We could also adapt to the taste the principle of: "it is not beautiful what is beautiful, but it is beautiful what pleases", however this is possible only when the flavors of the wine should not be combined with those of the dishes, since in this case an incorrect combination could give unpleasant sensations for both.
When the wine must be combined with a dish, perhaps articulated, it is necessary to find one that can enhance its smells and flavors. This is the reason why a single wine during a complete meal is often a gross mistake, which does not allow the flavors to be returned to you correctly, also affecting the taste of the wine itself.
Of course, the issue divides and excites and knowing how to choose the right bottle for each dish, can transform a simple meal into an impeccable sensory experience.
Over time the matching criteria have become many and have undergone several variations.
the A.I.S. (Italian Sommelier Association) uses the Mercadini method, the one oriented both to the principles of assonance and to those of contrast in the meeting of food/ wine flavors.
By way of example, but not exhaustively, this method, in the logic of contrast, to bring back a feeling of balance in the mouth, suggests with a dish with an astringent taste the combination with a soft wine, with a fatty dish, instead proposes a combination with wines with marked acidity or great tannic structure. In the logic of assonance the method wants instead with sweet dishes, sweet wines.
Applying this very simple principle, it will be difficult to make mistakes.
However, if it is true that there is never a limit to perfection, it is then personal taste and practice that perfect the combinations, but also a practical rule: to the food of a land a wine of the same land. Below are some useful examples of pairing with typical dishes:
Fish dishes Street Food Desserts Vegetable dishes Cheeses and dairy products Meat and cold cuts