WineFood Pairing

&Exploring

Wine and Food Pairing

• Characteristics of the Food and the Wine

must be considered• Do they mingle or complement each other?• Goal = Keep the flavors in balance• Elements of - Fat, Acid, Salt,

Sweetness, Bitterness, Texture • In the end -Trust your palate

Wine and Food Pairing

FAT• Meat and Dairy Products high in fat• The tannins come from the grape skins &

barrels – they help to strip the

fats/cleanse palate• Cabernet & Zinfandel - pair with

red meats • Dry Rose- pair with Rich Cheese

Dishes

Wine and Food Pairing

Acid• Both foods and wines have acid• Adds lift and freshness to flavor• If a meal is acidic then wine must

be at least equal in acidity• Sauvignon Blanc – great with

tart acidic dressings & sauces• Avoid Acidic wines & cream sauces

Wine and Food Pairing

Salt• The high salt content in some foods

may make some wines taste stripped

or bitter• Sparking Wines – pair well with

salty foods as the carbonation

helps to cleanse the palate• Oysters and salty fried foods

Wine and Food Pairing

• Sweetness• Fruit sauces over a meat

Touch of sweetness- matches well

with Chardonnay • Sweet Desserts – make sure the

wine is sweeter than the

dessert - Moscato• Chocolate & Wine

Wine and Food Pairing

Bitterness

• Bitter foods – mustards, olives, lemon

peel, radishes, broccoli rabe

• Bitter Wines – higher tannin

or can occur from unripe grapes

or not removing stems

• The two combine

Wine and Food Pairing

Texture - How does it feel on your palate?• Contributing factors are Alcohol, Sugar &

Tannins• Alcohol content – Higher % = Heavier• Light foods – Light Wines• Heavy Foods – Heavy Wines• Words to describe:

creamy, smooth, rich, lean, velvety, supple, silky, voluptuous and

succulent

Wine and Food Pairing

• Pinot Noir – Earthy flavors (mushrooms)• Malbec – Spicy BBQ sauces• Syrah – Spicy food• Dry Riesling – Sweet & Spicy (hot Asian)• Pinot Grigio – Light Seafood• Wine & Food Pairing Chart• Try different pairings & see

what your palate likes

• Atlantic County Wine Trail ( 9 )• Cape May Wine Trail (4)• Gloucester - Salem Wine Trail (5)• Shore Wine Trail (4)• Sussex Wine Trail (3)• Warren - Hunterdon Wine Trail (7)• http://www.visitnj.org/new-jersey-wine

Exploring NJ WineriesLate summer & Fall events

August 31 and Sept 1, 2013

Times: Noon to 5:00pm

September 7 and 8, 2013 Times: Noon to 5:00pm

Dates: October 5 and 6, 2013

Times: Noon to 5:00pm .

Event will also feature live music, crafts and food vendors.

Location: Fosterfields Living Historical Farm Morristown NJ

Dates: October 12 and October 13, 2013 Times: Noon to 5:00pm Location: Cape May - Lewes Ferry Terminal Cape May, NJ

Journaling your Tasting

• Apps available to keep notes & find wines• iPhone Apps for Wine Enthusiasts• Wine App - Mobile Apps for Wine Recommendat

ions• Use flavor terms to describe the wine – acidic,

sweet, oaky, crisp, dry, fruity etc• Wine ratings Wine Spectator vs Your rating Everyone’s palates are different

Wine Spectator 100-Point Scale

• 95–100 Classic: a great wine

• 90–94 Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style

• 85–89 Very good: a wine with special qualities

• 80-84 Good: a solid, well-made wine

• 75–79 Mediocre: a drinkable wine that may have minor flaws

• 50–74 Not recommended

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Classes & Making your own Wine

• WINE MAKING IN NJ - Make your own wine NJ - NJ winemaking brew on premise schools

Are there any questions???