Pairing wine with food can transform a meal into a symphony of flavors—where tastes, textures, and aromas combine to create a harmonious dining experience, enhancing both the dish and the wine. The right wine can elevate a meal, bringing out the best in each dish, while the wrong choice can overwhelm or even clash with the flavors on your plate. Understanding the basics of food and wine pairing opens the door to an extraordinary fusion of tastes.
Ashlee Cuneo, Certified Sommelier and manager of Miraflores Winery, is well-versed in this process. “Food and wine pairing may seem daunting, but it actually can be pretty simple if you don’t overthink it!” says Ashlee. “Typically, it’s relatively easy to pair wines with foods that share similar flavor profiles. A wine with peachy notes will likely pair well with dishes that include peaches.” She also shares that, at its most basic level, you can select a wine to complement your dish by matching colors. “A pink-hued off-dry Rosé pairs wonderfully with similarly colored foods like watermelon, strawberries, or raspberries. Even a dry Rosé works well with a strawberry salad—just be sure to include a salty element, such as feta cheese, to balance the wine's acidity with the sweetness of the fruit. Richly purple-colored red wines usually go well with grilled or smoked meats.”
Alternately, wines with contrasting characteristics to the dish they're paired with can often create a balanced experience. “A cream-based pasta dish can be complemented by a crisp Pinot Grigio, which helps to cut through its richness. However, it’s crucial to include an acidic element in the dish—such as a splash of fresh lemon juice—to match the wine’s acidity. Acidic wines should always be paired with dishes that have similar acidity to ensure that neither overpowers the other,” shares Ashlee.
Miraflores’ famous wine-pairing lunches have become a fixture at their 252-acre property, tucked away in the Pleasant Valley area of Placerville. Their old-world Mediterranean-style tasting room and patio blend seamlessly with the beauty of California’s gold country, creating a beautiful backdrop for an elegant dining experience. Owner of Black Hat Catering based in Sacramento, William ‘Bud’ Walters, is one of the talented chefs that has recently graced these amazing 4-course events. As Walters continually strives to push the catering scene into a more elevated culinary space with his business, his passion for food speaks volumes with his recent “moderately” spiced menu, offering a unique opportunity for Ashlee to showcase her expert sommelier skills.
Pairing wine with spicier food presents a delightful challenge due to the vibrant and bold flavors in these types of dishes. It often requires a demand for wine that complements the heat rather than competing with it; to focus on wines that offer a balance of freshness and a touch of sweetness to harmonize with the spice. For dishes featuring chili peppers, garlic, or robust seasonings, wines with a slight sweetness are ideal. Chef Bud’s Elote-Style Shishito and Jimmy Nardello Pepper dish, featuring pickled fresno peppers paired amazingly with Miraflores’ off-dry Muscat, as its natural sweetness cools the palate and balances the heat. Ashlee paired the chef's Pepperfin Crudo Ahi dish, featuring jalapeños, with their Sparkling Brut. The high acidity of the wine cut through the richness and spice of this dish perfectly.
For those who prefer red wine, consider lighter, fruit-forward varieties with soft tannins. A chilled glass of Grenache or a fruity Pinot Noir pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, mole-type sauces, or spicy salsas. Ashlee paired his Cuban Mojo Pork Medallions, which feature both smoky and sweet notes, with Miraflores’ renowned Mision 1853. Made from the Mission grape and sourced from vines planted in 1853, this light-bodied wine is rich in red fruit flavors like pomegranate, rhubarb, and strawberry. Ashlee says, “Tempranillo and Malbecs are also great red wine choices to pair with spicy cuisine because they typically aren’t super high in tannins; tannins should be avoided with spicy food as the heat is accentuated by the tannins and can overwhelm the palate. They also have a great dusty earthiness to them which makes them ideal food pairing wines.”
There are plenty of additional guidelines if you're looking for more complex pairings but, generally, the wine should complement the meal rather than overpower it. Ashlee concluded, “The food should always be the true star of the show with the wine enhancing the overall dish. Ultimately, the goal is to create a pairing where the wine and food elevate each other, resulting in a balanced and enjoyable experience for the palate.”
On October 5th, Miraflores will host their annual Futures Release Party. Purchase wines before the event to receive complimentary tickets. Then, on October 19th, enjoy a Southwestern Harvest food and wine pairing amidst their beautiful vineyards. For more information, visit mirafloreswinery.com.
Ashlee Cuneo: Her Journey to Miraflores
“My interest in wine, especially growing up in Sonoma County, led me to become a Certified Sommelier. I was driven to pursue something dynamic and passionate, far from the predictability of a 9-5 desk job. I found a course through the Court of Master Sommeliers at The French Culinary Institute in Campbell, CA. My instructor, a Master Sommelier with an incredible palate, was truly inspiring. The program was intense but after living and breathing wine for months, I was certified in December 2011. I then started working for a small wine distributor in San Jose while staging at the Michelin-starred Chez TJ. After shadowing the wine director for six months, I was offered the position. A year later, I moved to the Sierra Foothills to be closer to my family and discovered beautiful Miraflores Winery, one of the few wineries in the area to feature chef-led 4-course lunches with wine pairings during the summer. I’ve been at Miraflores now for 9 years and working here has been the highlight of my time in the wine industry.”
Food and wine pairing may seem daunting but it actually can be pretty simple if you don’t overthink it!