Miltons Restaurant

Most wines are produced as an accompaniment to food, and there are many established guidelines for matching food with wine successfully.

There is no single choice of wine to be drunk with a certain dish, but some are definitely a better match than others. 

The first aim should be to match the weight of the food with that of the wine.

Rich heavy foods; like game, and red meat casseroles, need a full-bodied wine.

Powerful red wines are often the favored choice, although it is the weight of the wine rather than its color, which is important. Often a rich full-bodied white wine is a better match with meat than a lighter red wine.

Sweetness; Sweet food is best with wine, which has a similar or greater degree of sweetness. Rich sweet wines with a good level of acidity can also be superb with rich, oily food such as pate. For example Sauternes works well with foie-gras. Here the weight of both food and wine are similar, and the acidity in the wine helps it stand up to the fattiness of the food.

Acidity; Wines with crisp acidity match tart food like strong tomato flavours.

Wines of high acidity are good with oily food, as the richness of the food lowers the perception of acidity in the wine. A softer wine would seem flabby by comparison.

Tannin; in wine reacts with protein. Foods with a high protein content, particularly red meat, will soften the effect of the tannin on the palate. This is why wines, from a tannic grape variety, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz go well with roast meat and stews.

Light fruity red wines with soft tannin will complement white meat and lighter foods, and are pleasant when drunk on their own.

Examples of possible matches are shown on our wine list and I will always be pleased to discuss this with you. In the end it is your choice that matters.