Wine Educator Dave Larocque
on food and wine pairing
Wine Educator Dave Larocque, known for his informative and fun evening seminars on Pairing Wine with Food explains the science behind why one wine works better with certain foods over another. In fact, Dave's motto is: 'always have a few bottles of wine on hand, so if one wine doesn't work with a particular meal, then you can easily crack open the next one'.
Dave has been involved in the wine industry for over 25 years, 14 of those dedicated specifically to the Niagara wine industry.Graduating from Brock University with a Bachelor of Science, Dave found a way to incorporate his geography background with his passion for fine wine – teaching people about the Niagara Wine Region. He spent 2 years as a LCBO Product Consultant and ultimately gained experience as a Sales Director at two Niagara wineries, Vineland Estates and Strewn.
During a six year period, at Peller Estates and Hillebrand wineries, Dave was responsible for preparing and conducting wine training and wine appreciation courses for employees in Niagara-on-the-Lake and across Canada, and at over 100 Vineyards Estate Wine stores, and also at restaurants who serve Peller and Hillebrand wines.
Today Dave has his own consulting company Wine Culture where he is promoting a wine lifestyle through education and in-home entertaining.
Dave has shared with the Brew Cellar his Wine and Food Matching Principles:
- Match your wine to the strongest flavour on the plate.
- Balance the weight of the wine to the weight of the food. A full flavoured meal needs a full-bodied wine; a lighter dish requires a lighter wine.
- Fatty, greasy or rich dishes need a dry wine with good acidity to clean the palate.
- Salty dishes need a slightly sweet wine with full fruit flavours, moderate acidity, lower alcohol and no tannins.
- Hot, spicy dishes require refreshing acidity, lower alcohol and fruity wines with a touch of sweetness.
- Cream sauces and butter require wines of good fruit and matching creamy style or contrasting acidity to cleanse the palate.
- The dessert wine should be sweeter than the dessert.
- Rare meats need young tannic reds and well-done meats need older or fruity reds with little to no tannins.
- Foods high in acidity are complemented by wines high in acid.
