What's Included in the Beverage Match?

One of the most common questions we get at 50-50 is:

"What's included in the beverage match?"

The simple answer is that you'll receive a carefully selected beverage with each course.

But that doesn't really explain why so many guests choose it.

For me, a great beverage match isn't about drinking more wine. It's about experiencing the food and wine in a completely different way.

What Do You Actually Get?

We offer a six or nine course beverage match.

Our standard pours are:

• 75ml for wine (half a glass)

• 30ml for dessert wine when applicable

Most matches are wine, but sometimes I'll create a cocktail, vermouth, or another special beverage when it suits the dish.

We choose the beverage that best complements each dish.

What Makes a Great Beverage Match?

People often imagine that pairing food and wine is incredibly complicated.

The truth is much simpler.

When we're creating a new menu, we make the dish, open several wines we think might work, and taste them together.

That's it.

The wine that tastes best with the dish wins.

Sometimes I do the opposite and start with a wine I love, then challenge myself to create a dish around it.

Either way, the decision is always made by tasting lots of wines.

The Best Pairings Change the Food

My favourite pairings do more than simply accompany a dish.

They transform it.

I think the best match is when the wine fills your mouth in the space that the food doesn't.

When the wine and the food make each other taste better.

When the wine transforms the dish so you get a new perspective every bite.

That's when the magic happens.

You take a bite.

You take a sip.

Then you take another bite and suddenly you're tasting something completely different.

The food becomes more aromatic. The wine becomes more expressive. The combination becomes greater than either one on its own.

You Don't Need to Know Anything About Wine

One of the biggest misconceptions about beverage matching is that it's only for wine enthusiasts.

In my experience, that's not true at all.

In fact, it's often the guests who know the least about wine who enjoy it the most.

A beverage match gives you the opportunity to try wines you would never normally order.

It's a chance to discover new grape varieties, regions and styles without committing to a full bottle.

One guest summed it up perfectly:

"I am not a wine drinker per se so the wine matching which manages to enhance or complete the flavour is like magic to me." 

What About Non-Alcoholic Pairings?

We take our non-alcoholic beverage match just as seriously as our wine pairing.

Our six-course non-alcoholic match is made entirely in-house.

Rather than treating it as a substitute for wine, we think of each drink as a side dish for the course it accompanies.

Every beverage is designed specifically for each dish.

Recently we've been working hard to make these drinks feel even more grown-up and sophisticated.

We want them to have the same complexity, aroma, balance and length that people enjoy in wine.

Guests regularly tell us that the non-alcoholic pairing adds another layer to the experience.

One guest said:

"The non-alcoholic beverages were amazing... these added a whole other layer of deliciousness to the food." 

For us, that's the ultimate compliment.

Why Guests Love the Beverage Match

Of course, the flavours matter.

But there is another reason guests choose the match.

It removes all the decisions.

No studying the wine list.

No wondering whether you've chosen the right bottle.

No debating what will work best with the next course.

You simply sit down, relax, and allow us to guide you through the evening.

The food changes.

The beverages change.

The experience unfolds exactly as intended.

Is the Beverage Match Worth It?

If a guest asks me whether I would choose the beverage match, my answer is simple.

Absolutely.

You can sit down, relax, and let us take care of the evening.

No decisions.

No guesswork.

Just a series of carefully chosen food and beverage combinations designed to make each other taste even better.

And if you discover a new favourite wine along the way, that's a bonus.