This may not be the first time you've heard about pairing. This concept evokes sophistication in us and makes us feel authentic. gourmets when we pronounce it, but it can also bring up many doubts and questions. The first is undoubtedly “what is this about pairing?” Well, something as simple as the art of combining a certain dish with the wine that gives a better taste result.

The best pairing for each type of food

Pairing or, in French, marriage It means marriage. It is achieving the perfect marriage between our drink and the food we are going to enjoy.

Now that the concept is clear to you, it is logical that I ask you how to achieve it. This point may be more complicated but I propose a little trick to help you get started. You just have to ask yourself three questions:

• What are the characteristics of our dish?
• What is its main ingredient?
• Who could be your ideal partner?

Maybe now you're starting to get a little clearer. what wine to choose for your next meal. For our part, we wanted to create a small guide in which to highlight the main combinations of red, white and rosé wine, to end up giving you some tricks so that you can get it right.

Red wine

Red wine is the ideal companion for red meat. The most intense varieties pair perfectly with all types of cuts, but you will especially enjoy it if you choose a thick piece and cook it just right. The Garmendia Private Collection red is a great choice to enjoy a good Wagyu tenderloin just right, for example.

Red wines from lighter varieties are also a daring but pleasant option to pair different types of rice. In this case they offer a certain contrast with the flavor but do not cancel it out. We especially recommend it with rice, powerful sauces such as stir-fries.

On the other hand, the world of cheese is almost as wide as that of wines, so you can always find one that pairs well with your choice. Those that harmonize best with medium reds are blues. Meanwhile, cured cheeses adapt perfectly to powerful and mature reds, such as Garmendia Selección organic wine.

For those looking for a change of sensations, sweet and semi-sweet wines are a great companion of nuances for cheeses, be surprised by combining our sweet wine “Lágrimas de Santa Rosalía” made with Verdejo.

Finally, a surprising combination that works perfectly is red wine with chocolates and desserts based on cocoa and coffee. For example, the contrast between a chocolate cake and Garmendia red oak is spectacular.

White wine

White wine is instantly associated with fish and seafood. Any variety goes well with these dishes, whether sweet and floral like Albariño or more unctuous and barrel-aged like Albariño. Garmendia white barrel great selection.

But the pairing of white wine does not stop only at the sea. It is the perfect option to accompany poultry regardless of how we have cooked it. We especially like how it accompanies pickled red partridge or even pickled partridge with truffle when we are looking for a more daring touch.

On the other hand, although meat is usually the province of reds, when we talk about cold meats such as roast beef, carpaccio or wagyu caviar; White, like pink, also works very well.

Outside of more traditional cuisine, white wines harmonize especially well with Asian food. We place special emphasis on how well full-bodied, barrel-aged whites harmonize with the complexity of the flavors of oriental cuisine.

Pink wine

Rosé wines pair especially well with seafood and are also a great option so they do not mask the flavor of cold meats. Likewise, they complement fish stews very well and even meat stews that are not very powerful, such as a wagyu cocktail or pickled partridge.

On the other hand, rosé wine is the ideal complement to salads. It is the wine that best pairs with products that are not of animal origin. We recommend that you also opt for an ecological option such as Garmendia Rosado.

They are also our best option to enjoy a pasta dish accompanied with tomato sauce or a white sauce such as cheese or carbonara.

Tricks and tips

Now that you know what type of wine goes best with each dish, we want to share with you a series of tricks that will help you become the perfect sommelier.

• Think of the menu as a global experience: We must understand the wine list as a menu and we will never serve a heavier-bodied wine preceding a lighter one.
• Balance the weight of the wine and the dish, trying to make both of them similar
• Association or contrast: Food and wine must complement each other, either because of how well their flavors match or because of the experience that their contrast provides.
• Keep in mind that the way food is cooked has more weight than the ingredients.
• Let yourself be guided by your instinct: Dare to try and experiment