When we think about tailgating we thing first and foremost about food, someone said there is football involved, but we were busy thinking about brats, dips and a buddies smoked brisket. So when bringing wine to a tailgate it all has to be a truly food friendly wine! What makes wine "food friendly"? That is a term you’ll hear a lot, when it comes to wine. When we in the wine world say that it, it means that the wine is something that isn’t too harsh or too dainty. It is going to stand up to food but not overpower the food. These wines may be just fine on their own, but typically really shine on a table. So, more technically what makes a wine food friendly?

First thing that all food friendly wines have in common is acidity. A bit of acid goes a long way in making a wine great with food. For reds this is typically why something like Pinot Noir stands out as a wine that is food friendly across the board. Pinot has plenty of acid that means it can cut through the fattiness of something like pork, but it stays light enough, or elegant enough if we want to sound fancy, to not over power something like salmon. Another classic example is sparkling wine, almost all sparkling wine has high acidity to it, and this high acidity works great with a variety of foods, but especially foods of the deep fried variety!

Further most of these wines fall into a Goldy Locks zone. That is to say they are too heavy or too light, they are just right! Something like a Vinho Verde from Portugal has plenty of acidity, but they tend to be very light and can be overwhelmed by food. On the other hand a big Napa Cab may be great with powerful dishes like steak, but it really overpowers most other dishes. While wines outside of this middle ground can certainly pair with foods, they don’t have the universal appeal of others.

Another good rule of thumb to keep in mind when pairing is the principal of "what grows together goes together". If things have traditionally grown side by side, as simple as it seems, they tend to work well together. There isn’t much better than a bowl of pasta and the perfect Italian wine to accompany it with! While our repertoire of recipes has certainly expand over the last few decades to incorporate flavors from around the world, we still think this idea is a good idea to follow when we can.

Finally, here is our cut and dry pairing advice. Drink what you want with what you like to eat. Will that Bordeaux go perfectly with your chicken thighs? Probably not. Do you enjoy both the wine and the food? If so then perfect! While pairing can be fun, it is by no means an exact science nor a necessity for enjoying great wine, so go and explore the many combinations of food and wine from around the world!