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Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 6:54 am
by Howie Hart
There are many wine pairing charts and recommendations available, and they all seem to focus on a food item and then list wines that could be paired with the food. But what about going in the opposite direction? What if you have a wine and would like to have the food complement the wine? This actually can make sense, as often the bottle of wine on the table is more costly that everything else on the table combined. Granted, some wines are versatile, such as Riesling, Pinot Noir or Bubbly, but what about Lemberger (Blaufrankisch)? Gewurtztraminer? Pinot Gris? Sauvignon Blanc? Grenache? Zinfandel? to name a few.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 8:27 am
by Rahsaan
Howie Hart wrote:what about Lemberger (Blaufrankisch)? Gewurtztraminer? Pinot Gris? Sauvignon Blanc? Grenache? Zinfandel? to name a few.


I think many people around here probably do this 'reverse pairing' because so many of us carefully plot out the wines we want to drink.

But, I don't think it's a matter of just the basic grape, you'd probably at least have to get down to the region. Lots of differences between Alsatian Pinot Gris and Pfalz Grauburgunder or Italian Pinot Grigio.

That said, the one standard idea is that I'll sometimes add black olives to a syrah dish, just to play off those notes in the wine.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 8:31 am
by Tom Troiano
Howie,

I do what you call reverse pairing all the time and I think its very common.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 10:36 am
by Howie Hart
Tom Troiano wrote:Howie,
I do what you call reverse pairing all the time and I think its very common.
I do too, but I've never seen a chart or collection of suggested reverse pairings. Back labels often have suggestions, but.... Two of my favorite, fun pairings are boiled lobster with Vouvray and recently I discovered Beef Stroganoff with Gewrutztraminer. However, these were not reverse paired - the dish came first and the wine was selected to match. So, for instance, is there a dish that would pair better with Lemberger than it would with, say, Pinot Noir or Cab Franc? I'm thinking veal, perhaps.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 10:41 am
by James Roscoe
Eat local, ie eat what the locals eat where the wine is made, at least in Europe.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:59 am
by Brian Gilp
James Roscoe wrote:Eat local, ie eat what the local eat where the wine is made, at least in Europe.

This is where I start. I may branch off from here but only after paying attention to what makes the food of a region. Then I can carry those elements into another dish that will probably match well.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:23 pm
by Peter May
I don't choose food in a restaurant until I have seen the wine list.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 2:00 pm
by Steve Slatcher
Hugh Johson's Pocket Book does reverse, and forwards, pairing.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 2:20 pm
by Howie Hart
Thanks Steve.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 3:55 pm
by Jon Peterson
I recommend What to Drink With What You Eat (2006 Bulfinch Press) by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. First half of this 350 page book is the traditional what to drink with what you are going to eat. The second have is what to eat with what you are going to drink. Full retail is $35 but I'm sure you can get it for less.

Re: Reverse Pairing?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:38 am
by Steve Slatcher
Howie Hart wrote:Thanks Steve.

But there is only one page with reverse matches, so you proabably would not want to buy the book for that.