 The crisp acidity of the wine serves as a contrast that can cut through the creaminess of the sauce and give a different, refreshing sensation for the palate as opposed to what a complementary pairing, such as a creamy, buttery Chardonnay, would bring.For most of history, the "complementary strategy" was the prevailing thought on food and wine pairing.In the 1980s, as more people started to discover and experiment with pairings, the idea of using contrast started to gain more favor.