| Wine and Food Deconstructed | Tough Matches | Weighing Food and Wine | Classic Pairings | Recipes |

Foods that decrease your chances of pairing success (caution with these foods):

Very salty foods

• In small amounts it does not clash and can even decrease red wine’s astringency
• In larger amounts it increases the bitterness and astringency in red wines
• Can produce a metallic taste with acidic wines
• Best success is wines with some residual sugar, full fruit flavor and no tannins (rose’ would be the best bet here)

Very sweet foods

• Most sweet wines have less sugar (percentage) than the sweet desserts
• Therefore, most wines cannot balance the sweetness of the sweeter desserts
• Very sweet foods can make wines seem sour
• A bitter beverage like coffee is best to cut through the richness

Acidic vegetables or foods with vinegar

• The stronger the acid in the food, the lower the chance of a successful match with wine
• Acidic food can be combined in dishes with sweetness or fat to assist in parings (using cream sauces for example)
• The strong acidity of fermented foods or foods with vinegar are best avoided

Foods that are hot and spicy

• Avoid high alcohol because it will make the food seem even spicier
• Well chilled sparkling wine if you need to have wine
• This is one area a cold beer may be a better choice