LESSONS on the essentials in pairing wine with food are now on offer at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.Classes will take the form of a complimentary wine tasting followed by a special menu pairing those same wines with food.

With a new menu planned for each week, the idea is to educate residents and hotel guests on how an educated wine selection can improve their overall dining experience.

“Food doesn’t stand by itself, it needs a marriage,” explained Thomas Frost, the Fairmont Hamilton Princess’ executive chef. “What we’re offering can almost be taken as a lesson on how to pair and why. Some people think it’s automatic that red wine is served with meat. Our sommelier, Christophe, can bring people on board and have them understand why certain wines go with certain foods so well.”

The lessons are part of an overall approach that the hotel has adopted to tourism.

“We at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess believe in educating our guests and with the pairing, it gives us the opportunity to do that,” said the hotel’s food and beverage director Norman Gardener. “We always try innovative ways to wow our valued customers and because we also want to cater to the local market, we will regularly make changes to the menu and display new wines on the list.”

The idea is to transform a routine dinner into a unique experience for diners. A major contributor to that experience will be the restaurant’s sommelier/assistant maitre d’hotel, Christophe Dumas.

“It’s a good way for them to try something different,” he said of the pairing. “For people who don’t know about wine, it’s a good way for them to try something else.”

Factors to be considered when pairing wine with food involve more than choosing red wine for beef or white wine for fish.

“It also depends on the sauce,” explained Mr. Dumas, “whether it’s spicy or not. It involves a lot of things especially when you’re considering wine from California, which is more oaky than a French Chardonnay.”

He said many remain unaware that sushi goes best with a sauvignon blanc while steak pairs well with a cabernet.

And where people dining together differ in their menu selection?

“If someone is having fish, while their companion has meat, I would definitely recommend a light red — a pinot noir,” the sommelier said. “It’s not too strong for fish, it’s not too light for meat. There’s always a solution to pairing food and wine.”

Added Mr. Gardener: “Another reason why we are carrying the wine tasting is so that our guests can learn what they like, so then we know the customer will be knowledgeable on every course.”

The concept isn’t a new one, Mr. Frost admitted. “We’re not reinventing the wheel but there are more wines and different types of food available than there once was. Foods now are not the same as they were 10 years ago and it’s the same with wine. So we’re bringing it back into the 21st century.” And added Mr. Gardener: “At the Fairmont Hamilton Princess we feel it’s our duty to educate. We know what wine goes with what food and we’re trying to educate our guests. The reality is a lot of guests don’t even know what to order so this gives them an idea. There are a lot more blends now. Back in the day, if you ordered fillet mignon, you’d ask for a merlot. If you had fish, soave. Now we’re drinking red wine with white meat and vice versa. They see the wine list and they’re overwhelmed so they pick their standards. Doing it our way they’re introduced to a new way of dining with new wines and if they have questions, the expertise is all right here. In particular in restaurants, when a huge wine list comes, if you’re spending money you want to get something you want. This way, they have the opportunity to taste the wine which is then offered on the wine pairing menu.”

The food selections will be just as interesting, Mr. Frost said. “We’ll have lots of flavours, lots of textures, it will be colourful, imaginative food that will pop off the plate.”

Complimentary wine tastings will be held in Harley’s private room between 5.30 p.m. and 6.15 p.m. each Wednesday.