Imagine a hot summer night in Austin without white wine to start the meal. Beer may bubble, blush is flirtatious, and red wine may soothe, but a crisp Sauvignon Blanc is cool, clean, and refreshing. That's what makes it such a great match for warm weather. It can relax you a little, quench your thirst, and cool you off.

Sauvignon Blanc can also be described as fruity, light, and acidic. That's what makes it such a great match for food! I am sure you have already heard that Sauvignon Blanc is a “food-loving wine.” But have you ever wondered just exactly what that means… precisely what can happen when food meets wine?
Many things are possible, and here I'll explain a few.

A common effect of food and wine together is what I call “transformation.” In transformation, the food alters your flavor perception of the wine. An example of this effect occurs when you serve tangy foods with Sauvignon Blanc. I experienced this the other night at Zin Bistro. My friend and I relished a plate of Chef Sean's New England Crab Cakes with Spinach and Lemon Buerre Blanc alongside a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley's Duckhorn Vineyards. The crisp zing of the Lemon Buerre Blanc smoothed over the acidic edges of the wine, making it taste creamier and mellower than before. A perfect match!

Another amazing thing that can happen when wine and food are served together is that the flavors can combine to create a total effect that is different from the effect of the two taken individually. I call this “synergy.” I remember, not too long ago, having made a perfectly nice Grilled Chicken with Roasted Green Bell Peppers, and taking a sip of a perfectly nice Coopers Creek Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Suddenly I knew. It was happening to me. The chicken, the roasted pepper, and the Sauvignon Blanc together fashioned an entirely new taste. They had created new life… it was synergy, and it was magic. You have a good shot at synergism if you can match a particular flavor nuance in a wine with the same flavor in a dish. However, this match is so individual to the flavors and textures of each food and each wine that it can't be predicted. Good luck!

One of the nicest things wine can do when combined with food is to refresh the palate and form a backdrop to show off the food. I call this the “Wind Beneath my Wings” effect. As a chef, if I create a dish that is complicated, unusual, or crafted of rare and expensive ingredients, I want to serve it with a wine that does not overpower, transform, or mask any of my handiwork. My current favorite to play this role is “Jacques Lapin” from Alamosa Vineyards. Jacques Lapin, named after the Texas Jack Rabbit, is a Sauvignon Blanc blend made just up the road at the Alamosa Winery in Bend, Texas. This wine is clean and dry, with a mild herbal flavor that is enough to refresh your palate and make you want another bite of fancy food. Onward through the foie gras!

As warm Austin nights approach, open your favorite Sauvignon Blanc and notice the interplay of the food and wine. Do they transform each other's flavors? Perhaps they contribute new flavors to one another, or combine to create new, unique flavors. Maybe the wine forms a refreshing backdrop and allows the food to shine. Whatever the case, I hope it's a great match!