This article first appeared on Swurl - www.swurl.co - republished with thanks
Drinking wine was never meant to be a daunting intellectual exercise. In fact, wine’s sole purpose is to provide pleasure. And yet, selecting the correct bottle in a wine shop or a restaurant can intimidate even the most courageous souls — never mind the chore of correctly pairing wine to food.
In the realm of “pairings,” we’ve developed the idea that there’s always a right way to do things — which means, there are plenty of wrong ways, too. Conceptualizing pairings has become a minefield in which the fear of a faulty move provokes shame and embarrassment — and that’s one of the most damaging elements of American wine culture.
The truth is, pairing is simple. It’s hard to go wrong. Here’s the secret: Forget about violating sacred rules, or universal principles. With delicious food in front of you, a nice bottle, and good company, all will be well. And with that in mind, how did we get to a point where enjoying food and wine together became fraught with fear?
Thirty-five years ago, when I first joined the food department of The New York Times, a new book about pairing foods and wines was published, Red Wine With Fish: The New Art of Matching Wine With Food. The title was a playful heresy that turned the old rule, “white with fish, red with meat” on its head.
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