The Basics of Food and Beverage Pairing

Question 1

Food and Beverage Pairing - Wine Structural Elements

Answer 1

• Sweetness
• Tannin
• Acidity
• Alcohol
• Texture

Question 2

Food and Beverage Pairing - Taste Elements

Answer 2

• Sweet
• Sour
• Bitter
• Salt
• Umami

Question 3

Food and Beverage Pairing - Salt in food

Answer 3

• Salt in food reduces the perception of acidity in wine

* Intensely salty foods make tannins in wine feel more astringent

Question 4

Food and Beverage Pairing - Animal Fats in food

Answer 4

*Animal fats in food reduce the perception of tannin in wine

Question 5

Food and Beverage Pairing - Sugar in food

Answer 5

• Sugar in food tends to work best with sweetness in wine

* Sugar in food can make dry wines seem bone dry or even austere

Question 6

Food and Beverage Pairing - Spicy Heat in food

Answer 6

*Spic Heat in food can be mitigated when paired with off-dry, slightly sweet or low in alcohol.

Question 7

Food and Beverage Pairing - Complementing

Answer 7

• Ex) Dried herb-crusted beef tenderloin with Chianti Classico Riserva
• The herbal character of the Chianti can offer a great match with the similar herbal notes of beef

Question 8

Food and Beverage Pairing - Contrasting

Answer 8

*Ex) A tart beverage like hefeweizen beer from Germany to contrast a rich food such as a dish incorporating fresh burrata cheese

Question 9

Food and Beverage Pairing - Animal fat in food can…

Answer 9

*Can decrease the palate’s perception of tannin in wine

Question 10

Food and Beverage Pairing - Spicy heat in food can…

Answer 10

• Be inflamed by high alcohol beverages
• Be softened by low alcohol beverages
• Be softened by sweetness in beverages

Question 11

Food and Beverage Pairing - Salt in food can…

Answer 11

*Decreases the palate’s perception of acidity

Question 12

Food and Beverage Pairing - When pairing a sweet wine and a sweet food…

Answer 12

*The wine should be sweeter than the food