White wine with red meat? Sure, says sommelier whose pairings work on a molecular level
- Francois Chartier recommends unusual pairings – sauvignon blanc and steamed asparagus, for example – based on science
- Forget what you think you know and try these three unexpected pairings, you might just be surprised
When it comes to wine and food pairing most of us adhere to the basic principle of white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat. Pairing expert Francois Chartier challenges this precept. He wants to “change the process because otherwise you always get the same result”. Inspired by new innovative culinary techniques, Chartier has met with food scientists to develop his ideas.
“My work consists of first tracking aromatic molecules to gather foods of the same aromatic families to create new ideas for recipes,” he says. “Second, I decrypt the volatile components of wines and other liquids to unite them with meals of the same molecular profile.”
An example is shiraz and black pepper, which share the same aromatic compound, rotundone. When the two are served together, Chartier says, “The flavour is magnified.”
There is a common belief that asparagus does not pair with wine. Chartier says sauvignon blanc and asparagus both contain the pyrazine compound and suggests serving this wine with steamed asparagus.
White wine can be paired with red meat, Chartier says. For example, Pouilly-Fumé made from sauvignon blanc complements braised lamb shank with coriander, fennel and star anise as both wine and dish share the anise compound.
Chartier’s molecular approach adds a different dimension to food and wine pairing, but ultimately it is subjective, with no right or wrong answers. Here are a few more wine and food pairings to try.
Domaine Francois Carillon, Puligny-Montrachet 1ér Cru “Les Combettes” 2014, HK$750
Francois Carillon started his own domaine in 2010. The grapes from Les Combettes are from 28-year-old vines. Primary fermentation is in oak barrels of which 10 to 15 per cent are new. The wine continues to mature in the barrel for 12 months and is transferred to stainless-steel vats for six months before bottling.
