Milestone Investment Properties manager Ronald Newman brings more than three decades of supervision experience to the Washington-based company. Knowledgeable in such areas as project management and risk analysis, he has overseen Milestone’s completion of several large projects. In his free time, Ronald “Ron” Newman enjoys cooking and finding good food and wine pairings.
Wine and food pairing goes far beyond the common understanding that a red wine goes with red meat and white wine with fish. The flavor and texture of both the wine and the food effect which pairings work and which ones do not. Ideally, similar flavors should be paired so that the taste of the wine complements the taste of the food rather than competes with it. If a meal is sweet, then the wine should have a higher level of sweetness. Similarly, if the meal is savory with a higher salt level, then an acidic wine works best. The weight of the food and wine must also complement one another. Heavy wines work best with heavy meals, while light wines are better for light meals.
These rules can be a bit of a challenge to follow when a meal is high in spice. While acidic and sweet foods can easily be paired with acidic and sweet wine flavors, this rule of matching does not always work with spicy foods. Pairing wine to spicy food depends on an individual’s ability to handle heat. A low tolerance for heat would be better suited for a sweet, non-acidic wine because it helps counteract the meal's overall spiciness.
Further, if a dish features a large amount of sauce, then the wine is best paired to the sauce rather than primary vegetables or meat used in the dish. However, the same rules still apply regardless of whether the wine is being matched to a meat, vegetable, or sauce: weights, textures, and flavors should be complimentary.
