Pairing wine, spirits and cocktails with main menu items leads to nothing short of a flavor-enhancing experience.

BY STEVEN OLSON

Generally speaking, wines from cooler climates tend to work well with a wider array of flavors.

As we embark upon our culinary journey into the new century, American cooking has never been more enjoyable, and exciting, albeit difficult to define. American cuisine has indeed become perhaps the epitome of the American melting pot, the perfect example of the shrinking world, the global village. It embraces not only our own regional influences but, more than ever before, incorporates some of the very finest elements of the world’s most diverse and exciting cuisines.

In the early days of our exploration into the brave new world of flavor, we experimented with French and Italian cuisine, allowing each to become successful in this country in its own ethnic venue and incorporating elements of both into everyday eating habits. Just as our immigrant forefathers pined for the foodstuffs of their native lands, we began to see in the current multicultural U.S. populace a marketplace for many of the best elements of culinary pleasures from around the globe. Today, more consumers are becoming virtual foodies.

American cuisine today is exciting and experimental, yet can be grounded and intelligent. As consumers are becoming more open-minded about their food choices, beverage choices are also becoming more diverse and flavorful, especially when it comes to wine and spirits. And, with a little understanding, the art of pairing these beverages with foods is one that results in an enhanced flavor experience.

Expanding flavor profiles on the wine list
It is no longer enough to feature a standard wine list of just Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. While these grapes certainly can be crafted into exquisite wines, today’s customer is seeking more diversity, and demanding wines that are more appropriate for today’s exciting cuisines. It is the obligation of operators to treat the beverage-selection process with the same open mind with which they approach their choice of food.

Foods like smoked fish, shellfish and fried foods help buffer popular high-alcohol drinks like Martinis.

It is no longer acceptable for the beverage list to be an afterthought; each beverage is chosen for a purpose, and that purpose is to enhance the food. Wine’s place — along with spirits and cocktails — is on the table with food, and every offering should provide an alternative that complements the food.

In fact, think of beverages not even as complements to the food but rather as condiments — the salt and pepper, the olive oil and vinegar, even the mustard and ketchup. Beverages should be selected so that they enhance the food; they should actually make the food taste better.

The first rule to remember when choosing wines to complement the cuisine is that there are no rules. Often the best match is the least likely one. There are some general guidelines that can be followed, however, to help to assure an enjoyable flavor experience.

For a menu item with complex flavors, choose a wine that is less sophisticated. The more sophisticated the flavor combinations of the food, the more straightforward and basic the wine should be. Don’t bring on a competition between the food and the wine. Select a more subtle, elegant wine for menu items with flavor profiles that are not too spicy or complicated.

For very spicy cuisine, you would be best serving Beaujolais, a village Burgundy, a Loire Valley Sancerre Rouge or a lighter style of recent-vintage American Pinot Noir. In white wine, Northern varietals such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Tokay Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc tend to be the most food-friendly because of their delicate balance between fruit and acidity.

Generally speaking, wines from cooler climates tend to work well with the broadest array of cuisines. These wines usually have higher acidity levels and less alcohol. When faced with complexity of flavors, especially spiciness, add a decent dose of forward fruit, as you might find in the wines of Germany, Alsace, the Loire Valley, Northern Italy and other areas of the world where varieties from these regions prosper. Residual sugar, or just a hint of sweetness, like that of a German Riesling, will help to make white wines a more versatile match, particularly with hard-to-match spicy foods and Asian flavors.

Gamay and Pinot Noir represent two of the more versatile red grapes of these cool climates. Cabernet Franc also can be eminently versatile and, like the Gamay and Pinot, is often a best bet to satisfy all diners’ tastes, matching well with fish, meat or poultry. Other versatile and particularly food-friendly red wines include Italian varietals like Barbera or Sangiovese, Spanish reds like Tempranillo, Rhone varietals like Syrah (or Shiraz) and some American Zinfandels.

Sparkling wines and champagne can also be a safe bet with a variety of flavors, because they rarely offend. However, though it often creates stunning pairings with many foods, be cautious not to overpower the delicate nuances of an expensive French champagne with an overly aggressive or spicy dinner.

