Wine Pairings

There can be no relationship more complementary than that of wine and cuisine. Indeed, the mutual amplification of flavours and textures one experiences in a perfect pairing of the two is enough to trigger a life-long pursuit. If not an all-out obsession.

It’s ever more intriguing when discovering and exploring those wine-producing regions where viniculture has naturally evolved in tandem with its local produce and culinary traditions.

At Mr.Wheeler Wine, we're quite content in our obsession with wine and food pairing, and are therefore always keen to advise our customers on what’s worthy of their discovery and exploration – discovery and exploration we support with this handy wine-and-food-pairing guide.

Shellfish & Seafood

The beauty here is in the simplicity of serving. For rarely will you be dealing with sauces. Instead, just the sheer delicacy and purity of maritime flavours that call for fresh, crisp, light-bodied whites with the zip of bright, vibrant acidity.

Mr.Wheeler spoils you for choice: Loire sauvignon blanc – Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Sauvignon de Touraine (see our full sauvignon blanc range also), as well as the region’s indispensable Muscadet-Sur-Lie and chenin blanc. Then, Champagne, English sparkling, Spanish albariño, Bordeaux blanc – utterly gorgeous with oysters, all.

And with richer shellfish/crustacea like scallops, crab, langoustine, lobster, calamari. But here, you can also put on a bit of body weight to meet that richness – especially if you do add a cream/garlic sauce or spice: Chablis, Mâcon, Provençal rosé, picpoul de pinet, riesling from Alsace, Austrian grüner veltliner, Grillo (Sicily), Gavi di Gavi…

Classic varietal expressions all, and ones to give New Worlders every reason for exploring our South African, Argentinian (Mendoza), and Kiwi equivalents.

Try any of the above combinations and here is harmony.

Fish

Not far off the seafood criterion is wine-pairing with more delicate, flakier fish like hake, bream, sea bass, sardines, and cod. Baked, steamed or grilled, such relative lightness of flesh needs to be met with whites of similar weight and delicacy. Chablis, Loire sauvignon blanc, picpoul de pinet, and albariño are superb, as are Italian whites Grillo, Fiano, Soave, Gavi.

However, when it’s fish & chips, high acidity is paramount for cutting through that deep-fried oiliness and cleaning up the palate. This calls for the full ‘Shellfish & Seafood’ repertoire as featured above – where champagne or English sparkling is a particular treat.

For naturally oily, meatier fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna, it’s best to up the wine weight while keeping a good level of acidity to face this inherent oiliness (especially in smoked salmon). First up, cool-climate chardonnay, where that adjective guarantees a vibrant level of acidity. So, Chablis, and for even more body and depth, Premier Cru Chablis. The more powerful style and acidity in Alsatian riesling is also a good call.

Better still, here’s where red-drinkers can lightly chill a bottle of beaujolais, Loire cabernet franc, or Provençal rosé for delicious success: although red-grape-based, the relative lightness of body, fruitiness and good acidity proves an unexpectedly harmonious match.

*A word of caution, however: the combination of strong tannins with oily fish causes an unpleasant, slightly metallic sensation on the palate, so big reds are to be avoided at all costs.

Curry/Spice & Sushi

Which wines can take the heat?

Curry: Not always an easy partnership: the intensity of some spices can overwhelm – especially chilli heat. Here, spiciness is best contrasted/offset with off-dryness, or exotic, unctuous fruitiness. Both play the same role of cushioning your palate and absorbing what fiery assaults a madras or vindaloo may pose.

Go for gewurztraminer from Alsace. Although for some a ‘Marmite’ wine (warranting either love or hate), its exotic rosy, spicy, Turkish delight, tangerine and lychee aromas and flavours – as well as its oily texture – has everything it takes to meet the heat.

Then there’s a demi-sec Vouvray (chenin blanc), Alsatian riesling, or a floral, peachy, honey-fruited viognier/viognier-marsanne-roussanne blend from the Languedoc and southern Rhône. Other Alsatian options besides gewurztraminer are also ideal – pinot blanc, pinot gris and riesling; and the spice-friendly versatility of Austrian grüner veltliner makes it go-to stuff, too.

Reds? Not so much. Intense spice can render reds astringent and bitter, the only solution being low-tannin, super fruity options such as beaujolais, young pinot noir or a fruity grenache. Even still, you can always do better than pairing red wine with curry.

Sushi: Although raw fish in its element is easily pleased with light, crisp and fresh whites (Muscadet, albariño, Chablis, etc.), the trio of strong flavourings typical to sushi proper – pickled ginger, wasabi and soy – throws a spanner in. Here, many agree that Austrian grüner veltliner, through its sheer versatility, is the best for the job. Otherwise, a decent rosé does it well, as does the fruity, weightiness of pinot gris - where albariño is also welcome. But, keeping with the oily-fish advice above, no big reds here, please!

Grilled/Roasted Red Meats

Reds, reds, reds… then some whites.

Beef

A no-brainer if ever there were one. Whether grilled steaks, roast of, burgers, braised, stewed, generous, full-bodied red wine is for beef and vice versa. So, without further ado: good red Bordeaux (Left Bank, Right Bank – any bank), malbec or cabernet from Mendoza, cabernet sauvignon full stop, Rhône reds, Languedoc reds, Rioja, syrah/shiraz.

