Every great dish has a center of gravity, a flavor or essence that pulls together other ingredients into a coherent and compelling whole. It's not necessarily the main ingredient but it is fundamentally what the dish is "about". Indian curry spices, fiery Thai chilis, lemony citrus, smoky barbecue rubs: these are all flavors we adore and get our taste buds asking for more. When we talk about wine or alcoholic drinks in any serious way, we talk...