We don't think about it enough but bread risks being the food we most pair with wine. Let's see together how to do it and our tasting tips.
The pairing of bread and wine has ancient roots and survives the passage of time: from the ancient Greeks who ate breakfast with bread, pure wine and cooked must, to the tables of our grandparents , where bread and wine were never lacking, up to to contemporary aperitifs . Let's see what you need to know about pairing bread and wine.
Bread identikit
This is the product obtained from leavened dough , prepared with wheat flour, water and yeast (with or without the addition of salt).
Breads can also be made with mixtures of cereal flours other than wheat, just specify it. Grains suitable for baking are divided into two families: soft wheats and hard wheats. But bread can also be made from buckwheat, oats, millet, rye, barley, and even corn and rice.
How to store bread?
Brown bread keeps for a long time, wholemeal bread less so, while white bread retains its characteristics for a short time. In any case, the bread should be kept in a dry place, closed with paper bags (not plastic).
What are the organoleptic characteristics of bread?
We are faced with a food that has many variations and various forms, and Italy is among the countries that offers the most types of bread in the world : each has its specific characteristics but there are also traits common to all.
Color and aroma depend a lot on the type of grain.
A sour note is given by the yeast, a sweet by the starches (sweet tendency), while the succulence (that slight sensation of fatness) is generally perceptible.
How to pair bread and wine?
The more neutral bread tends to be, the more when paired with wine it helps to cancel out "other" taste sensations and therefore takes on the role above all of enhancing the wine .
A classic is to have bread at the tasting tables, to disconnect from one wine to another. “ When you change the bottle, drink a sip of cold water and take a bite of bread ” said Luigi Veronelli ...
If we are faced with a more characterized or seasoned bread, the combination becomes more intriguing, as does the role of the bread. The secret here is to play with the main characteristics of the bread and seasoning and pair a wine that pairs them perfectly.
For example: a fry bread requires a mouth-cleansing wine and a sparkling wine is perfect.
- Read also: how to pair food and wine and not make mistakes
Advice on pairing bread and wine?
Here are 3 tips from Sommelier Wine Box:
Territorial pairing : Tuscan bread and Chianti Classico. A great classic.
Color combination : black bread with walnuts and Morellino di Scansano (or another intense red wine with character).
Pairing by contrast : bread with cicoli (or cracklings) and a Brut sparkling wine. If you choose a Franciacorta the combination will be even more fascinating because it will combine the traditional Campania bread and the noble Lombard sparkling wine.
