Pour Favor

Divining the “perfect” drink pairing

By Ryan Robertson

Finding the right alcoholic beverage to complement your meal typically requires some trial and error. Quite often there appears to be an infinite array of possibilities, but not necessarily a “proper” accompaniment.

Experts advise picking beverages that balance the natural flavors of the food. We say: Trust your senses. Let smells and taste be your guide.

One of the most common groupings enjoyed in our culinary culture is wine and cheese. Both are natural products that are carefully aged to perfection. And each brings out the best in the other by smoothing out their respective tastes and textures. On average, red wines tend to pair well with robust dairy like a sharp cheddar or brie, while whites are usually better suited for milder cheeses like Swiss or Gouda varieties.

Juliana Santos, beverage director for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, asserted that the varying levels of acidity in wine (caused by tannins) affect how well they match with other food. “Red wines, like merlot or cabernet sauvignon, have the perfect structure to be enjoyed with a big hunk of beef,” she says. “The tannins are not coarse, and the juicy supple texture of the steak complements the nose of the darker fruit.” Red wines also color coordinate with sauces like marinara.

On the other hand, Santos suggests that a dry white wine like chardonnay or riesling should be paired with poultry, seafood or anything with a cream-based sauce.

Meanwhile, craft beer is becoming increasingly more respected within ever-evolving “foodie” culture as a meal-time accompaniment.

Devin Hicks, owner of the Westover Market, seems to think most food can be matched with any beer—one only has to explore all the options. Ales, pilsners, lagers, porters, stouts and hefeweizens are among the many options available. In general, Americana cuisine—like burgers, wings and hot dogs—is the perfect fit for any number of beers.

Staying flexible and sampling freely, Hicks advises, increases your chances of finding a pleasing match. “The hoppiness ranges from sour to moderate strength, knowing this allows you to pair them with a meal,” Hicks says of the spectrum of ales available. Some restaurants allow you to sample before you make a decision. Hicks suggests taking advantage of this hospitality perk whenever possible.

Of course, once a wine or beer is bottled, the flavors contained within become largely immutable. Cocktails, on the other hand, can be custom-tailored and tweaked to match a dish perfectly, asserts Trummer’s on Main sommelier Taylor Packwood.

Oddly enough, Packwood’s most important rule of thumb: moderation.

“It’s important to ease up on the liquor content of any drink,” he counsels. “No one wants a drink that overpowers what they’re eating.” A drink pairing is supposed to enhance the flavor of the food, not the other way around.

Now that you know there’s a whole wide world of food-friendly libations floating around out there, why not “mix” things up the next time you sit down for a bite? Things aren’t just red and white.

Peep more drink pairings at www.northernvirginiamag.com/drinkpairings101

(April 2011)