Wine is such that even the most simple pairing can have a tremendous effect on its expression within the mouth… tarting the sweetness, accentuating the fruit forward, building its body, etc… There is a satirical piece by W. R. Tish (PN) at Wine For All about how one of the executive editors of Wine Spectator had some chorizo sausage and cheese with a Spanish wine he was rating and it complemented the Tempranillo so well that he gave it a 101 point rating, and then was admitted to the hospital for hyper-euphoria. The story went on to say (paraphrased) that food pairing has added such a dimension to wine, that an 85 point wine could easily become a 95 point wine, and vice-versa, and that because of this discovery, wine ratings will start spiraling out of control. Not necessarily a fan of the current rating systems, as they are not representative of how the wine rates to your/my taste, the message was well understood.
For many of those who are just beginning to adventure into the world of wine, one of the more overwhelming responsibilities is pairing wine with food. Even more burdensome is the thought that you may pair something so terribly wrong that the independently great meal or wine is inevitably ruined. This rarely happens of course, but that doesn’t mean the thought isn’t a source of stress for the uneducated. It’s such a great feeling to cook up a “gourmet” meal for your wife, friends, or family, using your Uncle’s famous recipe for lamb chops, or better yet one of Giada De Laurentiis’, Alton Brown’s, or Mario Batali’s recipes. Giada oftentimes recommends a bottle of wine with her recipes, as does Alton Brown, and to no surprise Mario Batali is a partner in Italian Wine Merchants.
Where does one go today to find a wine that matches a recipe your looking to prepare?. Some of the gourmet food sites such as Cuisine Solutions, recommends 4-6 different wines for each of their recipes.. (except the asian bbq ribs, as they feel beer is a better combination - anyone have a good wine recommendation here?) Epicurean.com touts themselves as the place for food and wine lovers, but yet wine is not suggested in the recipes. Food and Wine magazine has its gallery, but this is 2007… consumers don’t want pay for information especially with the plethora of free information out there. There are also others that try… MSN - The Wine Life, Wines and Recipes, Food Network…etc.
Wine and food, like Romeo and Juliet, belong together, and we are marrying these two lovers into one site. We just want finding a place to eat, a recipe to cook, and a wine to drink to be a simple, enjoyable experience.
