The art of matching food with the correct wine and the correct wine is the basis of food and wine harmony. The stuff is not rocket science and basically involves a keen sense of taste and smell and of course a love for wines. Earlier it used to be really tough for sommeliers, to match the perfect bit of food with the perfect wine, but now a days wine lovers have made their own judgment’s based on their experiences and of course there are also scientific methods of balancing food and wine.

Food and wine can both benefit by having the correct wine with the correct dish. A wine can accentuate the taste of a particular dish and similarly, the correct food can greatly improve the taste of an otherwise mediocre wine. The earliest food and wine harmony rules were made way back in the early 19^th century by European chefs who use to travel around the world. It is from there we learn that white wine can be served chilled and that red wine should be at room temperature and that a local wine goes well with local cuisine. Again it is from these people only that we also learn that champagne goes well with oysters, white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat.

Although those rules of earlier times still hold true today, there are now newer and possible more interesting rules. For example people felt that certain strong red meats can be enjoyed much more with a stronger white wine. People also felt that highly fatty food goes well with high acid content wines because it helps cut the food with both accentuating the taste of each other.  It is also felt that a highly sophisticated wine goes well with non-sophisticated and non-complicated food items. Also local wines go well with local foods. For example a local Australian wine like a Merlot will go excellently with a matched local Australian dish. People have also felt that it is best to match heavy dishes with heavy, full bodied wines. Wines high in Tannins should be matched with high protein foods. Like an Australian Shiraz can be matched excellently with a high protein red meat dish.

Last but not the least, have a wine tasting session if possible an learn from the experience of others but then it is your palette that shall make the best choice from the recommendations of the sommelier.

Happy Wine Drinking!

The art of matching food with the correct wine and the correct wine is the basis of food and wine harmony. The stuff is not rocket science and basically involves a keen sense of taste and smell and of course a love for wines. Earlier it used to be really tough for sommeliers, to match the perfect bit of food with the perfect wine, but now a days wine lovers have made their own judgment’s based on their experiences and of course there are also scientific methods of balancing food and wine.

Food and wine can both benefit by having the correct wine with the correct dish. A wine can accentuate the taste of a particular dish and similarly, the correct food can greatly improve the taste of an otherwise mediocre wine. The earliest food and wine harmony rules were made way back in the early 19^th century by European chefs who use to travel around the world. It is from there we learn that white wine can be served chilled and that red wine should be at room temperature and that a local wine goes well with local cuisine. Again it is from these people only that we also learn that champagne goes well with oysters, white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat.

Although those rules of earlier times still hold true today, there are now newer and possible more interesting rules. For example people felt that certain strong red meats can be enjoyed much more with a stronger white wine. People also felt that highly fatty food goes well with high acid content wines because it helps cut the food with both accentuating the taste of each other.  It is also felt that a highly sophisticated wine goes well with non-sophisticated and non-complicated food items. Also local wines go well with local foods. For example a local Australian wine like a Merlot will go excellently with a matched local Australian dish. People have also felt that it is best to match heavy dishes with heavy, full bodied wines. Wines high in Tannins should be matched with high protein foods. Like an Australian Shiraz can be matched excellently with a high protein red meat dish.

Last but not the least, have a wine tasting session if possible an learn from the experience of others but then it is your palette that shall make the best choice from the recommendations of the sommelier.

Happy Wine Drinking!

Australia is now a very big name is wine production and both the import and export arenas. It has numerous vineyards, bottling facilities and is one of the largest exporters and importers of wines, has innumerous online wine stores, wine warehouses and even wine clubs that hold tasting sessions every weekend.Australia has scientists who are working hard on transforming the traditional viticulture and winery techniques and replacing them with modern techniques and updated market strategies so as to eventually take the top spot in wine production and export. It is Australia that pioneered varietal labeling for wines. This means the wine made is named after the area it was made in rather than the grape itself.With moderated use of oak barrels and increased use of stainless steel vats, the country’s bold fruit driven wines are gaining increased popularity all over the world. Increasingly delicate wines are also being produced in the colder regions, thereby further adding to the already vast collection of wines that Australia can call its own.Some of the major wine producing areas in Australia include:

            •           New South Wales : Australia’s oldest wine producing region with dry and irrigated areas,  famous for the Semillon’s, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Sauvignon wine, Merlot wine, Pinot Noir etc.

            •           South Australia: Seems that this is one of the most profiled and popular areas. Some of the wines from this area include Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Concentrated Chardonnay etc

•           Victoria: is well known for Tokay, Muscat of Rutherglen and Glenrowan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnays’, Semillon’s, classy Pinot Noirs etc.

•           Western Australia: A small region based around Perth and closer to the Margaret River, this area has moist and loamy soil. Pemberton in the area is a region producing beautiful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.