Flavors match together in a congruent or complementary manner. Congruent pairings have many shared compounds that combine together and intensify. Complementary pairings oppose and counteract each other to create balance.
Acidic food
High acidity foods make lower acidity wines taste flat. Match high acidity foods with high acidity wines.
Rich food
A high tannin red wine acts as a palate cleanser to rich, fatty proteins.
Spicy food
A cold sweet wine with low alcohol will counteract the burn of spiciness.
Pungent food
Pungent flavors like Gorgonzola cheese match with wines that have higher acidity and sweetness.
Bitter food
Bitter foods magnify the bitterness of tannin. Try pairing bitter foods with low or no tannin wines with salinity and sweetness.
Sweet food
Sweet foods often make dry wines taste bitter. Try matching sweet foods with a sweet wine.
