Red Wine Pairing 101: How to Match Your Favorite Foods

At a basic level, red meat and red wine go together.

Texture, sweetness and degree of how the food is cooked all impact a red wine and food match. Protein molecules in red meat lower tannin impact in red wine particularly if the meat is served rare so bigger and bolder red wines can be paired such as a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon will pair with a steak, as expected.

Tannins in red wine are locked into the colour so the darker the colour the more tannins there’ll be. Oak carries tannins as well so a new release red wine could easily have more oak tannin (reading the back label helps). If you know a wine is particularly tannic then aim to put something bitter on the plate alongside the protein such as kale, broccoli, or spinach.

A Pinot Noir is typically medium bodied so is best paired with food that is also the same weight. Pinot Noir is often delicate, subtle, complex, and fine so the food could be less complex such as duck confit or mushroom soup.

The preparation and seasoning of food will have an impact on red wines. Salty food can make a young red wine seem more tannic, but an older version will become a little fruitier and mask the tannin level.

A fruitier red wine is appropriate with food known you know is quite salty. ‘Heat’ spices (think chilli) are often the enemy of red wine, they can make the wine seem over-tannic, and accentuate alcohol as well as destroying any complexity and subtlety. Fragrant spices and fresh herbs are often better friends of red wine. Sauces also have a big impact on red wine often positively. If there is cream in a sauce the bigger the red wine can be. Jus or gravy type sauces carry earthy flavours and silky texture working well with oak, and earthy themed wines.