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WE ALL know red wine goes with beef, white wine goes with fish and lager is the ideal foil for a spicy curry. But can science explain why some drinks are a perfect match for certain foods?

One hypothesis for explaining flavour matches is that foods go together well if they share many aroma compounds (see “How to use ‘flavour bridging’ to cook a bizarre but tasty holiday meal“). But this theory has its critics, and in any case, different rules are likely to apply to food and drink pairings, when the two partners aren’t usually in the mouth together at the same time.

In a that asked wine and beer experts to suggest food matches, some pairings were thought to match because of a certain similarity in taste – for instance, acidic wines with acidic cheeses. In other cases, elements that are strong in different ways were said to balance one another – like salty cheese with sweet wine.

Sometimes, we appreciate a drink that can neutralise the aftertaste or mouthfeel that remains after we eat certain foods. For example, tea contains chemicals called saponins that help to wash out greasiness – which probably explains why my wife insists on a cup of tea with fish and chips. Conversely, eating cheese has been found to reduce the astringency of a red wine, perhaps because of an attraction between .

Some pairings are best avoided because the two elements interact in an undesirable way. A reported that some red wines containing high levels of iron led to an unpleasant, fishy aftertaste in scallops. For some people, artichokes can make wine taste sweet, due to a chemical called cynarin. This molecule binds to sweet taste receptors without activating them. When you sip a drink and the cynarin is washed away, this frees up the receptors and triggers a sensation of sweetness.

While these chemical and perceptual phenomena play a role in some successful combinations, there is no doubt our enjoyment of food and drink pairings is partly down to familiarity and cultural context. Sometimes, we might want to choose a drink that matches the occasion, rather than the food being served. According to carried out in Germany, participants found the smell of cinnamon more pleasant at Christmastime than in the summer, and also associated orange and cloves more strongly with Christmas.

This seems like a good enough reason to make mulled wine. Start by infusing the spices in a syrup: add the sugar and spices to a large saucepan along with the orange peel and juice, then add just enough wine to cover the sugar. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then simmer until you have a thick syrup. You can store this syrup and use it later, or add the rest of the wine, heat gently and serve immediately. Blue cheese would be a fine companion.

Sam Wong is assistant news editor and self-appointed chief gourmand at Â鶹´«Ã½. Follow him @samwong1

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