Without a doubt, dessert wines help to enhance a good meal. The right pairing is essential for you to get the most out of it. However, you cannot just choose at random and hope for the best. You must take into account a series of guidelines and characteristics if you want to get it right.
Why should we pair wine?
Wine pairing is the practice of matching different types of wine with certain foods to enhance flavours and create a more rounded culinary experience. Although there are no strict rules and everyone has their own individual preferences, the goal is to find harmony and balance in a mouthful.
The main reason for pairing wine lies in the interaction between its components and the ingredients present in the dishes. Keep in mind that each product has unique characteristics in terms of flavour, acidity, sweetness, body and aroma. All of these can be accentuated or not depending on the food chosen to accompany it.
When a good pairing is achieved, flavours and aromas intertwine harmoniously, creating an enriched sensory experience. For example, a red wine with soft tannins balances and softens the fat of a red meat, while a white wine with vibrant acidity enhances fresh seafood.
What’s more, contrasts are very important in wine pairing, as they create an interesting and exciting tasting experience. For example, thanks to their effervescence and acidity, sparkling wines, like Lumen Brut Reserva from Bodegas Bilbainas Winery can contrast fantastically with a sweet and creamy dessert, creating an explosion of flavours on the palate.
Guidelines for choosing a wine to pair with a dessert
As you have just seen, it is important to choose the right wine, as not all of them go well with every type of food. In the case of desserts, you should pay attention to several factors. The first is compatibility with sweetness. We must strike a balance between drinking and eating so that one does not overpower the other.
If you are looking for a wine for sweet desserts, you must consider that, if the dessert is very sweet, the wine has to match or exceed it a little. This will ensure that you don't perceive the drink as sour or bitter by comparison, which would destroy the experience. The same goes for the reverse. If it’s less sweet, the wine should match the food you are going to eat. In this way, you keep them balanced at all times.
On top of balance, the harmony of flavours is another key point. Pay attention to the flavours present in the dessert and make sure that the wine enhances them. In this respect, the combinations are limitless and will depend on both your knowledge and preferences. But, if you are going to try something with hints of caramel, fortified wines are a good option.
Finally, look for a contrast in textures. Desserts for pairing sparkling wines could be smooth and creamy. By choosing this combination, you get a refreshing feeling with interesting contrasts.
