- Wine and Food Matching
- The Basics of Pairing Wine and Food
- Serving Wine before Food
- Pairing Wine and Food Guidelines
- Pairing Wine and Food Chart
- Wine after Food
- Wine Cheese Pairing
Many people enjoy wine with their meals. What some people don't know, however, is that wine can actually complement food, highlighting specific flavors and making the dish more complex.
Wine can be paired with any meal, or you can serve it before or after a meal. To find the right wine to serve with a certain dish, all you need is a little background on food and wine pairing.
The Basics of Pairing Wine and Food
Many people feel a sense of anxiety when matching wine and food. With so many bottles lining the shelves of wine stores, a person can easily become overwhelmed. However, you shouldn't be concerned about choosing the wrong bottle. You will not ruin your dinner by simply choosing a bottle that doesn't pair perfectly with your food. When in doubt, simply go with a wine you personally enjoy.
Some wines are spicier than others and will complement bold dishes. Others are light and fruity and will work well with fish and poultry. The wine selection at your local grocery or wine store is probably vast. Sample different bottles and find what works best with some of your favorite dishes.
Wine makes an excellent aperitif. Sipping on a glass of wine is a wonderful way to begin an evening and it will whet your appetite for dinner. When starting an evening with wine, you'll want to choose a wine that is light. This will keep your taste buds from becoming dulled to other flavors and will also keep you from feeling too heavy to enjoy your meal.
Here's a list of some wines that make good aperitifs:
- dry wines, which will whet the appetite
- red wines, though they should be served a bit cooler than usual
- sparkling wines
- sweet wines
- white wines, though they should be served a bit warmer than usual.
Pairing Wine and Food Guidelines
Some foods are harder to pair with wine than others. For example, many people seem to have a hard time pairing French food and wine. However, there are some guidelines that you can turn to when pairing wine and food.
For instance, the oldest rule for pairing food with wine is to have red wine with red meat and white wine with fowl, fish or pork. While this is a good starting point, it isn't a set rule. For example, red wine pairs extremely well with Chicken Parmesan.
Here are some other things to consider when pairing wine and food:
- Astringent or bitter foods go well with full-flavored wines, such as a Cabernet.
- Crisp wines, such as a Pinot Grigo, go well with salty foods.
- Fatty cuts of meat work well with bitter wines, as they will tone down the bitterness.
- Highly acidic foods pair well with acidic wines.
- Serve light-bodied wines with light food and full-bodied wines with heavier foods.
- Spicy foods pair well with sweeter wines.
- Sweet foods need a dry wine to offset the sweetness.
Pairing Wine and Food Chart
This chart shows which wines work best with certain foods:
Food |
Preparation |
Ingredients |
Wine Ideas |
Foigras |
|
|
Sauternes |
Chicken |
Grilled |
Lime, lemon, garlic, |
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, Pinot |
|
Barbecued |
Smoked |
Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhône |
|
Baked |
Cream Sauce |
Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc |
|
Baked |
Tomato sauce |
Barbera, Zinfandel |
|
Roast |
Garlic pepper, paprika |
Merlot, Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay |
|
Fried |
Batter |
Rosé, Beaujolais |
|
Stir Fried |
Vegetables, ginger, soy sauce |
Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay |
Turkey |
Roasted |
Saga, dressing |
Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Chardonnay |
Fish |
Grilled |
Citrus |
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sparkling wine |
|
Poached |
Light sauce, herbs |
Dry Riesling, Champagne |
|
Sautéed |
Batter |
Chenin Blanc, off-dry Riesling, Sparkling wine |
|
Pan fried |
Lemon butter |
Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Semillion, Sancerre |
Salmon |
Poached |
Medium herbs |
Pinot Noir (red), Pinot Gris (white) |
|
Poached |
Cream sauce |
Viognier |
|
Grilled |
Glaze coating or dried herbs |
Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Blanc de Noirs |
Scallops |
Grilled |
Citrus, butter |
Chardonnay, sancerre, dry Riesling |
Lobster |
Steamed |
Butter |
Chardonnay, Sparkling wine |
|
Steamed |
Citrus |
Pouilly-fume, Sancerre, Chablis |
Mussels, Clams |
Steamed |
Butter, garlic |
Chardonnay, pouilly-fume, Semillion |
Lamb Leg |
Roasted |
Rose' mary |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
Lamb Stew |
baked |
Vegetable, herbs |
Pinor Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon |
Steak |
Grilled |
Dried herbs |
Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel |
Pork Loin |
Roasted |
Herbs |
Chianti, Zinfandel |
Prime Rib |
Roasted |
Salt and pepper |
Pinot Noir, Burgundy |
Pasta |
|
Meat sauce |
Chianti, Barolo, Barbera, Zinfandel |
|
|
Clam sauce |
Sauvignon Blanc |
|
|
Arabiatta |
Rosé |
Game |
Roasted |
Mild herbs |
Syrah, Petite Syrah, Bordeaux |
Duck |
Baked |
Orange |
Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Gewurztraminer |
|
Roasted |
Herbs |
Pinot Noir, Zinfandel |
Burger/Meat Loaf |
baked |
Herbs |
Young Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chianti |
Steak Tar tare |
|
Herbs |
Beaujolais |
Short Ribs |
baked |
Tomato sauce |
Pinot Noir, Zinfandel |
Mild Cheeses |
|
|
Chardonnay, Riesling |
Medium Cheeses |
|
|
Young Pinot Noir |
Hearty, Ripe Cheeses |
|
|
Burgundy, Cabernet, Syrah, |
Many people like to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but some don't want to end the enjoyment with they've taken the last bite of the main course. Luckily, there are dessert wines, which pair well with sweets but also work well on their own.
Most dessert wines are sweet wines. While many people will pair these wines with cakes or other desserts, others like to pair them with cheese, as the sweet wine goes well with the saltiness of the cheese.
Wine cheese pairing is a popular after-dinner option. Here's a list of classic wine cheese pairings:
- Cheddar: Champagne, Chardonnay
- Feta: Beaujolais
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: Chardonnay
A FEW GENERAL RULES
- Either a complement or a contrast should be considered.
- The main flavor in the main dish is usually matched to the main flavor in the wine. For example, roasted lamb leg with rosemary classically would be matched with red bordeaux. If garlic is the main flavor in the lamb, aim for a spicier wine.
- Beef isn't always prepared the same way. A spencer roast is similar to prime rib and would be complemented by a medium-framed pinot noir. However, if the roast is covered in herbs and garlic, perhaps a syrah is better.
- With Asian foods, keep in mind the heat and the sweetens. If the main dish is either fairly sweet or hot, choose an off-dry wine, preferably with lower alcohol, such as a German riesling.
- With salty foods, pick an off-dry wine with flowery character, such as a gewürztraminer.
- Chilled dishes usually have less overt flavors and thus a delicate wine would work well. Try a pinot gris or pinot blanc from Italy.
- Don't try to match wine with foods containing noticeable amounts of vinegar, such as salads, though salads with cream dressing work well.
Fine wines can rescue us from the tyranny of the dinner table. |
