In this Food & Wine Pairing blog, we share tips and ideas on how to pair wine with different types of food.

1. Food and wine pairing work well together. Good wine is the perfect complement to a good meal.

2. The key to pairing food and wine together is to know the difference between the tastes of the two.

3. Pairing food with a glass of wine is more than just matching tastes; it’s about finding balance.

4. Wine is a liquid with lots of layers and subtleties. The same is true of food. If you get one or both of them wrong, you can ruin an otherwise fantastic meal.

6. Use your knowledge of the two to choose wines that complement the food but don’t overwhelm your palate.

Identify the basic tastes

We’ve learned that over 20 different tastes are found in food – from the basic, including sweet, sour and fat, to the extreme, including spicy, umami and electric. Fortunately, you only need to focus on 6 tastes when pairing food and wine: Salt, Acid, Sweet, Bitter, Fat and Spice (Piquant).

What factors into pairing:

• Body. The body is the actual weight or thickness of wine, or how a wine feels (not tastes) in the mouth.
• Tannins. Tannins are a chemical compound present in grape skins, seeds, stems, and wood barrels.
• Acidity.
• Sweetness.
• Alcohol.

How does wine affect food?

Fatty foods should be paired with either an acidic or high alcohol wine. Bitter (aka Tannic) wine balances well with sweet food. Salty shouldn’t compete with acidity in a wine.

If you are wondering what kind of food is best paired with what type of wine, you can take a look at the articles below:

Wine:

How To Decide Which Wine To Drink With A Meal

Food:

How To Pair Wine & Cheese

Some common pairs

• Chardonnay + Fish.
• Cabernet + Red Meat.
• Pinot Noir + Earthy Flavors.
• Sauvignon Blanc + Tart Flavors.
• Rosé + Cheesy Dishes.

Some not so common pairs

• Spicy White Wine and Peanut Butter & Jam Sandwich.
• Pinot Noir and Chocolate Ice Cream.
• Chardonnay and Bacon.

At Le Pommier Wine Estate, we have various seasonal tastings. Booking is advisable to ensure the specific pairing is available at the time. Call us at 021-8851269

Pizza and wine pairing

Danish Feta, caramelized onions and olives (the SAUVY) with Sauvignon Blanc add a refreshing element of tart acidity to your mouth.

Rosé strawberry, fresh herbs, gooseberry aromas with a tangy barbeque chicken & feta pizza (the SIMONSBERGER).

Pepperoni has a spicy and robust flavour, demanding a full-bodied red wine to contend with, like the Le Pommier Cabernet Franc/Malbec blend paired with the boerewors, pepperoni & bacon pizza (the MENEER).

Summercourt Chardonnay –The wine’s acidity balances the creaminess of cheese and the capers brings out the slightly wooded taste,  we paired it with a Margherita pizza topped with olives, capers and red onion.

South African food & wine pairing

Traditional Chicken Pie pairs perfect with our Le Pommier Sauvignon Blanc. The crispness of the Sauvignon Blanc refreshes and cleanses the palate, which prepares it for another burst of flavour.

A South African Favourite, Bobotie, is paired with Le Pommier Rosé. The dry Rosé with its tropical fruit flavours complements the bobotie.

Beef Carpaccio, pickled Shimeji mushrooms, parmesan shavings are paired with MAC Cabernet Franc/Malbec Blend. The Beef Carpaccio makes the wine less tannic, and the tannins make the meat less rich.

Pork belly bite with a honey & mustard sauce. The subtly flavoured pork pairs well with this slightly wooded Summercourt Chardonnay.

soup and wine pairing (available during winter)

Le Pommier Sauvignon Blanc pairs magnificently with Roasted Butternut Soup. The Sauvignon Blanc balance out the sweetness of the Butternut. A bit of bacon and a little kick of the curry at the end makes this your perfect winter day pairing.

Tomato & Basil Soup we paired with our dry Rosé. Tomatoes are naturally high in acid, and Rosé tend to be quite fruity, which enhances the tomato flavour of the soup. The creaminess of the Tomato Soup pairs excellently with the dryness of the Rosé.

MAC Cabernet Franc/ Malbec makes a great pairing with Lentil Soup. Cabernet Franc is a tart and acidic red wine that has a distinct black pepper and earth taste and complements the savoury flavours of lentil soup.

Homestyle Chicken & Noodle Soup paired with our slightly wooded Summercourt Chardonnay complements each other perfectly.