Wine & Meat Cuisine – Grape to Glass

When looking to pair a wine with meat cuisine...

Try to focus on pairing the strength of flavours, weight and intensity of the dish in question with the wine. Wine and food are meant for each other; each enhances and strengthens the experience of the whole, they bring out the best in each other.
Consider whether a dish is ‘light’ , 'medium' or 'heavy' in nature - in general, look to pair a crisp, lighter-style wine with a light dish, a medium-style wine to pair with a slightly fuller dish, and a full-bodied wine to go with and complement a richer, heavier more intensely flavoured dish - and so forth...
Factors to take into account - Wine and food enhance and strengthen the experience of the greater whole, they bring out the best in each other.
Try to focus on the flavours in each different meat dish, the same way you think about the flavours in wine - as families of flavours. Lets look at your menu - as there are so many different wines in the world - there are so many varied ways to cut, cure, season, cook and serve meat cuisine - enjoy the journey.

Chicken Salad:

You are looking to complement the soft texture and flavour of the chicken pieces, plus the oils in the avocado, and any light dressing or herb seasoning used in the salad.
So you need a vibrant wine with good ripe fruit notes, light-medium in palate weight and with clean acidity or with very subtle oak characters to balance and release the flavours hidden in each bite.
❖ White Wine: A dry, light-medium flavoured non-oaked or a lightly oaked Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, a Grüner Veltliner and classic style Pinot Gris can also pair well.
❖ Red Wine: If the chicken has been smoked or well-seasoned - a light style Beaujolais, or a slightly chilled Rioja or Valpolicella can pair.

Glazed Ham:

You are looking to complement the more subtle, slightly sweeter favours and seams of thin fat in the slowly cooked, most ham meat and any glaze on the skin.
So you need a soft style wine, with good fruit notes, medium in palate weight and with soft tannins to release the flavours and cleanse the palate.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair with cured hams, though with moist, sweet ham pair with a slightly oaked Chardonnay or Grüner Veltliner.
• Red Wine: A Rosé wine, a light Valpolicella, young, light style Rioja and even a light style Chianti, a Beaujolais, Merlot or even a light Malbec.

Rabbit:

You are looking to complement the subtle sweet, gamey characters in the medium dark meat and the veins of fat and the subtle cooking techniques used.
So you need a medium intensity style wine, with ripe fruit flavours and good tannins and integrated oak to release the rabbit meat flavours and cleanse the palate
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair with gamey meat, though try an oak aged Chardonnay or a quality barrel fermented Chardonnay.
• Red Wine: A Rioja Reserva, Chianti DOCG, a quality Pinot Noir, and Grenache / Syrah blend will pair very well.

Roast Duck:

You are looking to complement the natural juicy gamey characters in the medium rich meat, the sweet fats and the different cooking techniques used to prepare the dish.
So you need a medium intensity style wine, with ripe fruit flavours, good tannins and well balanced oak notes to release the flavours in the Duck and cleanse the palate.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair, though try a quality oak aged or better still, a well-crafted barrel fermented Chardonnay.
• Red Wine: A Rioja Crianza, a medium to full flavoured Chianti DOCG, a quality Pinot Noir or a lightly oaked Grenache / Syrah blend will pair well.

Seasoned Sausages:

You are looking to complement the seasoning, herbs, simple meat characters and the sweeter fats in the sausage meat and all the seasoning used in the different types of sausages.
So you need a smooth, medium style wine, with ripe fruit notes and with soft tannins and balanced oak characters to release the flavours in the seasoned sausages and then cleanse the palate.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair strong flavoured sausages, though try a quality oak aged or better still, a well-crafted barrel fermented Chardonnay.
• Red Wine: A Rioja, a medium style Chianti, a G/S/M blend or a Merlot/ Cabernet blend, or a lighter style Syrah will pair well.

Lamb Shank:

You are looking to complement the rich, gamey, earthy flavours and the infused sweet fats in the muscle of the medium rich meat, due to the slow cooking techniques used.
So you need a fuller, richer style wine, with generous fruit flavours, and with good tannins and firm oak notes to release the flavours in the rich Lamb Shank and then cleanse the palate for the next bite.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair; though try a quality, well-crafted barrel fermented Chardonnay.
• Red Wine: A Rioja Gran Reserva, Chianti Classico DOCG, a quality Syrah, or medium style Shiraz, a Cabernet / Merlot blend, or a Nebbiolo will pair well.

