PORK |
General InformationThough pork is considered a white meat, this does not mean it has delicate flavours restricting it to white wines and light reds. Pork is a saltier, often smokier meat with fattiness, where certain cooking styles will bring out certain characteristics of the meat. For this reason, a wine on the sweeter side to offset the saltiness, acidity to cut through the fat, and smoky character to accompany the inherent smokiness of pork work best. There is also certain fruit flavours and accompanying flavours that go well with Pork, such as apples, pineapples, citrus. Certain dishes do well with spicier wines or wines with clove, anise, allspice, basil, oregano and tomato flavours.
In Depth PairingFor the salty and smoky characteristics of ham, bacon and sausage, turn to a wine that has sweetness to balance the salt and acidity to cut the fat. You will find these needs met in German off-dry style Rieslings and Gewurtzraminer wines. Gewurtraminer also contains some spice for spicier styled dishes of these meats.
For roast pig or bbq pork ribs, turn to Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Carmanere or a Zinfandel low in tannins and high in acids. These work nicely with the smokey and char flavors of roasting. Shiraz, Carmanere and Zinfandel go especially well if a spicy bbq sauce or tomato based sauce is involved. If the roast contains citrus, garlic and fennel dressing, look for a Rhone red, Chianti Classico, Hermitage, Pinot Noir, or Côtes du Rhône which will contain similar flavours. For a ham or pork roast doused in herbs such as cloves, turn to an oaked Chardonnay. Pork in a cream sauce goes best with a red or white Burgundy, unoaked to lightly oaked Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Pinot Gris and Vouvray. These wines have the acidity ot cut the fat of a cream sauce and the flavour to meet. Asian-Spiced Pork or sweet and sour pork, turn to Pinot Noir, Merlot Rose an Rieslings |
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Fiona Beckett @ matchingfoodandwine.com
Fiona Beckett @ matchingfoodandwine.com