Unusual Food and Wine Pairings

There are some things in life which work better in combination. Very much like the winning combinations on a slot reel, when these elements are brought together there’s a moment of sudden realisation, followed by an epiphany of delight – and a feast for the senses. And just like the slots yielding a massive jackpot, so will your taste buds feel like they’ve won the day. Think beer and pretzels, peanut-butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, cookie and cream…

With people just giving in to their gluttonous fantasies more and more often, everyone is constantly trying to find even better combinations. One of the most undeniably successful ones is the good pairing between food and wine.

While we’re constantly on the look out to find the perfect marriage of food and wine, we thought you’d be interested to know about some of the more unusual ones you might never have thought of.

French Cuisine

Foie Gras is one of the most enjoyed delicacies in French Cuisine, and one made even better by a complementary glass of California Central Coats Rhone blend, or a glass of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. These rich and spicy reds are a perfect contrast to the fatty goose or duck liver, and together they leave you with a delicious silky texture in your mouth.

Of course, French Cuisine is famous around the world, and there are many other delicacies you can try. One of those is Garlic Snails and, if you can master the knack of getting these tricky little suckers out of their shells, you’ll find them perfectly accompanied by the aromatic intensity of a Californian Zinfandel. You also can’t go to France without trying the local Brie, and this beautiful, floral and nutty soft cheese deserves to be eaten alongside a glass of French Champagne.

The French also produced French Fries – but you wouldn’t think of pouring vinegar on them in France, where they’re considered to go much better with a sweet, fruity Merlot.

Oriental Cuisine

There are so many great Oriental themed tasty treats that it’s hard to narrow down many of the perfect food and wine combinations. However, nights out at a Sushi Bar are becoming more and more popular with foodies. Sushi mainly comprises a mix of rice, seafood, vegetable and fruits, and the mix of these ingredients means it blends perfectly with a glass (or a bottle) of Sparkling Rose – as its intense fruitiness accentuates the aromatic rice used in this Japanese delicacy.

The world also loves a good Indian Curry, but while many curry fans love trying to quench their Vindaloo-powered thirst with a few pints of Kingfisher Lager, it could be time to substitute the beer with a bottle of Vinho Verde. This Portuguese wine is characterised by its fruitiness and lightness, which means it not only cools the palate, but will also quench a deep thirst brought on by the hotness of chillies.

Mexican Cuisine

India isn’t the only food that worships chillies though, and Mexican Food is also renowned for packing a punch that can leave you needing to quench a raging thirst. One spicy little Mexican treat that are very popular are Tacos, and these rich and spicy meat parcels go perfectly with a glass of Barbera d’Alba – as this little fruity and acidic number cuts through all that richness. However, not all Mexican Food is spicy, and a bowl of Chips and Guacamole is best served with a Beaujolais Gamay – a pairing that’s perfect for a fiesta, followed by siesta.

Meanwhile, the Mexicans also make their own version of Chorizo using chillies. This traditional Spanish pork sausage, which is one of my all-time favourite tasty treats, is more commonly flavoured with Paprika. As Chorizo is Spanish, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that it would be best paired with a good old Spanish Rioja, but wine connoisseurs from around the world reckon that enjoying the bubbliness and fruitiness of the Australian Sparkling Shiraz alongside Spanish Chorizo is a truly taste bud titillating experience.

Meat and Burgers

Finding the perfect wine to accompany Venison is something that foodies have been trying to do since… the times of Robin Hood at the very least. However, Robin would have had to have gone on holiday to Germany to find himself a Mosel Riesling. What, a white wine with red meat? I hear you say. Try it! It might seem like a gamble at first (but if you really want to gamble, check out our best rated casinos), but you can only win. This flowery wine simply brings out the earthy flavours of Venison like no other, especially when the Venison has been treated with some serious love by pan frying it with shallots and blueberries – YUM!

Who doesn’t love a good old burger too but, whilst a nice glass of ice-cold cola may be most people’s idea of the ideal drink to accompany a hamburger – that’s not true when it’s a delicious Salmon Burger we’re talking about. No matter where your salmon is caught, it’s time to try one of Greece’s best white wines – a antorini Assyrtiko which, as the name suggests, is made from grapes indigenous to the Greek Island of Santorini.

In between any of these great dishes, you may find you also want a palate cleanser such as a delicious Green Apple Sorbet. However, whilst sorbet may traditionally be served on its own, we think it cleanses the palate even better when accompanied by a Fino Sherry – as its acidic yet sweet nature really enhances the matching qualities of the green apples.

Desserts

But that’s enough about savoury dishes: it’s time to talk about our best desserts, and I bet you’ve never thought that there are perfect wines to accompany Red Velvet Cup Cakes, Donuts, and even popcorn.

If you love Red Velvet Cup Cakes, why not make it a double delight by cracking open a bottle of Australian Shiraz for the perfect deliciously smooth all red combination. You can also get double the delight from the humble sugary-ringed donut by pouring yourself a glass of Moscato d’Asti. Donuts may be stodgy, but this bubbly and fruity little Italian number makes them feel lighter with every delicious mouthful.

Last, but by no means least, it could be worth sneaking a bottle of good old Chardonnay into the cinema when you fancy a night at the movies. Okay, we know that you really shouldn’t – it’s just that the creamy and buttery characteristics of this popular French Classic are a match made in movie heaven with the warm and toasty flavours of everyone’s favourite cinema snack – Popcorn!

I’d like to take up the slot reel analogy we started this article off with. It’s true, unlike at casinos, where you can actually get to win real money if your slot draws a winning combination, there’s none to be made from these duets. The win is all in the experience and the memory you take with you. As the famous saying goes – in vino veritas, in wine, truth. While you may not agree with the above pairings, you cannot deny the fact that, in most cases, wine will taste good regardless.