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At the request of UK listener, Peregrine (great idea, thanks!), we discuss vegetarian food pairing, an art that\'s just as easy or hard as with any dish. The difference is that in the veg world, we pair with sauce and seasoning and the complexities are many --and we dig into many of them!\\xa0

Photo: Pexels\\xa0

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We discuss my three step pairing process and how it applies to vegetarian food (also in the Wine For Normal People Book!):

1. Pay attention to the weight of the food -- heavy with heavy, light with light.
   • Examples: simple salads with dry whites or ros\\xe9,\\xa0Eggplant or heavy saucy dishes with heavier reds,\\xa0Cream or cream-based dishes \\u2013 northern European cuisines \\u2013 best with cooler climate wines
2. Figure out what the dominant flavor of the dish is and pair to that.\\xa0
   • Examples: Earthy veggies like mushrooms, root veggies \\u2013 earthy reds like Burgundy, or Barolo, Chianti
   • Mushrooms have umami: Burugndy \\u2013white and red are best, but there is nuance
     • Creamy dishes \\u2013 oaked white burgundy
     • Mushroom risotto: Arneis, Gavi, Soave, Fiano, Etna Bianco
     • Mushrooms with garlic: Pinot noir
     • Portabello mushrooms: same as steak: Zin, Malbec, Bordeaux, Cabernet
     • Asparagus or bell peppers \\u2013whites with higher acidity \\u2013 Gr\\xfcner, Sauvignon Blanc
     • Tomato-based dishes \\u2013 reds from Italy
3. Pay attention to the texture of the food and make sure it goes with the texture of the wine.
   • Structure of the food and the wine matter. Is the food salty? Chewy? Acidic? Pair it with the appropriate wine texture!\\xa0

Photo: Unsplash

We discuss MC Ice\'s favorite rule: What grows together, goes together\\xa0

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We talk about the best pairings for spice:\\xa0

• Sweeter Riesling or Chenin blanc, or fruity ros\\xe9s (NEW WORLD) work well
• Indian curry: A touch of sweetness helps, so does acid
• Bright Thai curries are better with aromatic whites
  • Fruity ros\\xe9, off-dry Riesling or Chenin Blanc,\\xa0Pinot gris,\\xa0Viognier
  • Fruity Merlot or Shiraz, Portuguese reds
• Stir fry with soy: fruity New World Merlot, Pinot, something low in tannin

Photo: Unsplash

We talk TexMex and Mexican:\\xa0

• Black beans/burritos: Albari\\xf1o, Beaujolais\\xa0
• True Mexican food
  • Crisp whites:\\xa0Albari\\xf1o, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, dry Riesling,
  • Riojas, Chianti, Pinot noir can for heavier sauces
  • Soft juicy wines can work with refried and black beans or adobo sauces \\u2013Beaujolais or soft Syrah, Garnacha\\xa0
  • No tannin, no oak\\u2013 kills the combo with chiles

Photo: Unsplash

Finally we discuss how salad has become so varied it\'s hard to make a good match. We leave you with some ideas:

• Very fruity wines: Chardonnay, Gew\\xfcrztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Ros\\xe9s
• Grow/goes: Greek salad with Assyrtiko
• Blue cheese dressing: Fruity, soft red \\u2013 Zin, Beaujolais
• Goat cheese salad: Sancerre
• Caprese: Soave, Fiano, Gavi

Photo: Pexels

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Thanks to our sponsor this week:\\xa0

YOU!\\xa0The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make\\xa0the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:\\xa0https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!\\xa0

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