Yakima Valley Wine Country Wine & Food Pairings
The best food pairings for Yakima Valley Wine Country wines — pairing Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Red Mountain Merlot with Pacific Northwest cuisine and local specialties.
Yakima Valley Wine Country Wine and Pacific Northwest Food
Yakima Valley Wine Country wine was made to drink with the food of the Pacific Northwest. Yakima Valley Riesling pairs with Pacific Dungeness crab and Asian cuisine; Red Mountain Cabernet with grilled meats and aged hard cheeses. At Airfield Estates Winery, the tasting room staff can suggest specific food pairings for the current vintage. The principle underlying all Yakima Valley wine country wine-food pairing is regional harmony — Pacific Northwest ingredients and Yakima Valley wine country wines grew up together, and they taste like it. When you're unsure, pair the local wine with the local food and you'll rarely go wrong.
Pairing Yakima Valley Wine Country Riesling Specifically
Yakima Valley wine country Riesling has the structure — tannin, acidity, and body — to stand up to rich, protein-forward dishes. The classic pairings are the most reliable: well-marbled beef, slow-cooked lamb, aged hard cheeses, and dishes with significant fat to balance the wine's tannic grip. Avoid delicate fish and light preparations; Yakima Valley wine country Riesling tends to overwhelm them. A general rule: the more powerful the wine, the more powerful the food needs to be.
Wine and Food at Yakima Valley Wine Country Restaurants
The best restaurants in and around Yakima Valley wine country have invested in wine lists that showcase the local producers — this is the ideal setting for Yakima Valley wine country wine-food pairing experiments. Ask your server for their recommendation; restaurant staff in wine country tend to be knowledgeable and genuinely enthusiastic about pairing their local wines with their local food. The combination of a restaurant that sources regionally and pours locally is the most complete Yakima Valley wine country food-and-wine experience available.
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