only a 50-50 chance of telling the difference between a room-temperature white and a red. So stop worrying. Once you recognize it’s your taste buds that matter, focusing on trying to please ‘em won’t take that long and you’ll learn how to choose the perfect wine. Now I know what you’re thinking... It can’t really be that simple. But for the most part, it is. Basic rules for wine pairing 1 Focus on your taste and what you imagine it tastes like. 2 Make a guess as to howmuch tannins are in the wine. 3 Pair sweet with spicy. Red and white wines do come from different grapes. Red wines tend to be made from darker grapes. But the real difference is how they’re pressed... Wine makers press white wine grapes and the fermentation commonly excludes the skins. On the other hand, red wines include skins with both the pressing and fermentation. (By the way, most red wine grape juice starts clear, just like white grapes.) Start With Color and Pairing
But even within the red and white families, there are many types of wine. They vary based on things known as tannins and acidity. Tannins are molecules found in grape skins, seeds, and even the barrels used to age and store wine. Tannins are also oral astringents. Astringents mean they are dry and help clean the palate. It’s the same reason you enjoy astringent foods like pickles with meat-heavy sandwiches. The way astringents work is they break down some of the lubricating proteins in our saliva (which is why they taste “dry”). But they also break down fats, which helps release some of the flavor. In turn, the fat helps soften some of the dryness of the wine and helps the fruit flavors come out.
Then Guess the Tannins
Common food and wine pairings
The second rule is uncovering the tannins in a wine so you can pair it with food. Knowing a bit about these will help you pick the perfect bottle... Whites typically don’t contain much tannins. However, some whites that age in barrels instead of stainless steel tanks pick up low levels of tannins from the wood. That’s why oaked chardonnays typically have a fuller mouthfeel and are a bit more acidic than unoaked.
Fish: White Pork: Rosé or white Chicken: White or light red Pasta:
Light red Beef: Red
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