Spanish Food and Wine Pairings

When it comes to food and wine pairing, some will say that the wines from a particular region pair well with the cuisine from the same country. It can be argued that the unique microclimate and particular soils produce both grapes and food that naturally work well together and perhaps, over time, chefs will subconsciously adjust their food to match the local wine, and winemakers will adjust the wine to match the local food.

While this theory sounds very exciting and evolutionary, the real truth is, wines and foods match up when their elements are contrasting or similar and it does not necessarily matter if they come from the same town or from opposite ends of the world.

However, at the 2008 Worlds of Flavor conference, it was only fitting that the winemakers from Rioja, Rias Baixas and Jerez set up shop right next to the great Spanish chefs serving up specialties like manchego cheese, Iberico ham, Marcona almonds and spicy chorizo. Spanish wines are versatile, food-friendly and inexpensive, and while they do pair very well with Spanish food, they can easily be matched with a variety of foods from any region.

RED RIOJA

Rioja, the leading wine region of Spain, is located along the Ebro River in north central Spain. There are three sub-regions of Rioja: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja. The different soils and climate of each region produces unique wines that pair well with Rioja cuisine. Tempranillo, the major grape used to make Rioja, are further classified according to the quality of the grapes used and how long they are aged.

Young Riojas (vinos joven and crianzas) are fruity, inexpensive and easy to drink. The crisp acidity of a young Rioja matches well with the briny acidity of jamón serrano, while the fruitiness makes it a perfect foil for aged Manchego cheese. A young Rioja can also have a cooling effect when combined with spicy foods like harissa from Tunisia.