Chandra's Cooking With Wine

For a successful pairing between wines and dishes, it is best to combine similar aromatic nuances. But we should bear in mind that a vintage is less flexible than a dish, where you can always add an ingredient to get the perfect balance.

Life is made up of combinations: well-matched clothes, music to suit an event, or wine to enhance a meal. When it comes to pairing, we can follow the traditional rules of etiquette, or go for much more daring or even exotic choices. Because there are a thousand and one possible variations. The most important thing, at least as far as I'm concerned, is that the products selected are in perfect harmony. Which is not easy by any means! When I began to think about the best vintages to go with vegetarian food, I realised that it was much easier to find a wine to go with meat than with a non-meat dish.

Key points

To achieve the perfect pairing, you must first of all consider the main aromatic element of the dish, whether it's a vegetable, a spice or a sauce. Are the dishes salty or spicy, sweet or neutral? You then need to think about how rich the food is: select a lighter wine for "light" creations and an opulent vintage for more substantial dishes. Another important factor: the cooking method Is the meat grilled, roasted or stewed? Is the dish served hot or cold?

As crazy as it may seem at first, have you ever thought of turning the question around, and choosing the wine before finding the best dish to pair with it? Tasting wine in advance allows you to sense its aromas and imagine the menu it would go with.

Seeking harmony

Regardless of its region of origin in Switzerland, Pinot Noir goes well with vegetarian cuisine. It can be served just as well with a high-fibre dish or a gratin. However, with a dish based exclusively on vegetables, I prefer to drink white wine. All options are available depending on the intensity required, from the delicate Riesling x Sylvaner to the full-bodied Chardonnay. Chardonnay in particular is a strong wine that can be drunk anywhere, holding its own with practically any dish. Although sometimes criticised by connoisseurs, rosé is an interesting option with vegetarian cuisine, particularly in winter when a sharp, fruity rosé can be wonderful. Wines from Ticino come into their own with pasta: this canton provides one of the best Merlots of the country (even if Valais has also started producing excellent Merlots), a variety which is a superb companion for tomato sauce with mushrooms and pepperoni.

If you're unsure which wine to choose, I suggest you open several bottles as I sometimes do myself, and let your guests decide, depending on what they have on their plates.

Asparagus and wine

The asparagus season in Switzerland will soon be upon us, starting in April. It's worth bearing in mind that it doesn't go well with all kinds of wine. I recommend serving it with fresh, lively white wines with good acidity and an expressive aromatic palate. Among the great classics that will do the job are varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling x Sylvaner, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Kerner or even Païen. They must be served cold, at a temperature of between 8 and 10  ̊C. The choice of sauce also affects the wine: while a rosé may triumph with a morel mushroom sauce, a hollandaise sauce can only be drunk with a good white wine.