09/13/2026
Hey Savoir On Central - how'd we do?
Finding the perfect w**e pairings for your delicious meal elevates your dining experience. Great food and w**e pairings help create a balance between flavors in a dish and the natural characteristics of the w**e. W**e and food pairings can seem complex, but here are Chef Julian's 8 Major Tips For Matching W**e with Food:
The w**e should have the same flavour intensity as the food, be sweeter than the food and be more acidic than the food.
Red w**es should be paired with bold flavours and red meats.
Bitter w**es help to balance fatty dishes.
White w**es should be paired with lighter flavours and fish or white meat.
It is more ideal to match the w**e with the sauce rather than with the meat.
Sparkling w**es help to cleanse the pallet and can create nice contrast, especially with fatty foods like cheese or butter sauces.
The main categories for pairings are congruent versus contrasting versus complementary pairings:
Congruent pairings create balance by honing in on shared flavors.
Contrasting pairings create balance by contrasting flavors.
Complementary pairings will enhance or add value to the main flavours in a dish.
Before you can understand how to make the best w**e and food pairings, you must first identify the primary and secondary flavors in both the food and the w**e.
Primary flavours are bitter, sweet, salty, acidic, fat, and spicy.
Secondary flavours would be red fruit, oak, dry fruits, minerality, and a plethora of other potential flavor notes.
The main thought process is how can I improve this flavor experience by either adding more of the similar flavours through congruent pairings, or how can I add a different dynamic through contrasting pairing or how can I add other flavors to compliment the flavours present in a dish through complementary pairings?
The good thing is the best practice is trial by taste so get some friends together and sit around a table with an assortment of dishes/ingredients and w**es and taste, taste, taste.
Practice is the only way to find the best w**e and food pairings.
Finally, nothing can truly substitute personal experience and enjoyment!
**e
