WINE-FOOD HARMONY: Adding flavor to taste

When we look at some examples, wine is a delicious gift created for our palate, which we can sip without asking for any accompaniment. On the other hand, if we choose it correctly, it is a perfect complement that can take any accompanying meal to the next level.

Food-wine harmony has always been a puzzle that enthusiasts have been trying to find the answer to since the time wine emerged. When the taste and production-oriented aspects of gastronomy combined with the objective analyzes offered by science in every field, it became easier to put the food-wine relationship on a rational basis.

When we associate the five characteristics of wine with sweetness, acidity, tannin structure, body structure and alcohol level with the structural features of foods, we can list the clues that will not mislead you in wine-food harmony:

• Sparkling wines are the best companions of meals, you can drink them with almost any meal.
• Almost all white wines go well with chicken dishes. Do not neglect the white wines made from Turkish grapes. Emir, Narince, Sultaniye are the first ones that come to mind.
• It would be right to consume pasta, rice and potato dishes with acidic wines. Sauvignon Blanc can be an example for whites and Pinot Noir for reds.
• Spicy dishes go well with whites such as Riesling and Narince with high fruit properties, and reds such as Gamay, Fersun and Kösetevek.
• You can also consume sauced and fatty dishes with high acid Pinot Noir, a red like Kalecik Karası, a barreled white Chardonnay and Narince.
• Red meat pairs well with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Acıkara and Boğazkere, which have strong tannins.

Of course, as important as the tips above is which wine you like. Another criterion that should not be forgotten is balance. The combination of food and wine, which we expect to add flavor to each other if the wine overshadows the food, may end in disappointment. It is useful to use the above tips to achieve this balance.