Most sommeliers will tell you that the worst enemies of wine pairings are asparagus, artichokes, tomatoes and eggs.
ASPARAGUS are very fragrant and rich in methionin, a sulfur-containing amino acid that makes everything taste somewhat vegetal. A solution is to grill the asparagus and to serve it with a sauce. Unoaked white wines such as Riesling will make a great match.
ARTICHOKES are rich in cynarine, which enhances the sweetness of a wine and can make the wine taste flabby and bitter. A very dry Riesling is probably one of the few wines that can stand up to artichokes.
TOMATOES are high in acid and the underlying acidity clashes with wine. Riesling can present an elegant solution, especially if the Riesling is crafted in an Alsatian style (about 1.5% residual sugar) because the slight sugar helps complement the tomatoes’ acidity but does not disrupt it.
The yolk of an EGG has a tendency to tame wine aromas and the egg’s sulfurous scent can interfere with the wine. A bright Riesling with high acid is almost always the perfect pairing. Based on the preparation of the egg, the appropriate Riesling can be sweet or dry.
This information is provided, with gracious permission, from the Riesling Rules Book of IRF Friend Pacific Rim Winery.