Slow Cooked Meats:

You are looking to complement the seasoning, richer, slow cooked meat flavours and the layers of fat in the meat and the cooking techniques used for these larger pieces of meat.
So you need a fuller, richer style wine, with rich, ripe fruit flavours, and with firm tannins and integrated oak notes to release the flavours in the roasted meats and cleanse the palate.
❖ White Wine: It can be very difficult to pair; though you could try a quality, well-crafted, barrel fermented Chardonnay.
❖ Red Wine: A Nebbiolo, Rioja Gran Reserva, Chianti Classico DOCG, a premium quality Shiraz, a full flavoured, well structured Cabernet Sauvignon will pair very well.

Roast Chicken:

You are looking to complement the more engaging mouth-feel and richer flavours of the slow roasted chicken, plus any stuffing and seasoning used and additional moisture and texture of the skin and naturally released oils, and supporting vegetables.
A generous wine with good ripe fruit flavours, medium-full in palate weight and a dry style with balanced oak notes to release the flavours in each bite.
❖ White Wine: A dry, full flavoured oaked-aged, through to a full barrel-fermented Chardonnay, a quality Grüner Veltliner and a generous classic style Pinot Gris can all pair well.
❖ Red Wine: A light to medium style Gamay - Beaujolais, light-medium Pinot Noir, a Grenache blend, a medium Rioja or light Chianti can pair well.

Cured Ham:

You are looking to complement the layered sweet and infused seasoned, smoky notes and the sweet grains of fat in these cured hams.
So you need a medium intensity style wine, with ripe fruit flavours and with good tannins to release the sweet, earthy meat flavours and cleanse the palate.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair with cured, seasoned meats, though try an oaked Chardonnay or a quality Vermentino or Grüner Veltliner.
• Red Wine: A Rosé wine, a light Valpolicella, young, Rioja, a medium style Chianti, a lightly oaked Carménère or a light Syrah.

Bacon Pasta:

You are looking to complement the subtle crisp bacon notes, with the herbs and cream sauce and the texture of the Pasta used.
So you need a medium intensity style wine, with ripe fruit flavours, medium palate weight, with soft tannins and subtle oak notes to release the bacon and sauce flavours in the dish and cleanse the palate.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair, though try a quality barrel fermented Chardonnay.
• Red Wine: A light to medium style Chianti, a quality Primitivo, a light Pinot Noir, or a lightly oaked Merlot / Cabernet blend, even a light Syrah can pair very well.

Pasta & Meatballs:

You are looking to complement the seasoning, herbs, cooked meat notes and the pieces of fat in the meatballs, and in the pasta, sauce and the olive oil used in the cooking.
So you need a medium to fuller style wine, with ripe fruit flavours, good tannins and possibly oak characters to release the flavours in the meatballs and then cleanse the palate for another bite.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair, though try a quality oak aged or better still, a well-crafted barrel fermented Chardonnay.
• Red Wine: A Rioja Reserva, a medium to full style Chianti Classico, a G/S/M or even a Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon blend will pair well.

Beef Burger:

You are looking to complement the seasoning, spices, meat flavours and the mixed fats in the meat patties and the chosen additional layers and sauces used in the burgers.
So you need a medium style wine with ripe fruits, soft tannins and subtle oak characters to release the flavours in the juicy burgers and then cleanse the palate for another bite.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair strong flavoured burgers, though try a quality, well-crafted barrel fermented Chardonnay.
• Red Wine: A Rioja Reserva, Primitivo, Chianti Classico, a light Syrah, G/S/M or a Merlot / Cabernet blend, or a lightly oaked Malbec will pair well.

Meat Kebabs:

You are looking to complement the seasoning, spices, richer meat notes and the layers of fat in the cubes of meat and the grilled cooking flavours that have caramelized the edges.
So you need a fuller, richer style wine, with rich, ripe fruit flavours, and with good tannins and oak characters to release the mixed flavours in the Kebabs and then cleanse the palate.
• White Wine: It can be slightly difficult to pair; though try a quality, well-crafted barrel fermented Chardonnay.
• Red Wine: A Nebbiolo, Rioja Gran Reserva, Chianti Classico DOCG, a quality Syrah, or medium to full style Shiraz, plus a ripe Cabernet Sauvignon will pair well.

Wild Game:

You are looking to complement the seasoning, subtle spices used and the meat flavours and the layers of fat in the cuts of quality meat and the chosen cooking techniques used.
So you need a full style wine, with rich, ripe fruit flavours, and with firm tannins and quality integrated oak to release the flavours in the premium steak cuts and cleanse the palate.
❖ White Wine: It can be very difficult to pair; though try a quality, well-crafted, barrel fermented, rich, layered aged Chardonnay.
❖ Red Wine: A premium quality Nebbiolo / Barolo, Rioja Gran Reserva, Chianti Reserva, a rich Shiraz, plus a quality, full bodied, complex Cabernet Sauvignon will pair very well.