Basic Wine Knowledge for Beginners: Guidelines from a Sommelier

Red wine with steak. White wine with fish. Nothing too oaky and nothing too sweet. The drier, the better.

Sound familiar? 

While some of these concepts have truth to them, they are not universal rules. Sure, the world of wine is complex. From regions to varieties to glassware to price, wine is often shrouded in elitism and mystery. And with the number of people who uncork a bottle (or three) each weekend, shouldn’t the knowledge be a little bit more…accessible? Building solid basic wine knowledge helps navigate these complexities and replace some of the common clichés with a foundation you can turn to every time.

We’ve invited Rodney Murray, who has been working as a Sommelier and Bartender for the past 4 years based in Philadelphia, United States, to share some wine basics with us. Rodney has received just about every question and request related to beverages and pairings. He loves talking about wine precisely because it can be so intimidating. So, he’s put together this basic wine guide for The Gourmet Host to demystify the complexities of wine and help you gain more confidence in talking about what you like.

From simply understanding the components of what’s in your glass to the beginnings of pairing food with wine, this beginner’s guide to wine basics can be used as a resource and encouragement to deepen your interest in wine and food. 

A Note on the Basics: Essential Wine Facts

No two wines taste the same. So, how do we begin to understand what to expect behind the label?

Luckily, there are a few basic characteristics in wine tasting. When we observe and learn these basics, they help us see what’s in the glass as a sum of its many parts. Learning these foundational terms will not only help you identify what you like, but it will also allow you to be more nuanced in purchasing and pairing wine with food.

Acidity

For a moment, imagine biting into a lemon or your favorite sour candy. Feel the saliva rush to the tips and edges of your tongue?

Wines with high acidity make your mouth and taste buds water more. 

While high acidity is common in wines such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chenin Blanc are other wine types generally made in high-acid styles. These wines are usually crisp and have an element of freshness to them that makes them refreshing.

Acidity loves fat!

Wines with elevated acidity balance out rich or fatty dishes, striking a beautiful harmony between the food and wine. Acidity also loves acidity. Foods that are generally more acidic, like tomatoes or citrus-based salad dressings, pair well with high-acid wines. 

Sweetness

Widely misunderstood, sugar in wine is used not only to determine the finished style of the wine, but also to create balance.

While dessert wines are one thing, lightly sweet wines like a Kabinett Riesling from Germany or a Demi-Sec Chenin Blanc from Vouvray are delicious precisely because of the light addition of sugar. The zip of acid is complemented by a touch of sweetness. It’s not cloying or overbearing, but just right. 

Tannins

Have you ever felt your lips and tongue become dry after a hearty sip of red wine? Perhaps you notice it if you’re a coffee or tea drinker.

Tannin is the compound responsible in all these instances.

Tannins come from grape skins, seeds, and stems, but can also come from wine oak barrels. As a result, they are important in red wines.

Tannin exists on a spectrum, from low to moderate to high. Highly tannic wines create an intensely drying experience that is wonderfully complemented by foods with a fatty component. This is why ribeye, a fatty cut of meat, pairs well with Cabernet Sauvignon and other old world Bordeaux grape varieties like Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Body

A somewhat elusive concept, a wine’s body refers to its weight and texture.

What does the wine feel like? Is it like sipping on water or honey? 

While few wines are as viscous as honey, the texture of different wines does vary greatly. When determining a wine’s body and considering with it what food to pair, a simple adage to remember is “like with like.”

Light-bodied wines like Pinot Grigio or Albarino work with lighter style dishes. Think simple seafood or crudos. Full-bodied wines like Chardonnay from California or Syrah from the Rhone Valley will pair with more robust foods like fattier fish or hearty stews.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a major component in wine, which varies greatly based on style and region, and can be discerned by how “hot” the wine feels. It might create a warming sensation in your throat or a slight burn in your nose when you smell. If you notice this response, the wine is likely higher in alcohol.

This might sound unpleasant, but alcohol is a key factor that brings a wine into balance.

When complemented by high tannin, a wine with high alcohol will have more body, giving it a fuller and richer texture on the palate. A high alcohol, low-tannin wine, however, will likely taste out of balance.

While white wines are generally lower in alcohol than red wines, alcohol is a necessary consideration in both styles.

Heavy on the Spice, Low on the Alcohol

Generally speaking, avoid hot or spicy food if you’re drinking a wine high in alcohol. Alcohol content can exacerbate the heat in food, turning something with a touch of piquancy into something too spicy (and acidic for the tummy).

Four Food and Wine Pairing Basics

Wine and food pairings can be intimidating. Knowing the fundamentals of what’s in your wine glass is only one piece of the puzzle. Knowing how and where to pair it is the other. 

There is a wide range of experts and a lot of jargon that make wine pairings seem opaque and impossible to understand. While food and wine pairings can be complex, the fundamental truth stems from curiosity. Your food and wine pairings can be as simple or as complex as you would like. 

With that said, here are some general options or guidelines to consider when pairing your food with wine. Remember that these are only suggestions and can be used as a jumping-off point for further exploration.

1. Match Intensity

Match Intensity

How complex are your food and wine?

Simply prepared dishes like grilled or roasted fish, easy salads, or vegetables pair well with low-fuss, crisp wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. In other words, an easy dinner is complemented by an easy wine.

Matching intensity is also about matching the occasion. 

There’s almost no sense in opening that expensive bottle of wine like that Cabernet Sauvignon you’ve been saving if you’re preparing a simply roasted chicken for dinner. Save that nice bottle for something special like steak in a creamy béarnaise sauce or duck.

2. Play with Balance

Contrasting and complementing complex flavors can each create dynamic balance.

A common pairing is a sweet wine, like an off-dry wine like Riesling, with spicy foods, such as Thai or Indian cuisine. The contrasting sweetness and body of the wine help to tame the heat from the food.

Pairing for congruence: On the other hand, complementing the richness of a buttery, creamy pasta sauce with a fuller-bodied white wine like Chardonnay or Viognier creates congruency between the wine and food, deepening the flavors of both.

4. Consider Regional Pairing

What grows together, goes together.

This classic approach to pairing is rooted in tradition. Prior to transcontinental trade, local wines were naturally served with local foods, setting the stage for regional traditions of food and wine pairings.

For example, Italian Chianti is an ideal match for tomato-based pasta sauces, while a Spanish Rioja pairs beautifully with tapas like chorizo and Manchego cheese.

These regional pairings work so harmoniously because the wine and the food have evolved together over time. 

3. When in Doubt, Go for Sparkling 

If the wine basics are already feeling overwhelming, and you’re feeling put on the spot, go for bubbles. Sparkling wines like Champagne, Prosecco, and Cava are versatile.

Their high acidity makes them food-friendly and easy to enjoy with small bites, while some grower Champagne is highly gastronomic and complex.

If you’re ever unsure of what to pair, a sparkling wine is often a safe, delightful, and celebratory choice. 

Time To Put That Basic Wine Knowledge To The Test!

While food and wine pairing can seem like an art reserved for sommeliers, wine basics are accessible to anyone willing to experiment.

Beginning from a place that interests you is a great approach to not only see what works, but to simply learn more about what you’re eating and drinking. The key is understanding how to learn about wine in a way that builds confidence rather than intimidation.

The best way to pair food and wine is to choose the type of wine you enjoy the most, so try not to get hung up on “getting it right!” With solid basic wine knowledge as your foundation, you’ll feel more confident exploring new wines and pairings.

Stay tuned as Rodney ventures beyond the world of wine to explore the art of pairing spirits and cocktails with food in his next article.

Salut!