The art of Greek food wine pairing is something that all of us can agree is worth mastering, right?
You see, when you are able to pair wine and (Greek) wine perfectly, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how best your dining experience will become. You really want something that will give your taste buds something to talk about at the dining table.
Greek Food Wine Pairings
The art of Greek food and wine pairing can seem to be overwhelming, especially to newbies who are not sure what wine-food combinations will really bring out the tasty notes. However, why should this art be intimidating? Well, it’s in fact easier than you think.
For this reason, this article brings you amazing Greek food wine pairings that you can try at home to see what you can achieve.
But before we can look at that, you may want to know a few tricks here and there, because that’s where most of us go wrong.
The Basics of Greek Food Wine Pairings
Truth be told, if you’re to get the tastiest wine and food pairings, you must not only know only know the basics but also do your thing like a pro. You want to impress your guests? Well, grasp the basics and they won’t even realize that you’re an amateur. The basics we’re going to explore in a few seconds will go a long way to enhance every type of food you choose to match with whatever wine you prefer.
- Heavy dishes such as lamb and beef match well with intense wines.
- Similarly, light dishes such as chicken meat and salad are to be paired with light wines.
- Pair bubbles with salty foods.
- Pair foods with flavors similar to those of the wines. For example, if your champagne tastes citrus fruits, it’s important to pair it with food that tastes citrus. What this means is that you should always remember to sit down and taste both your wines and foods in order to choose only similar flavors.
- If you’re preparing a vegan dish, make sure to match the wine with spices. It’s just about keeping things simple but spicier!
- Always go for wines that are tart and sweeter than your food. Even though not all wines are sweet, make sure to get ones which can’t “steal”” the flavor from your food. Grab wines that are highly acidic than the foods you’re considering.
- Pair dessert and sweet wines with desserts.
- Match cheese with white wine. Though the “red wine cheese” is the theme for many a party, the truth is that red wine can easily overpower the flavor of cheese, right?
- First of all, know the flavors of both the foods and wines.
- Pay more attention to cooking techniques and sauces. And then see the main ingredients you’re going to use.
And then, you can always compliment and contrast when doing Greek food wine pairings.
For example, you can choose to pair a mushroom dish with a light red wine. Or a white wine with fish sauce.
But remember, neither the food nor the wine color should overwhelm the other. Do you get the idea? This last point goes down to matching red wine and white wine with red meat and fish sauce respectively.
Now, on to the best Greek food wine pairings.
What comes to mind when you hear fresh ingredients and stylish wines? We’re talking about veggies, fresh seafood, pulses, beans, olives, olive oil, yogurt, herbs, cheese, and such jokes.
Or in simpler terms, Greek cuisines that is. If you thought that getting the most out of Greek foods is hard, then relax a bit and read through to the end.
We’re going to look at how to get the most delicious and amazing flavors out of Greek food wine pairings. Know how to impress your guests.
Souvlaki-Shiraz
If you’re a dinner who has experienced the Greek barbecue culture, then you must agree that Souvlaki is the best natural fit for any type of barbecue, right?
Souvlaki is a Greek fast food that is made from pork; skewered pork. Usually served with tomatoes, pitta bread and onions, Souvlaki is meant to be enjoyed outdoors in any casual setting.
As such, look no further when locating the wine to pair with Souvlaki. Just grab some elegant Shiraz because it’s just finesse and it doesn’t overpower your meat.
Pair Baklava-Tawny Port Pairing
Desserts have also never missed in the Greek cuisine culture, so don’t forget to try out the popular Baklava.
They say that honey is sweet, and it’s even sweeter when coupled with chopped nuts and layers of pastry to make an extremely delicious Baklava. Another thing you’ll certainly like about Baklava is its sweet flavor and a crunchy texture.
The chopped nuts and extreme sweetness blends well with Tawny Port. Why? Well, Tawny Port has its own nutty flavor (we talked about pairing food with flavors of similar flavors, right?).
