When it comes down to it, pairing wine with the food on the table isn’t as complex as it may seem. Although becoming a sommelier involves extensive knowledge and training, you can still be your own wine-pairing connoisseur by understanding the basics of blending and pairing wine with your cuisine. There are no intricate systems for successfully pairing your favorite food with a wine that accentuates the flavors of your dish. All it takes is a little experimenting and taste-testing to formulate a quintessential pairing that brings out the flavors and aromas of both the food and the wine. A few easy-to-follow guidelines can help you construct successful food and wine pairings that lead to a balanced and delectable meal.
Wine pairing centers around what you enjoy, and what you think tastes good. Rather than believing that a wine can make your dish taste better, it’s best to begin by deciding what type of wine you would enjoy on its own. You also want to eat something that you would actually enjoy without pairing it with wine first; if you don’t enjoy the dish, there likely isn’t a wine that can enhance its flavor.
Balance is the key to a successful wine pairing, with the wine and food complimenting, not overwhelming each other. The weight is one of the most basic elements of food and wine pairings; a heavier, more hearty meal, like a grilled steak, would ideally be paired with a more full-bodied or heavier wine like Cabernet Sauvignon because they are equally robust or intense. The body of the wine is generally determined by its alcohol content; the lower the alcohol content, the more likely the wine is lighter-bodied, while wines with more alcohol content tend to be heavier.
Certain elements of a dish can emphasize a wine’s components or diminish them, including its sweetness, bitterness and acidity. A sweeter wine can compliment a sweet dish, but a sweet dish may make a dry wine taste sour. Acidic dishes, like a lemon pepper chicken, are more likely to balance out with a more acidic wine, like Sauvignon Blanc. Sometimes it may be more fun to look for flavors in both the wine and the dish that echo each other in aroma and flavor; wine pairing is left to the imagination and takes a bit of experimentation to get it just right for your liking.
Christini’s sets the standard for the best restaurants in Orlando by delivering an exemplary customer experience through luxury services presented in an exquisite atmosphere. Our award-winning wine list offers a selection of wines from around the world including France, Italy, California, Chile, Australia and Germany, and if you have any questions about pairing our wines, our wait staff will be more than happy to offer you assistance. Call the best restaurant in Orlando today at to reserve a table or to learn about our private dining area for larger groups.