Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Claret

Exquisite claret flavour pairings and recipes, revealed through data science.

Claret immediately conjures the embrace of graphite and the kiss of oak, yet its initial bitterness is only the opening note. Beneath lies a sophisticated tapestry of delicate coconut, hints of tannin, and the sweet floralness of violet. These are the notes that lend it such remarkable, resonant depth. The true alchemy of the kitchen unfolds when we pair claret with ingredients that let these nuances sing.

To chart these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, each deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, pinpointing the notes that best complement this ingredient’s profile. Our exploration reveals, for instance, how the animalic, fatty 4-methyloctanoic acid in suet can enrich claret, and how fillet steak's bovine notes forge a beautiful synergy with its earthy minerality.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. woody, acidic, and floral) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

The Art of Flavour Pairing

To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Graphite Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between graphite and beef flavours. Since claret has a distinct pencil-lead flavour, try pairing it with the beefy flavours of fillet steak.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing claret with fillet steak.

Harmonious Flavours Of Claret

Just as our statistical analysis showed that graphite and beefy flavour accents harmonise, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in claret. For instance, the oaky notes of claret are strongly associated with tea-like and coffee-like accents.

The aromas associated with the various accents of claret can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of suet offers many of the aroma notes complementary to claret, including fatty and musky accents. Because the flavour profile of suet has many of the of the features that are complementary to claret, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of suet across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with claret.

Recipes That Pair Claret With Suet

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of claret, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of claret, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma notes complementary to claret.

Which Vegetables Go With Claret?

Choose vegetables that infuse with its woodiness or lift its earthy minerality. Broccoli and pak choi offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Spring onion add a gentle, oniony brightness, while yellow bell pepper introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace vegetables that harmonise with claret's tartness. The addition of tinned tomato, with its subtle iodine-like notes, can complement the sour apple beautifully, while celeriac lends a beefy meatiness.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Claret), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.