The weight of each dish should match the relative weight of the wine. Protein provides the weight in most recipes, but it doesn’t have to come from meat, poultry or fish. It can come from many sources such as breads, grains, legumes and dairy. Even umami-loaded ingredients like mushrooms or soy sauce impart a protein-like weight.

When you drink wine, the alcohol can numb your palate a little and food can start to taste bland. Salt amplifies a food’s flavors, softens tannins and polishes mouth-puckering acidity. Likewise, acidity in food—which can come from citrus, vinegar, fresh cheeses or other sources—can temper the apparent acidity of wine. Make sure the acidity level of the food approximates the acidity of the wine so one doesn’t outdo the other. A squeeze of lemon is the ideal acid to use. It brightens up wine and allows its fruit flavors to pop on the palate.

When you determine the amount and type (animal- or vegetable-based) of fat in a dish, think about the acidity or tannin in the wine. For example, a high-acid white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with an acid-based fat like a lemon-butter sauce, fresh goat cheese or avocado-lime salsa. A tannic red wine such as a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon will do better with a protein-based fat: butter, cream or a thickened broth-based sauce like a demi-glace.

These ingredients are the wild cards in food and wine pairing, inspiring both “love it” and “hate it” reactions. We tend to stay away from such foods at Silver Oak, but if you like these characteristics, here are some truisms to keep in mind:

Sweet ingredients can help high-alcohol wines shine but will also make dry wines taste bitter or astringent.
Bitter ingredients such as radicchio, broccoli rabe or escarole can make sweet wines taste dry and dry wines taste bitter.
Sweet and sour foods can work with sweet or highly acidic wines but will wreak havoc on dry wines.
Spicy dishes can work well with sweet wines but will devastate dry wines.

The framework above is simply a starting point and should be a guide for your own creativity. Can you pair a flaky white fish with a big, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon? Sure you can! But try balancing the lighter weight of the fish with an umami-heavy ingredient such as sautéed mushrooms. And because the tannins in Cabernet Sauvignon cry out for fat, add a red wine-based beurre blanc—and don’t forget the salt! Or why not try a grilled flank steak with Sauvignon Blanc? The weight of the meat is heavy for the wine so lighten it up by turning it into tacos. Add a cabbage coleslaw as a counterpoint to the weight of the meat and garnish with an acid-based fat like guacamole. Done!