To pair a meal perfectly, all of the facets must be considered.
PERFECT PAIRING FOR PORK
P airing meat is not as simple as you think. Cuts of meat — and how you prepare and cook them — make a world of difference not just to the overall taste but also to what beverage you pair with the meat. In the culinary world, fat, meat, sugar, salt and umami are king. Add in the complexity of how a meat is cooked and you are adding another flavour layer to the dish. To pair a meal perfectly, all of these facets must be considered. In the case of pork, imagine the sweetness of bone-in cured ham against its smoked ham cousin. Or judge baby back ribs smothered in sweet and spicy sauce against pork chops baked in applesauce. And then there is bacon — its smoky, fatty, salty essence lifts any dish. All of these dishes require different considerations by a sommelier. We’ve moved beyond the Pinots and Rieslings for pork — not that these are inherently poor suggestions. It’s just that pork is complex. Because we are dealing with vastly different dishes, don’t simply say “I’m having pork” when asking your wine expert about pairing a dish. Instead, explain the cut of pork, as well as how it is being prepared, cooked and served. You’ll get much more precise suggestions.
perfect pairings for COFFEE CRUSTED PORK LOIN WITH CRANBERRY MARMALADE
Bread & Butter Pinot Noir Alc 13.5%
New world Pinot Noir is a fuller bodied style than French Pinot, so it will stand up to a meaty dish like pork. The bright, fresh red fruit quality in the wine will pair perfectly with the cranberry marmalade. And the notes of oak in the wine — like chocolate, mocha, toast — will highlight the coffee flavours in the dish as well. For a non-alcoholic cocktail, a Red Sangria works well. A red non-alchololic wine with fruity notes will work well with the cranberry in this dish. Fresh fruit juices spiked with non-alcoholic spiced rum will match the spicy notes in the coffee of this dish. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Dornfelder is a German grape that shares similar qualities to Pinot Noir and has the same really bright, fresh red fruit quality that will pair well with the dish.
Dr Zenzen Dornfelder Alc 0.0%
SAVOUR MANITOBA | WINTER 23 77
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