The first rule for food and wine pairing I follow is to understand the intensity, the richness, the greasiness or delicacy of the dish and match it accordingly with an equal wine.

Hence the fact that rich bold tannic reds do not work magic with lean delicate fish based meals…

When it comes too beef, the first question is, what cut, how is it cooked and how is it dressed?

Grilled plain fillet, lean and juicy would not need a strong bold tannic red, but it would benefit best from a medium light, gently acidic, delicately tannic wine with or without a bit of age, say a Sangiovese Gea Rosso di Montalcino Paradiso di Frassina.

Different music would apply for a Rib roasted and with gravy, here the fats the gravy an the cut needs a full on, with structure and tannic in order to make love with it… Ciro’ Riserva Avita for example… If you use charcoal, the burnt bit will add an element of bitterness, therefore your wine should have a soft round velvety body leaning towards a marginal sweet hint in order to sedate that bitter burnt effect.

In short, and this is the reason why it is named Food and Wine pairing, the fuller and heavier in flavours food the fuller the wine, and viceversa ...

There might be some exceptions, where you could bravely pair a white with meat or a red with fish, but for that, you need to know the inside out of your food as well as, and most importantly the wine.

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