Wine Tasting & Flavor Pairings Explained

At LXV, our spice pairings are built on three core principles: mirroring, complementing, and contrasting. Each one gives you another way into the glass. While all three elements are present in every pairing, one principle tends to take precedence based on the nature of the wine.

I like to compare these pairings to different styles of dance:

• Mirroring pairings are like a waltz, where the wine and spice glide in harmony, echoing each other’s movements and amplifying shared qualities.
• Complementing pairings are like a tango, where the wine and spice interact with a push and pull, enhancing each other’s characteristics in a dynamic, balanced way.
• Contrasting pairings are a Bollywood number. Loud, joyful, opposites colliding, and suddenly you notice a side of the wine you missed.

You stop simply drinking the wine and start paying attention to it.

Mirroring

Mirroring pairs flavors that share similar characteristics, amplifying the core qualities of both the wine and the spice, creating harmony and intensity.

Example: Our Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend, with its vibrant acidity and herbal nuances, is paired with Khmeli Suneli, a Georgian spice blend featuring fenugreek, marigold, and coriander. The herbal and citrus notes in the spice mirror the zesty, grassy freshness of the wine, highlighting its lively acidity and green undertones.

Effect: Mirroring reinforces the primary attributes of the wine, enhancing its natural flavors and bringing greater focus and clarity to the tasting experience.

Complementing

Complementing pairs flavors that work together without being identical, subtly enhancing different aspects of the wine. This approach reveals new layers and complexity by bringing balance to the wine’s profile.

Example: Our interpretation of Ragu—featuring mushrooms, nutritional yeast, chickpea flour, tomatoes, and herbs—is paired with Sangiovese. The earthy, umami flavors of the mushrooms and nutritional yeast complement Sangiovese’s moderate tannins and bright acidity. The tomatoes, with their natural acidity, echo the wine’s fruitiness and freshness, while the herbs add a layer of aromatic complexity that harmonizes with the wine’s floral and herbal notes.

Effect: Complementing draws out the quieter notes, so the wine tastes more layered.

Contrasting

Contrasting brings opposing flavors together to create an intriguing interaction, highlighting different aspects of the wine through balance and tension.

Example: Our Syrah from Bien Nacido Vineyard is paired with Smolder Notes, a spice blend featuring Lapsang Souchong tea, fennel, rosemary, sarsaparilla, and black pepper. The bitterness of the tea contrasts the Syrah’s bold, tannic structure and pushes its blackberry and plum forward, so the fruit seems brighter. The sarsaparilla adds a subtle sweetness and earthy depth, which provides a unique counterpoint to the Syrah’s peppery intensity, while the herbs like fennel and rosemary enhance the wine’s savory elements, rounding out the tasting experience.

Effect

Contrast puts a little tension on the palate, and that tension makes you notice the Syrah’s depth and structure.