Lamb

No red meat highlights a red wine’s food-pairing credentials quite like lamb. Sitting flavour-wise somewhere between beef and game, lamb also brings fattier content to the table – and as any cook knows, fat equals flavour. Pair it with a red that has enough acidity and tannin to cut through that richness, and suddenly, heaven is on that table. Tannin and fat fancy each other, and on your palate, the affection is deepened. Acidity, meanwhile, keeps everything fresh and balanced. Have some more no-brainers: Rhône reds, Italian reds, syrah/shiraz, Rioja, red Bordeaux, Languedoc reds, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, grenache…

Pork

As with lamb, pork’s tendency to fattiness means it also loves Italian reds because Italian reds are intrinsically high in acidity, often with robust tannic structure. When roasted or grilled with garlic and rosemary, for example, it’s hard to beat a Tuscan sangiovese (Toscana, Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino etc) alongside.

Or, indeed a Barolo or Barbaresco, whose nebbiolo varietal is especially known for its naturally high levels of acidity and tannin. If you want to go French, go to the south. Here the herbaceous, ‘garrigue’ element of grenache-based reds from Languedoc make them a wonderful complement.

But it’s not all red. Pork happens to feature heavily in Alsatian cuisine (in local sausage recipes especially), paired with which aromatic, acidic whites from Alsace – riesling, pinot blanc/gris, gewurztraminer – approach the divine. Alternatively, an ample-bodied chardonnay from Mâcon or Mendoza will stand up fine.

Charcuterie & Cured Meats

A particularly wonderful – wonderfully simple – category for pairing. And because oiliness /fattiness is once again in the fore, you’ll know by now what is required. Correct – good acidity. And because cured pork such as Parma, Serrano and Bayon ham has inherent sweetness, you want exuberant fruitiness to meet this while also providing delicious contrast with what is inherently salty, too. First stop – beaujolais.

Here, youthful, red and black cherry-fruitiness, zippy, mouth-watering acidity, a certain earthiness and minerality all conspire to make the gamay grape an ideal partner. This also goes absolutely when paired with saucisson sec and all manner of dried sausage. Lighter, Burgundian pinot noir and Loire cabernet franc are perfect alternatives, and don’t be afraid to gently chill any of the above before pouring.

Then, if it’s Italy you’re after, go for Valpolicella, dolcetto and nebbiolo, and for whites, pull corks from Alsatian rieslings and Austrian grüner veltliners. All good.

Chicken & Turkey

Chicken: Wonderfully versatile with wine. And although the reigning, white-meat-white-wine rule-of-thumb has most people confined to doing just that, in fact, chicken can be just as delectable with the right red wine. Especially roast/rotisserie chicken. Not just supreme with a ripe chardonnay – be it South African, Argentine or an opulent Mâcon-Villages – but positively singing when fruity, merlot-led, Right Bank red Bordeaux is put alongside. Or 100% merlot, full stop.

And when that chicken recipe gets herbaceous – especially via tarragon – viognier and viognier-led blends from the South of France are beautifully put. Pinot gris and Alsace riesling, too.

Should you involve gravy, however, its weight, flavour and richness favour reds. And not just red Bordeaux. Beaujolais, Valpolicella, pinot noir and a fruity Chianti hit the spot well.

Turkey: Owing to its darker, weightier, fattier flesh flavour and texture, turkey especially needs a wine with body and weight. Especially when the gravy comes out as it so routinely does. For whites, viognier/viognier-based blends fit this bill, as will a gewurztraminer or pinot gris from Alsace.

But it’s a bill best fit by fruity reds. Simple. Put any of the above with roast turkey and the job’s a good ‘un.

Pasta/Sauces

Sauce dictates wine. That is, when choosing wine for a pasta recipe, be guided by what sauce is involved. The simplest pasta dish may equate to a mere olive oil-and-garlic coating, perhaps with grilled vegetables thrown in. Here, keep it light and fresh, where it’s probably best that you also keep it Italian – where Gavi, Soave, and Grillo are great.

Rich tomato and/or bolognese sauces need red. But a red with acidity high enough to meet the natural levels in tomatoes. Sangiovese and nebbiolo are ideal, and where there’s minced beef, pork or sausage, barbera and negroamaro meet this extra richness quite deliciously.

For cream sauces – whether with pasta or otherwise – acidity is paramount. Your wine must have bags of it for cutting through cream’s texture, regardless of what flavours your sauce comprises. This is where you can wander away from Italy for ripe but racy chardonnay and, when mustard and/or wild herbs are added for intensity, Rhône whites are always up for the job.

8. Light summer dishes

Summer's coming - or do you generally prefer vegetarian, salads or lighter eating? Marry Sauvignon Blanc with quiches, roasted vegetables or tempting salads.

Sauvignon Blanc

9. More than your just desserts

Don't forget dessert. Here the trick is to serve a dessert wine that is sweeter than your dish. Fresh fruity puddings are lovely with opulent Muscats; serve richer botrytis-style wines if your guests enjoy more caramelised flavours. Chocolate? try a sweet red.

Muscat

Sweet Reds

Dessert Wines

10. Should you pair Port with cheese?

It's a myth that Port is always the perfect cheese companion. Apart from with Stilton, that is, where it is sheer perfection. It can be better to choose a mature red to go with a mixed cheese board, one that is not too tannic. White wines can play their part: try Sauvignon Blanc with goat's cheese, Gewuztraminer with 'stinky' cheeses and Sauternes with salty blue cheeses.

Sauternes

Gewurztraminer

Sauvignon Blanc

This concludes our top ten tips to guide you in the right direction. However, rules are made to be broken, don't be afraid to experiment and try some daring food and wine combinations. And if you do, call in and tell us all about it!

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