It’s only normal to be in a rut when cooking up a storm and pondering wine choices. So many choices, so little time! We understand food and wine pairing can be a difficult task.

If you’re serving up pasta, you’re always going for the red. If chicken is on your list, you pour out a glass of white. But as per the experts, food and wine rules are to be broken to improve your dining experiences.

Did you know?

Wine flavours are taken from a few specific elements, including sugar, acid, fruit, tannins, and, oh, alcohol. Also, most foods also feature specific flavour elements, such as fat, acid, salt, sugar, and bitterness.

For a genuinely sensual flavour experience, wine pairing is of utmost importance. It’s a game-changing feature that has complementary components and textures and similar richness levels. Another approach is choosing a wine with contrasting flavours to the food.

If you are pairing food with white or red wine, there are six components: fattiness, acidity, saltiness, sweetness, bitterness, and texture. How each of these characteristics mingles in the food and wine will determine how enjoyable the pairing is.

Let’s get to the perfect food that you can pair with a glass of good wine:

White Pasta

You can cut through the fat in a rich, creamy white sauce pasta with a glass of a crisp, dry, unoaked white wine. However, if you want to improve the rich, creamy flavours of the pasta, you might choose a big ripe, soft Chardonnay or maybe Roussanne/Marsanne blend to go with it.

Prawns

There’s one ingredient on the menu for most Aussies: Prawns. Good, big, juicy prawns, tossed in chilli and lime or directly on the barbie where their flavours can blast on your palate.

What could be even better? Well, not to mention, an awesomely-paired bottle of wine is certain to take that height of sensory pleasure to the next level. So, let’s think about it, which wines are going to boost your prawns this year? Enjoy your prawns fresh and unadorned with Sparkling, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.

Lobster

We’re bringing out the big guns when it comes to delicious shellfish? For crustaceans such as lobster, you’ll need a white wine with more weight and luxury. Chardonnay is the first choice, and we have some top-notch Chardonnay wines here in Fraser’s that will pair pretty well with that tender, sweet, succulent flesh.

Salmon

There are a few fishes that are as popular in Australia as salmon – Aussies just can’t get enough of that delicate pink fish on our plates? Salmon steaks and fillets are massively flexible and wonderful prepared in virtually every way imaginable, and there’s no doubt that they’ll be gracing the tables of every celebration across the country this year.

Everything Earthy!

Pinot noir is a classic and perfect choice if you want to enjoy red wine for your dinner party. It has a wonderful savoury depth yet is light-bodied at the same time. The best wine food pairing you can do with Pinot noir are recipes that mainly emphasise earthy ingredients. You can opt for a truffle and mushroom dish, green lentils, and leeks. Here are some foods to give you an idea:

Cumin-spiced Red Lentil Burgers.
Lentil Soup.
Green Lentil Curry.
Mushroom Risotto.
Portobello Salad With Prosciutto.
Salty foods and Champagne

Dry sparkling wines, such as Champagne, typically have a sweet flavour that complements salty dishes. It has a refreshing taste that goes well with salty foods like:

Fried Chicken.
Steak.
Lobster.
Roasted Chicken.
Macaroni And Cheese.
Octopus.
Duck.
Pizza.
You may either go all out or serve a simple menu with Champagne. Who wouldn’t like a wonderful supper of creamy macaroni and cheese or pizza for a simple dinner? Champagne is a versatile wine that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Enjoy the evening with your friends by serving this classic wine that goes with almost any food.

You have a wide range of wine and meal options to pick from at Frasers for fine dining in Perth. There’s wine for every occasion, whether a formal supper, a cosy and heavy dish paring or a light meal.

You can try out different food and wine pairing and prepare for your next party in your spare time with Frasers. At the end of the day, you’re having fun with the people around you, and they’re enjoying your company.