Cracking the Code: 6 Foods That Don't Go Well with Wine
What are the incompatible food and wine pairings? It's a fact that chocolate and dry red wine don't go well together, and it can be frustrating to hear. However, there are logical reasons behind particular food and wine combinations that result in a less-than-pleasant taste. Once you understand these reasons, you can approach wine and food pairing differently.
Let's explore six challenging food items to pair with wine and discover some suitable options. Don't worry; there's even a wine that pairs well with chocolate!
Perfect Pairing vs. Terrible Pairing
A perfect pairing occurs when two ingredients combine to create a more balanced and enjoyable flavor than they would individually. On the other hand, a terrible pairing happens when the combination of ingredients leads to an imbalance in flavors that either lingers on your palate or, in extreme cases, causes an unpleasant reaction. Let's delve into the foods that don't pair well with wine.
Chocolate and Dry Red Wine
Why It Doesn't Work
Tasting chocolate introduces various sensations to your palate, including the textured tannins of chocolate, its fattiness, sweetness, and earthy flavor. When you follow up this experience with a dry red wine, the wine tends to strip away the fattiness and sweetness, leaving behind harsh tannins and a sour wine note. Additionally, chocolate's overpowering flavor masks the wine's initial fruit flavors, such as blackberry or cherry. While there might be rare instances where chocolate and wine harmonize, if you genuinely evaluate the taste using the technique described above, you'll find that these components taste worse together than separately.
Wines that Pair With Chocolate
Red wines with higher tannins and rich fruit flavors tend to pair well with chocolate. Some good options include:
Cabernet Sauvignon: This classic red wine has a high tannin content that cuts through the richness of chocolate and enhances its flavor.
Zinfandel: A bold and fruity wine that pairs well with dark chocolate.
Syrah/Shiraz: These full-bodied wines have a peppery taste that complements the bitterness of dark chocolate.
Merlot: A smooth and velvety wine that goes well with milk chocolate.
Brussels Sprouts
Why It Doesn't Work
When appropriately prepared, Brussels sprouts, a cruciferous vegetable, possess a nutty, earthy, and subtly sulfurous profile. The earthy and sulfuric characteristics create challenges when pairing wine with Brussels sprouts. Interestingly, the organosulfur compounds present in the vegetable mimic the taste of a wine fault. These compounds can also be found in varying garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus levels.
Wines that Pair With Brussels Sprouts
Brussel sprouts can be a bit tricky to pair with wines due to their earthy and slightly bitter flavor. However, there are still some great options you can consider:
Chardonnay: A full-bodied Chardonnay with buttery and oaky notes pairs nicely with roasted or sautéed brussel sprouts.
Pinot Noir: A light-bodied Pinot Noir can balance the bitterness of brussel sprouts without overpowering them.
Sauvignon Blanc: A crisp and acidic Sauvignon Blanc can cut through the richness of butter or cheese-coated brussel sprouts.
Rosé: A dry rosé that is not too sweet can complement the nutty and savory flavors of roasted brussel sprouts.
Overall, when pairing wine with brussel sprouts, it’s best to avoid bold and tannic wines, as they may clash with the vegetable’s strong flavor.
Asparagus
Why It Doesn't Work
Similar to Brussels sprouts, asparagus contains sulfur compounds that challenge wine pairing. Additionally, the vegetable possesses a high chlorophyll content, producing different herbaceous qualities. While zesty white wines like Sauvignon Blanc usually pair well with most green vegetables, they might not succeed with asparagus.
Wines that Pair With Asparagus
Slightly chilled dry Sherries like Fino, Oloroso, or Manzanilla Sherries can complement asparagus dishes. These Sherries add subtle nutty flavors to dishes centered around asparagus. Another option is Sauvignon Blanc which has herbal and grassy notes that pair well with asparagus. Grüner Veltliner, a white wine from Austria, also complements asparagus due to its herbaceous qualities. Additionally, light-bodied red wines such as Pinot Noir and Gamay can be paired with grilled or roasted asparagus dishes.
Blue Cheese
Why It Doesn't Work
While most cheeses easily pair with wines, blue cheese and other blue-veined varieties pose a challenge. The high presence of a particular aroma compound called alkan-2-ones in blue cheese, also found in sphagnum swamp moss, contributes to this difficulty. The potent aroma of blue cheese tends to overpower most dry wines.
Wines that Pair With Blue Cheese
Blue cheese is a strong and pungent cheese that pairs well with full-bodied wines. Some wine options to consider when pairing with blue cheese are:
Cabernet Sauvignon: the tannins in this wine cut through the richness of the cheese, while its fruity flavors complement it nicely.
Syrah/Shiraz: this wine has a peppery flavor that compliments the tangy taste of blue cheese.
Port: a fortified dessert wine that pairs perfectly with blue cheese due to its sweetness and fruitiness.
Zinfandel: this full-bodied red wine has a spicy complexity that makes it a great partner for bold cheeses like blue cheese.
Remember to serve your selected wine at slightly below room temperature for optimal enjoyment.
Sushi
Why It Doesn't Work
The combination of raw fish, seaweed, and sesame challenges wine pairing. A study was conducted in Japan to understand why fish and red wine don't go well together. The results revealed that the small amounts of iron in red wine react with the fish oils, leaving a metallic fishy aftertaste.
Wines that Pair With Sushi
For sushi opt for bone-dry white wines from cool climate regions. Consider trying Grüner Veltliner from Austria, Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France, or Northern Italian Pinot Blanc from Alto Adige in the Alps. Extra Brut or Brut Nature Champagne, particularly from the Vallée de la Marne, where Pinot Meunier imparts savory flavors to the sparkling wines, can also be a delightful choice.
Soy Sauce
Why It Doesn't Work
Soy sauce derives its flavor from fermented soybeans, wheat, and salt. The aromatic profile of soy sauce resembles wheat berries, and its taste carries a bold salty-sour umami flavor. Pairing soy sauce with wines that lack good sourness can make the wine taste flat. However, the saltiness of soy sauce offers some unique benefits, as it can help reduce the bitter taste of tannins in particular wines.
Wines that Pair With soy sauce
When pairing wine with soy sauce, there are two directions you can take: complementary or congruent. A complementary approach involves creating a "salty-sweet" pairing by matching the soy dishes with sparkling Moscato or Brachetto d'Acqui. These wines act similarly to plum sauce or mirin, imparting a teriyaki-like flavor when paired with soy-based dishes. On the other hand, a harmonious method involves enhancing the umami taste. Wines with umami characteristics include Carignan-based wines from Languedoc-Roussillon like Faugères, Southern Rhône red blends made with Grenache and Carignan, Cannonau (Grenache) from Sardegna, or Southern Italian wines like Aglianico del Vulture from Basilicata and Gaglioppo from Calabria. A harmonious pairing like this can bring out the wines' fruit-forward qualities.
Elevate your culinary adventures with GEN 7 and take your wine pairings to the next level! Discover the perfect wine selections for challenging foods and unlock a world of flavorful possibilities. To experience unforgettable pairings, visit our tasting room and enhance your wine experience today.
