Most of the time when you see the phrase wine pairing your mind drifts to wine paired with food. However, it can be something else completely. No I don’t mean wine paired with Cheese or chocolate (However, both great options). What if we expanded the concept of wine pairing to mean simply to enhance your wine experience. By doing this we expand the possibilities. An example of this would be to pair your wine with a film. Imagine picking up a independent film to watch and a wine made by a boutique winery, or how about a foreign film paired with a wine from the region where the film was made. Other ideas include pairing your wine with music, a book you are reading, or a region of the country you are visiting. This would allow you to experience your wine in a way you wouldn’t if it was had by itself.
When we are able to expand our perception of a concept and idea I think only then are we able to fully explore the possibilities. Once we are able to see pairing as a larger concept only then will we be able to fully pull out all of the nuances and intricacies that wine has to offer. There is more in that bottle than just wine.