There are many misconceptions revolving around pairing food with wine, and this is particularly true of organic wine pairing.  Along with the popularity of organic food has come a new push for organic wines, although many consumers are confused about what exactly this means.  With all of the variety of organic foods today, the term organic hardly narrows down the food choices at all.  Just remember that the goal is to consciously choose organic food when making your usual wine pairing selections.

In order to better understand organic wine pairing, it is necessary to take some time to understand organic food.  Consumers have begun to prefer organic foods for quite a few reasons.  Most who are proponents of organic foods are wary of the potential effects on the human body caused by the artificial chemicals used in most food products.  Others prefer to eat organic food because of the impact on the environment, in addition to the health benefits.  These consumers worry about the potential damage that the chemicals cause to the greater environment and all of the imbalances that can be caused by the introduction of synthetic products.  These same principles hold true for those who prefer organic wines, and for this reason organic wine pairing has become a hot topic among those who want to be healthy but still enjoy their wine.

There is organic wine, and there is also wine made with organic grapes.  The difference is that organic wine is wine that is truly made with no sulfites.  Sulfites are preservatives, so generally true organic wine made without them does not last much longer than a year and a half.  However, wine made with organically-grown grapes is very healthy, as well, and research shows that the levels of sulfites contained in wine made with organically-grown grapes is not harmful to the health.  Therefore, wine made with organic grapes is a great solution for those who are looking for organic wine pairings for their organic foods.

Really, organic wine pairing is not any more difficult than pairing other wines with other foods.  The goal is to preserve the taste of both the wine and the food, so you do not want either to overpower the other. The popular consensus is that organic wines are of better quality than inorganic wines, so although the flavors may be the same as those present in inorganic wine, the taste of organic wine is richer.  Generally, the same wines that go with other food will go with organic food when the wine is also organic.

For more information on organic wine pairing, research some winemakers who specialize in organic wine.  If you can, go for a tasting.  Often, it takes a while to find the perfect fit.  One very versatile wine is Pinot Noir.  If you can find an organic version of Pinot Noir, you can enjoy this with almost any dish. Remember that, generally, if you are eating organic fish, you should go for an organic white wine.  The same goes for complementing cheese.  Red wine will overpower these two pieces of food.  Organic meats can be paired with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.  Sauvignon Blanc is actually a good choice for shellfish and other fish and some light cheeses.

The overall goal in organic wine pairing is to match the flavors with the organic food you are enjoying.  You do not want the foods and wines to have different aftertastes or underlying flavors.  For example, a sweet, dessert wine will not go well with a heavy meat meal.