Pairing Red Wine: Fresh and Fruity
Fresh and Fruity Merlot and Pinot Noir wines allow ripe, juicy red and black fruits to take center stage, almost bursting in your mouth sip by sip, while fruit flavors in Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are somewhat subdued by bolder tannins. Merlot leans more toward cherry and plum while Pinot Noir leans more toward strawberry, candied cherry and cranberry. Both are absolutely delicious alone or with a wide variety of foods. See a bottle, buy a bottle, drink a bottle and have a great time doing so!
Fresh and Fruity
Low Acid / Intense Ripe Fruit / Low Tannin / Early Drinking
| Merlot: Fruit forward wine is extremely food-friendly and Merlot is no exception. With moderate acidity and soft tannins, Merlot is likely the star pupil when pairing like wines with like foods, especially traditionally American comfort foods. With uber ripe red fruit flavors, often giving the impression of sweetness, roast squash, sweet potatoes and root vegetables that have caramelized during roasting are an ideal pairing. Merlot loves food and food loves merlot. This style is extremely drinkable and has gained its “cool” image back so don’t be afraid to pop a cork and serve it up with dinner tonight. | Pinot Noir: Of the 4 red wines covered by DOMSOM, Pinot Noir is the easiest to pair with food. It is light enough to serve with fatty, rich seafood yet maintains enough body and tannin to hold its own with gamier meats from duck to veal. Fruitier styles are best paired with simpler dishes |
Food Pairings:
Roast pork, lamb, chicken
Korean or braised short ribs
Meaty, fatty fish such as Salmon
Tomato-sauce based Italian dishes
Pizza
Fish in light, creamy or spicy sauce
Roasted sweet vegetables
Key Words: Fruity, juicy, fleshy, ripe, easy, friendly.