Perfect glass of wine

Roasted Rack of Lamb and Roasted Beef Tenderloin complemented by bottles of Monterra Merlot and Delicato old Vine Zinfandel wines.This follows the general rule of thumb; white wine with white meat red wine with red meat. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

They say no meal is complete without being accompanied by the perfect glass of wine. But how do you know what wine will perfectly complement your meal? Let's get the best out of this year's Gleaner sponsored Kingston Restaurant Week by getting to know our wine.

But, with the wide range of wines that are available with a myriad of flavours, the hard and fast rule does not always apply. According to wine connoisseur Marilyn Bennet, "the most important thing to bear in mind regarding the matching of wine and food is to forget the rules. Throw out those complicated ideas about what you should and shouldn't do. Enjoying wine and food together simply calls for common sense and belief in your own instincts. So, this is your licence to eat what you like and drink the wine(s) that you like."

Getting started

The most important thing is that wine should not overpower the food, they should be in perfectharmony.

One of the ground principles Bennett encourages is, "Regional cuisine and regional wines make good pairings. Most wine styles evolved to complement the cuisine of a region and, therefore, it is a great and easy starting point. For example, order Italian wine with Italian dishes. Here again, discuss your selection of wine with the waiter."

Beef and steak

Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic partner for red meat. For beef and steak, try a Cabernet from California, Australia or Chile. Merlot is also an excellent choice.

Pork and Veal

Red or white wine can work equally well with pork. Aim for lighter reds like Pinot Noir or softer reds like Merlot.

Poultry: A wide variety of wines work with poultry, particularly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A full-bodied Chardonnay can even handle goose. Strongly flavoured poultry and game birds can easily handle red Bordeaux, Cabernets and Merlots.

Fish and sauces

Fish dishes go very well with Chardonnays, Rieslings or Sauvignon Blanc but, again, the balance of weight must be considered.

Pay attention to the sauce that has been prepared for the particular fish dish. For example, a rich, creamy sauce will need a wine of sufficient body to match the food and flavours that will complement the smooth, buttery creamy taste.

For example a dish with butter or cream sauce will go well with Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pasta

With creamy and fishy sauces, try whites such as Pinot Grigio and crisp Chardonnays like Macon-Villages. With red sauces, meat sauces and lasagne go with a hearty red.

Dessert

Sweet food is best with wine which has a similar or greater degree of sweetness. Remember that the sweeter the food, the sweeter the wine should be. Some sweet wines - Eiswein/Icewine, late harvest wines, Muscat-based wines, off-dry Rieslings.

But whatever the choice is, Bennett advises, "order a bottle if three or more of your party order a glass of the same wine. This will make your dining experience more pleasant as you will also experience the changes in the wine as the meal progresses. It would be a pity to find that just a couple more sips could make finishing your meal that much more pleasant but a fresh order for a glass of wine may arrive after you have finished eating."

So during this KRW, don't feel intimidated by the wine list. If you don't remember some of these tips ask your waiter to recommend one. "When it comes to wine and food pairing, individual taste is the final consideration", concludes Bennett.

Kingston Restaurant Week is the ideal time to take your food and wine pairing adventure on the road.

Bon Appetite!