Pairing White Wine

Bottom line – as we discussed in Module 3:  White Wine, climate and wine making decisions can dramatically impact the wines flavor and what foods it pairs well with.  Using DOMSOMs White Wine Categories can provide helpful hints in the next parts of this Lesson as to what foods best pair with the different styles of each of the varietals featured.

We’ve just learned how salt, fat, acid and other food flavors influence wine characteristics.  When pairing white wines, acidity, sweetness and alcohol can make or break a pairing. 

Acidity likes acidity in foods, but also can cut through rich, creamy foods.  High alcohol whites can mimic sweetness with their juicy, ripe, or baked fruit flavors making ideal pairings for spicier foods with curry, chili or pepper heat.  Light and bright whites get lost with heavier, richer, meatier, saucier foods.

For sweet white wines, always follow this simple rule of thumb – the wine should be as sweet or sweeter than the food!  If the food is sweeter, the wine’s fruitiness will be overwhelmed leaving it tasting dry or even bitter.  A little sweetness can also make an amazing wine pairing with spicy Asian cuisine.

At the end of the day, if you want to drink a Rich and Creamy Chardonnay with your rare filet mignon, do it!  It is not our goal to set hard and fast rules, but simply to provide some basic tips on how food and wine influence each other to help you make great decisions when you are not dead set on a specific wine, or you are assisting someone else in making a wine selection.  Have fun, experiment, and take notes on what did or did not work well with your favorite meals.   And whatever you do, do not miss the opportunity to drink bubbles with your salty french fries or fried chicken!  We promise you will thank us later!