Confused About Matching Wine With Food?  Don't Be

Always remember:  wine was made to partner with food.  It's what completes a dish, and is just as essential as salt or pepper or any other seasoning.  So when you're debating which bottle to uncork and serve with your favorite repast, consider these tips, courtesy of Matthew Ryder, general manager of McCormick & Schmick's at SouthPark mall:

• Forget the rule that says you can't pair red wine with fish.  Mild crossover reds like gamay, Beaujolais and pinot noir are excellent choices for a number of entrees.
• Match the intensity of the dish to the body of wine.  Ahi tuna calls for a lighter-bodied wine, but a crossover wine with a hint of oak is a better fit for a blackened or grilled entree.
• Don't pair a heavy, oak-flavored red like cabernet, merlot or zinfandel with lighter shellfish like shrimp or scallops.  The chemical reaction between the wine's tannins and the shellfish creates an unpleasant, metallic taste.
• Cook with and serve the same family of wine.  For example, if you've steamed mussels using a fume blanc, also serve fume blanc to drink with the meal.

A few ideas of what to match your wine with:

• Many types of seafood partner well with white or red wine.  For example, a dry, light, fruity Beaujolais pairs well with salmon or scallops.
• Acidic, fruit-forward wines complement salmon's oily richness.  Try a red such as pinot noir or white like pinot gris, which many consider to be salmon's quintessential mate.
• Halibut's mild, sweet taste partners well with a dry white wine.  Choose one with an apple, lemon or pear nose, such as pinot gris, riesling or chardonnay.
• Balance a simple, cold entree such as tuna tartare with a light-bodied, crisp wine like a sauvignon blanc.  This wine's herb and citrus flavors also pair well with shellfish and mahi-mahi.
• Like many types of seafood, the rich, Cajun flavor of crawfish can be enhanced by red or white wine.  Try a medium-bodied pinot noir or crisp pinot gris, which also complements salmon, halibut, crab, shrimp and raw oysters.
• Champagne might be the ultimate oyster beverage, but a full-flavored, vintage sparkling wine also complements other shellfish, including mussels, shrimp, scallops and crawfish.
• Many wines are versatile enough to complement a broad range or seafood.  Try a white such as smoky fume blanc with a grilled entree or red like spicy sangiovese with salmon or shellfish.

*Article courtesy of Southpark Magazine January 2007 issue.