by Pearl on August 28, 2010
Steak by TheBusyBrain
Steak is a staple of the backyard barbecue as well as one of the classics for a romantic dinner at home or out on the town. For the wine lover, it needs that appropriate libation to match it perfectly. For the many cuts of steak, many kinds of wine shine.
Oh, the Cuts
Steak by FotoosVanRobin
Steak has, if nothing else, an enormous variety of cuts. Each has its own characteristics which demand other flavors. For the most part, though, beef has traditionally sat at the table with red wine to match one hearty and strong flavor with another. There’s no point in serving an expensive wine with expensive meat, or vice versa, if both flavors do not possess equal status in the dinner relationship.
Steak by Another Pint Please...
For the most part, a bold red with a cut of steak is a good choice. If nothing else, this pairing is workable. If you have more time to consider the wine, consider the particulars of the meat. If the cut is from a more flavorful rather than tender cut, such as the flank or from the end of the ribs, yielding London Broil or rib steaks, respectively, stronger red wines are possible or even preferable. For milder but tender cuts, such as filet mignon, very high quality wines which are a bit milder will not overwhelm. Pinot noir or even a young claret which has not had time to develop a smoky flavor will be wonderful.
How Will You Serve It?
While the wine being served “with” the steak, the wine is also being served the steak’s sauce or marinade. After all, a dry steak is wretched; even a slightly dried steak served with sauce can be drastically improved. Should the steak be served with a barbecue sauce or another tomato based sauce, Chianti is the traditional wine. Even with such a dish as spaghetti with tomato sauce, Chianti is the preferred choice.
Steak by kina3
If the steak has been adorned with a piquant sauce or marinated with spices, a wine with spicier undertones will complement the meat best. In that case, a strong Zinfandel will taste best. Full-bodied European red wines will also do well. Steak au poivre, one of the best examples of a spicy steak, will not respond well to mild wines. Creamy sauces take well to full-bodied reds. A stronger Chardonnay will also take well to a creamy and fatty sauce.
If you have grilled your steak with just a bit of salt and pepper, be careful with your choices. Wines which are rounded but not overpowering work best with this preparation. Even oaked Chardonnays can be perfect here as the white wine will not overwhelm with too many tannins.
In short, strong red wines are among the best choices for steaks. They are not the only choice, however, since wines have now become a matter of personal choice rather than dictated by rules. If you don’t care for reds, don’t serve them. Choose what you like and enjoy the journey from the beginning of your steak to the last bite.
| Food |
Wine (Best Pairing Listed First) |
| Steak/Prime Rib |
Cabernet, Bordeaux, Merlot, Shiraz, Zinfandel. And if you’d like a white, try Chardonnay |
by Pearl on August 28, 2010
Pizza by rainydayknitter
While many other pairings in the wine world are, while not simple, at least made easier by a look to tradition, pizza is a bit of enigma. In that traditional home of pizza, Italy, pizza is rarely ever paired with a wine. Whether it is due to simple habit or an accident of economics, it remains uncommon. The normal beverage is either a Coke or a beer. But if a pairing a particular wine with any dish is a matter of personal preference, then too is pairing any wine with any dish a personal preference. So if pizza cries out for a wine, then drink what works well for you.
The Factors: The Classic Margherita
Pizza by rainydayknitter
A pizza has a few components to consider: crust, cheese, sauce, and toppings. Assuming a typical margherita with a thin crust, tomato sauce, a few slices of mozzarella, and fresh basil, the tomato will be one of the most dominant flavors. Tomatoes, in addition to a sweetness brought through only when they are truly ripe, contribute significant levels of acid to any dish. When pairing a wine with pizza, a somewhat dry wine will work well. The tomato sauce will contribute the acid and slight sour undertone while the mozzarella will offer up salt and fat for the acid to cut.
The fat the cheese contains is another consideration. The cheese also needs the acid to cut through it, though this must be tempered with the reality that acid and dairy do not always mix well together. The fact that the cheese is already curdled helps alleviate some of this problem. But keep the possibility in mind and be careful with your selection.
The Factors: Other Toppings
Pizza by rainydayknitter
Toppings beside the “classic” pizza might have you consider a different wine. If you have chosen a sweeter sort of topping, like the Hawaiian pizza with its pineapple, a sweeter wine such as a Riesling, or a non-sweet but light Sauvignon blanc or Beaujolais, will serve you well. Heartier pizzas dominated by meats need stronger wines to stand up to the flavors, but which will not overwhelm the other flavors. Search for full-bodied white wines, such as Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio; a strong Syrah would taste wonderful as well.
Vegetarian pizzas have far more flavors than pizzas dominated by the singular flavor of meat. Therefore, they require a wine which balances many of the characteristics of various wines. The toppings, cheese, and sauce all require enhancement. A Pinot Noir is a good choice here, one which straddles the fence in heaviness and acidity.
Pizza by rainydayknitter
In spite of the classic tradition of ignoring wine while serving pizza, what may well be the world’s favorite fruit-based drink works exceptionally well. If spaghetti with tomato sauce, with some grated cheese on top, can be served with wine, so too can pizza. Keeping in mind the need for balance, pizza can be the foil to many a wine. But in a pinch, an inexpensive Chianti can always save the day. The Italians had that one right.
| Food |
Wine (Best Pairing Listed First) |
| Pizza, cheese |
Chardonnay, Zinfandel |
| Pizza, pepperoni/meat |
Barbera, Regular Chianti,Chianti Classico or even a Chianti Classico Reserva |
| Pizza, pineapple and ham |
Beaujolais, Riesling |
| Pizza, vegetarian or pizza with fresh tomatoes |
Cabernet Franc, Chianti, Sauvignon Blanc |
| Pizza, white sauce |
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir |
