of wine all the way back in 6000 BC people have been drinking wine with their meals. What began as a sanitary alternative to water overtime became a creative expression of flavour.
At Adela Wine Bar, we pride ourselves on selecting the best wines in Brisbane. Our menu contains a wide variety of uniquely European-inspired cuisine with local and imported wines. We understand that the fine dining experience is enhanced by finding a perfectly-aged wine to pair with your meal.
Like all artistic mediums, the art of wine pairing is complicated. But when it’s done right, the result is undeniably beautiful.
Contrasting vs. Congruent Wine Pairings
There are two types of wine pairings: contrasting and congruent. Here’s what they mean:
- Contrasting: In these wine pairings, the wine and the food have distinct flavour palettes that compliment each other through their difference.
- Congruent: In these wine pairings, the wine and food have similar flavour palettes that enhance each other through their similarity.
Neither one of these techniques is objectively better than the other, rather your preference will depend on personal tastes. Part of the fun of wine pairing is trying out different combinations to discover what you like best.
5 General Wine Pairing Tips
While there are no hard and fast rules in any creative endeavour, understanding the fundamentals is a good place to start. Time and experience has led experts in the fine dining industry to generate the following tips for amateur sommeliers:
- The wine should have the same flavour intensity as the food.
- Red wines pair best with bold flavoured meats such as red meat.
- White wines pair best with light intensity meats such as fish.
- Bitter wines are best balanced with fatty foods such as cheese.
- The wine should be selected based on the most prominent flavour in the dish—which is not necessarily the meat.
Wine pairing should be an enjoyable experience that celebrates foods and wines from across cultures. Whenever you have difficulty making your selection, remember that you can always consult the experts for guidance.
Adela has a wide selection of wines and delicious dishes to pair them with. Consider visiting our wine bar in Brisbane to practise your own wine pairing skills.
