The basic rule always applies: taste remains taste - it is something completely individual and subjective. On the way to the perfect pairing, it is even more difficult that there are billions of possible combinations and there are no limits to variety and creativity. Therefore, there is no way around trying, trying and trying.
But we do have a few hot tips for you.
Our Tool
Our best tool for a successful pairing is the Vioneers taste profile. You can find it under each of our wines. Here we classify how intense and how sweet the wine is on two scales.
As you can easily see, we have made 4 gradations on both scales. On the intensity scale, we thus have the following gradations:
Light. - Rather Light. - Rather Heavy. - Heavy.
On the sweetness scale, you will find:
Dry. - Rather Dry. - Rather Sweet. - Sweet.
If you are interested in which wines are behind these designations, you can click on them or set the scales in the filter section of our shop under "Our Assortment".
Pairing with the Intensity Scale
Light wine – what goes with it?
Wines with an intensity of 1 on our taste profile are classified as light wines. Light wines generally go well with fresh, summery, and uncomplicated dishes. Ingredients such as citrus fruits, berries, or vegetables are excellent.
Discover the most exciting wines for light dishes: Here...
Example: My favorite combination is a delicious mixed salad with a few prawns and lime juice. Wine and salad are both light, go great together, and are suitable as an appetizer or summer dish for hot days.
Rather light - Which wine goes with soup?
Light warm dishes like soups or pasta dishes with light sauces receive an intensity rating of 2 in the taste profile. They need a wine that is slightly more intense than the wine I introduced earlier.
My pairing recommendations are our wines with an intensity level of 2.
Example: This always works: Spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce, whole cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan is one of my favorites. Add the Rosé from Lange Twins Winery from California and the day is saved.
Rather heavy: Spicy and full-bodied wine
If a wine is spicier, more full-bodied, and more intense, we classify it as an Intensity 3 wine. Spicy and fatty dishes go well with intense wines. This includes grilled and roasted dishes, fried or gratin dishes.
If you have a somewhat heartier dish, our wines with an intensity of 3 are the perfect match.
Example: Smoked trout with roasted potatoes is quite hearty and flavorful. The Cremant D’Alsace Brut Millésime from Alsace can stand up to it. A nice pairing for a festive Sunday.
What food goes with heavy, intense wines with strong aromas?
Heavy wines (intensity 4 in the taste profile) are the perfect companions for dishes with strong aromas. Peppery, spicy, bitter or very fatty nuances in food require an opponent on an equal footing. Roasted aromas or smoke aromas also fall into this category.
To find the best heavy wines, filter on our website by an intensity of 4.
Example: A good grilled steak with lots of roasted aromas and a good amount of pepper needs an intense companion. The Block B with its spicy tannin is ideal for this.
Pairing with a Focus on Sweetness
The second scale of the Vioneers taste profile only shows the subjective sweetness of a wine. It is harder to classify which wine will taste good with which dish here, as the perception of sweetness strongly depends on the season, physical condition and ambience. Moreover, the question of sweetness is a matter of type or mood. It cannot be generalized here.
Pairing with a Focus on Geography
A secret tip from our sommelier Theresa is the "geography" factor. It's obvious, as origin is paramount when it comes to wine.
Sommelier Theresa recommends:
"If you know a bit about the typical cuisine of a wine's country of origin, you should try to primarily pair typical dishes with that wine. It gets exciting when you create a conscious and unexpected contrast within a country."
There are a handful of exciting thoughts here. On the one hand, the regional aromas of a country naturally reflect the terroir in the wine. It is in the nature of aromas to want to cling to similar aromas and thus complement them. Thus, for example, for a heavy Sicilian red wine, a racy pasta dish with deep dark tomato sauce and meat or an arancino (a fried Sicilian rice ball with a meat filling) would be a perfect pairing.
Another exciting trick, also with regard to geography, is the use of contrasts to create tension. For example: a well-aged noble wine from Napa Valley - many years in barrique barrels - delicate licorice and caramel notes... and with it a cheeky pulled beef burger with fries and mayonnaise. Nobody expects it, everyone loves it.
The Perfect Pairing
Achieving the perfect pairing is utopian. On the one hand, harmony, contrast, and "the perfect match" are simply not measurable. On the other hand, tastes are known to differ. We see the whole thing as a worthwhile game that in any case (both in success and failure) challenges and sharpens the taste buds. Like so many things, pairing is also a matter of practice.
