Many articles and books are written on pairing wine and food. The most important factors in creating the best partners are flavors and the weight of the wine, the flavors and texture of the food and its accompanying sauce. Tasting the wines is an invaluable asset to the chef in terms of matching weights, textures and flavors. The chef should be able to finely tune the course to the wine. Your chef may also review wine-tasting notes from various publications or even over the internet. These tasting notes serve as a guide to the primary keys in creating a match.

Note that there is a delicate balance between food and wine. One should not overpower the wine with too many combinations of flavors on the plate. In trying to serve many masters, you would serve none. Concentrate on the primary characteristics in the wine and food. The pairing should also favor or emphasize the wine. Attached with this article is a guide to food and wine pairings covering classical food and wine matches as well as some more contemporary accompaniments. Some general keys to wine and food matching are listed below and are based on taste components of sweet, salt, sour and bitter.

• "Official" rules do not exist. Many people will drink what is good without formalizing the process.
• Young white wines tend to have higher acidity. Acidity allows these white wines to cut through richness or fat while complimenting flavors in lighter dishes.
• Young red wines have higher levels of tannins as a result of their skins, seeds and stems incorporated in the winemaking. Tannins, a preservative, add firmness and weight to wine and direct its use to heavier food groups.
• As lighter wines are typically served before fuller bodied wines, later courses should correspondingly increase in weight. The density of the food is the primary consideration in matching to red or white wines. Food flavors then allow the closure to a final match.
• The differences between wines in a single varietal may be immense and should cause consideration between individual winemakers or vineyards. Take chardonnay, for example; the wine made from growers in Chablis is a light style with stone, flint and crisp apple flavors. Burgundian vineyards yield wines of immense richness built on layers of pear, honeycomb and almonds. A California chardonnay may have the rich vanilla and toast nose followed by exotic pineapple, mango or apricot. We are not even touching on the ways individuals treat their wines after harvest.
• Drier wines served before sweet wines have greater ranges to support food matches. Off-dry wines such as those made from riesling or chenin blanc support food matches because of the sweetness or saltiness inherent in many foods. Alternately, a sweet wine can cause difficulty with matches because their sugar content tends to mask lighter and more delicate flavors.
• The sauce plays a role in choosing the wine. Follow the stock base as a guide such that use of a beef base equates to a red wine and matches especially with a single varietal wine as an ingredient of the base.
• Wines paired with food from their respective regions are generally ideal.
• Dessert wines go well with cheese, apples or nuts but less well with sweet desserts unless plain or cake-like.
• Great wines will be impressive regardless of the food prepared.
• Note that as with many "rules," exceptions can be made and, in many cases, merit becoming "rules" themselves. The myth of fish requiring white wine is one such "truth". Red fish like tuna or salmon are appropriately served with some lighter red wines. Seared, peppered ahi tuna calls for a red wine such as pinot noir.

A question that may vex all club professionals is procuring the wines for the event. Wines are generally available, but not on especially short notice and particularly not when you wish to pour a highly rated wine from a heralded producer. You must work closely in planning out the dinner format with your local source for the wines. Target wines you would like to serve and obtain release dates for them. Reserve the wines with the distributor. The club should be able to have some of the wines held until the event without paying the carrying cost.

Should you have successful wine dinners now, you will likely have successful dinners in the future. Plan for them by utilizing a cellaring strategy in addition to the current market offerings.

A cellaring strategy is helpful for the following reasons

1. To assure yourself of a premier wine

2. To assure the necessary quantity is on hand.

3. To get the wine at an agreeable price.

4. To avoid inflated re-release or library pricing.

5. To develop a vertical collection of a particular wine for purposes of contrasting vintages at your event.

6. To ensure the wine has been properly stored and maintained.

7. To build a relationship with the vintner or distributor who will supply the wines and the key speaker.

A benefit of cellaring wine is that age worthy wine undergoes a remarkable transformation between the ages of six and eight. At that point in time, no retailer is carrying the vintage in the market. Few winemakers are releasing the wine from a cellar or library program and restaurants, in their typically shortsighted manner, have long since depleted their allocation. A premier wine's auction price may be greater than two to three times its release price (1990 Bordeaux, for example). The club may now be associated with the finest restaurants in your area because you have not fallen prey to the controller advocating inventory turnover nor the urge to cater to the American "drink 'em if you've got 'em" palate. The club has joined into the myths and legends associated with oenophilian sensibilities, serving vintage wine.

Matching of food and wines	Procuring Wines and the Club Cellar
Pricing	Glassware
Decorations and Appointments	Advertising and Marketing
Storage of Wine	Decanting
Temperatures and Timing	Conclusion
Food and Wine Matches