Wine-pairing 101

Milk and cookies. Beer and pretzels. Fava beans and a good Chianti.

Food and beverage combinations are a matter of individual taste. Some wines are so full and delicious unto themselves that wine lovers may decide that no food is necessary, but then they will miss out on some of what I consider to be perfect pairings of food and wine.

When matching food with wine, consider the following:

It's about the body. Pairing may be more about the body of the wine than the flavor. Body is defined as the weight of the wine in the mouth. Try to pair a wine with some heft to a recipe that may have many flavors in it. For example, a simple red or white wine may be enjoyed with a straightforward piece of broiled haddock, while a wine of medium to full body may pair much better with a rich mustard-encrusted salmon or a sirloin with a brandy cream sauce.

Simple wines are ideal for simple recipes, while more complex wines are ideal for more complex recipes. Price is often an indicator of the body or complexity of the wine. Ask your waiter to assist you when looking over the wine list. A well-trained server will know which wines tend to be lighter or heavier in weight.

Go for high acidity. Wines with high acid content may pair best with most foods. Wines with high acidity act as palate cleansers, leaving your mouth refreshed and ready for another bite. Pinot Noirs, Chiantis, Sauvignon Blancs, and Rieslings are fairly sure bets when selecting a wine with your meal.

Saltiness in food is a good contrast to acid in wine. Smoked salmon and champagne, for example, are a wonderful pair, while recipes with Parmigiano Reggiano have a salty aspect to them and pair nicely with Chianti.

Pair fruit with fruit. Dishes that have a fruit component to them, such as apricot-glazed pork or a cherry-glazed duck, may go well with a sweeter wine, such as a Riesling.

Complement or contrast. Decide if you want to mirror a flavor or contrast it. A creamy malolactic chardonnay is a lovely combination with lobster in a cream sauce. For a contrast, the lobster in cream sauce could also be eaten with champagne, which would wake up the taste buds with crisp, tingling bubbles.

Ultimately, taste preferences are highly individual. By trying many different food and wine combinations, you will develop an instinct for what goes best together and what pleases your taste buds most.

Madeleine Ahlquist is co-owner of One Eleven Chop House and The Sole Proprietor in Worcester, both of which are frequent winners of Wine Spectator's "Award of Excellence." Comments? E-mail editorial@worcestermag.com.