One of the most rewarding guidelines to follow may seem obvious to many, and yet is all-too-often overlooked. When working with a traditionally made wine of a specific growing region, especially from the Old World, it is safe to assume that a menu item originating in the same region will taste at least passable, and often delicious, with the wine, or vice versa. As these styles of wine have evolved, you can usually rest assured that the vignerons have crafted them to taste good with the foods they like to eat.

While this may seem simple, and even obvious, we tend to create too much science and mystery out of matching food and wine. It is not the color of the wine that should determine what works, but rather the fruit, acid, tannins, alcohol and, perhaps most important, the texture. The flavors are actually secondary and are more of a “bonus.” If the structure of the wine complements the food or, more interestingly, contrasts with it, and the textures are compatible, then we can begin to examine similarities or differences of flavor. The bottom line is actually quite simple: If you like the wine, drink it. If you like the food, eat it. It is likely that you’ll enjoy them together.

Beyond bar snacks: pairing spirits with food
One of the most exciting trends in restaurants and bars today is the concept of matching spirits and cocktails with food. This goes far beyond pairing with bar snacks to actually matching a drink with an entrée.

The first step in pairing cocktails and spirits is to create variations on the theme of your establishment. Work with the chef to use ingredients that mirror the menu and enhance the cuisine. Incorporate spices, fruits, sauces and even garnishes found within the menu itself. Create cocktails that are balanced, appealing, refreshing and delicious without any food. Keep in mind that crisp acidity in your cocktail is crucial for balance and for inspiring great food matches.

As with wine, when pairing with menu items, consider the components of the food as the building blocks, and evaluate your cocktail in the same way. It is the balance of acid to fruit and/or sweetness that will make or break your match. Textural elements are the components: sweet, salty, sour, bitter or astringent.

Whether you prefer to seek out similarities or contrasting elements in the components, you must be sure to match texture. The richness factor is essential; do not allow the drink to overpower the food, or vice versa.

The alcohol level becomes a major factor here. It is easy to overwhelm a subtle menu item with a drink that is too strong. Match high-alcohol cocktails with foods that soften alcohol, such as shellfish, full-bodied meats, rich sauces, cheese or dairy and sweet desserts. Mixed drinks are usually easier to match with food than straight spirits, because the alcohol has been softened by the mixers. The very definition and purpose of a Classic Cocktail is to soften the alcohol but enhance the intrinsic qualities of the spirit, so that the flavors of the spirit shine through the mixer(s).

It is crucial to use premium spirits when matching with food, and of course, premium cocktails should be made with only the freshest and highest-quality ingredients, particularly the base spirit.

Fried foods, smoked fish and shellfish like oysters, shrimp, crab and lobster make appealing matches for apéritif-type cocktails made with white spirits. These foods will help to buffer popular high-alcohol cocktails like Martinis, Margaritas and Cosmopolitans.

Cheese is often overlooked as a match with spirits, particularly with straight spirits. Dairy actually helps to soften the alcohol, and the texture is quite complementary with Cognac, Spanish Brandy, Scotch Whisky and premium liqueurs such as Grand Marnier. These spirits are meant to be savored in a snifter and are appropriate with a cheese course, after the main course or with sweet or dairy-based desserts. Sugar actually bonds with the alcohol, softening its impact in the mouth and providing some potentially magical and memorable moments at the end of the meal.

When attempting to match spirits or cocktails to meat items or main courses, beware the alcohol level: It can easily stand out and overpower. It may be wise to serve brown or oak-aged spirit-based cocktails with mixers to increase texture and richness while softening the alcoholic impact.

After matching textures and finding interesting component contrasts or similarities that enhance both the drink and the food, you can begin to play around with the flavors.

Take small steps at first. Try pairing with just one or two appetizers. Or begin with the easiest menu category — desserts. Keep in mind that the key, as always, is to earn your customers’ trust, and you may find that easier to accomplish at the end of a meal.

Meant to be together
All menus should employ cross marketing. No food menu should be without beverage suggestions, and no beverage menu should be presented to the guest without food recommendations, whether verbally or in print.

There is an exciting new world of flavors being manifested in today’s culinary trends, and it is the job of the restaurant to serve the appropriate libations to complement those flavors. These flavor enhancements that are served in a glass alongside the food can help to create a truly memorable evening, if chosen appropriately and paired innovatively with the chef’s menu.