A circle of friends has organised a 20-course gourmet dinner party and we were tasked to bring a bottle of wine each. Amongst these friends were regular wine-pairing experts who really know their stuff.
I went and picked my wine after some research but all along before the dinner, I was thinking...I know fairly well what I like, but what about the others? What if I got it wrong?
Food and wine pairing is getting more and more popular and I have recently even come across water pairing (believe it or not). Everyone around me seem to have a better educated palate these days and they are all throwing out big words like the nose, the tannins and what not.
This day I ask myself, does the snobbery pairing exercise really matter?
At the end of the night, even though I got a bit carried away, I have mastered the most important lesson in wine and food pairing. The essence was the fact that I was really wasting my time worrying about getting it wrong in the first place.
There are no rules as such. While you might want a sharp contrast on the pairing, I might on the other hand, prefer one that compliments each other.
Basically, if I really have to give it a rule of thumb, it will have to be the food and the wine itself has to taste great on its own. I mean, if the food and wine are more at the divorce end of the relationship spectrum, at least we will still be able to enjoy each on their own, isn't it?
And most important of all, it is the company that matters. As long as everyone enjoyed themselves, then it was a success on its own regardless of what the experts would have us believe.
Nice meal and a good wine,
definition of a good time!
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