Wine 101... and then some! Introduction to Wine | Grapes of SoNapa | Wine and Food Pairing | How to Taste Wine | How to Store Wine | How to Read a Wine The combination of food and wine when done properly, compliments both the food and the wine. Individual foods and wines should be matched together so that their flavors compliment each other. A few basic “rules” may help in selecting the type of wine that is best suited to accompany a meal. However, if you enjoy drinking a certain type of wine and enjoy eating a certain type of food, the combination of the two will be enjoyable to YOU! • Rich foods (cheese and steaks) are complemented by full-bodied wines. • Light-bodied foods (salads and fish) are complemented by light-bodied wines. • Sour foods (foods containing lemon or citrus) decrease the perception of acid in wine and are best paired with tart/dry wines. • Sweet foods accentuate the perception of acid and are best paired with wines that are slightly sweeter than the food • Foods with fruity flavors go best with wines that also have a fruity character. • Complex foods with intricate flavors go best with simple wines; conversely, wines with complex flavors go best with simple foods. • Spicy foods bring out the bitterness and astringency in wine and are best paired with light off dry wines and sweet wines • Salt in food decreases the perception of bitterness and astringency in wine. • A sauce, glaze or topping can be used to bridge the gap between flavors to allow a particular food go with a certain wine.