Food and wine pairings

[Lesley C]

Hi Jancis. Thanks for taking time to enlighten our wine knowledge.

I was wondering what you think about so many wine writers leaping on to the food and wine pairings bandwagon? This task appears to have been attributed to the wine camp. Strange. I have met many wine writers who seem so focused on wine that food seems an afterthought. In fact, many I know seem completely disinterested in food. How can they suddenly be telling us that turkey teriyaki pairs well with Cotes-du-Rhone wines and such? Do you see this as an attempt for wine writers to get more column space? Is this just the logical evolution of sommeliers who begin writing about wine? How do you feel about food writers suggesting wine pairings?

Also, do you think it is more sensible to suggest wine pairings with a precise bottle over a region or specific appelation?

[Jancis Robinson]

I too am deeply suspicious of a too-specific wine and food match. I suspect that in some countries, the US in particular, going the food route makes wine seem less evil. In France of course, wine knowledge is assumed to be vested in those who know about food. I'd like to see less of a barrier between 'food experts' and 'wine exerts' as after all the consumer enjoys these two things together - along with travel often. I used to say in my days at the London Sunday Times that I wanted to be Good Times Correspondent rather than just Wine Correspondent.

I'd be quite happy for food writers (e g my husband Nick Lander of the FT) to make wine suggestions - but I think a lot of the food writers I know are more nervous of making fools of themselves over wine than vice versa.

In my book, perfect combos do exist but it can be tedious to track them down and so I'd really only expect a sommelier in the sort of restaurant with a very limited menu cooked day after day to have worked out exactly which wine(s) on his list go best with with dishes. Otherwise I just eat and drink what I happen to feel like and it usually works pretty well.