Spanakopita and Sauvignon
We’re talking about pairing Sauvignon Blanc with Spanakopita, Greece’s most popular savory pie made from spinach, onions, cheese, seasonings, eggs, spring onions, and feta.
Such an amazing combination of ingredients can leave you yearning for more of Spanakopita.
One thing you’ll like about this dinner meal is its lightness. In real terms, it can make for the best lunch or light dinner meal. What does this mean? You should pair it with a light wine as well.
It’s at this point that Sauvignon Blanc comes in handy. Sauvignon Blanc comes with feta for a natural affinity. And then it has grassy qualities that blend well with veggie flavors of the Spanakopita dish.
Moussaka with Nero d’Avola
You probably know Moussaka, the Greek oven-baked meal, or maybe you’ve heard people talk about it.
If you’ve no idea what the hell is Moussaka, it’s an oven-prepared dish made from sautéed eggplant toppings of cheese and sauce, preferably béchamel sauce. This all-in-one meal is just hearty and filling.
As we said earlier on, flavorsome dishes such as this one need to be paired with rustic wines. Get a bottle of wine with high acidity, or one with concentrated fruit extract. This leaves you with no other option except Nero d’Avola.
Prawn Saganaki and Rose
Saganaki is prepared on a heavy-bottom frying pan and then served hot on ceramic plates. Though most of us view it as a mere appetizer, it can make for an amazing main dish.
First of all, prawns are sautéed in olive oil before being deglazed in ouzo. When they’re done, toppings of feta cheese, tomato sauce and fresh herbs are added.
Now, prawn and dry rose? Its light fruit flavor pairs well with tomato sauce while the wine’s dry freshness blends well with the tartness of the feta.
Fish and Messapicus
Oftentimes, diet restrictions can cause us to shift to fish, especially during the lent period.
You see, we’re doing like Greeks, whether we are Greeks or not. So, on Palm Sunday, try haddock baked in tomato sauce and see what you get.
Oh, and don’t forget to smother in garlic, spring onions and plenty of olive oil. Because of the tomato sauce, yu may want to pair it with red wine. Find wines that can play the role of reds here. Maybe Puglia, Italy, Messapicus Wine, Salentino Riserva.
Red Meat and Jump Creek
Preparing your Greek lamb red meat with lots of garlic can offer you a good opportunity to uncork your favorite Shiraz. You see, lamp meat prepared as kebabs can make for the ultimate fit for such gamey meat.
That being said, get wine that has an earthy flavor and fresh ground flavors that can link with whatever red meat you’re considering. Some of the wines that are great with red meat include Jump Creek, Shiraz, Tria, Southern Australia, and California.
Flaky Fish and Cava
Haddock, Sea Bass, Pollock and other flaky fish are entirely fragile, which means that they need to be paired with a zesty wine that can potentially balance out their delicate flavor.
Fortunately, there are a few wines that can complement such delicate flavors. Maybe you can do Cava, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Vinho Verde, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Greek Food Wine Pairings to Avoid
Though we’re talking about how to make the most perfect pairings that resemble those made in heaven, there are also others that you shouldn’t dare try. You know, a bad pairing won’t impress you and your guests. Instead, you can expect nasty hangovers and bad tastes and flavors.
It’s fundamental to avoid:
Pairing spicy foods with alcoholic drinks. Obviously, spice come with a burning sensation that can be made worse by “hot” alcoholic drinks.
Iodine-rich fish with iron-rich wines. For example, you can pair mackerel to a red wine if you want to be left with a metallic taste in the mouth. But you don’t want that, do you?
Make Your Pairings Magical
To this end, you’re now in the know when it comes to making the best Greek food wine pairings.
What you need to do in order to make the experience even more magical is to bite your meal and chew, sip the wine, allow a few seconds for the flavors to mingle, and then, repeat that process for every bite!