15 Guidelines And Examples for Food and Wine Pairings
Here, the cardinal principles for matching up food and wine, from dry rosé and cheesy dishes to malbec and sweet-spicy barbecue sauces.
Pinot Noir: Is fantastic for dishes with earthy flavors
Recipes made with ingredients such as mushrooms and truffles go extremely well with reds like Pinot Noir and Dolcetto, which are light-bodied but full of savory depth.
Chardonnay: For fatty fish or fish in a rich sauce
Silky whites--for example, Chardonnays from California, Chile or Australia--are great with fish such as salmon or any type of seafood in a lush sauce.
Champagne: is ideal with anything salty
Most dry sparkling wines, like brut Champagne and Spanish cava, really have a faint touch of sweetness. This causes them to be extra-refreshing when served with salty foods, such as crispy udon noodles with nori salt.
Cabernet Sauvignon: Is fabulous with juicy red meat
California Cabernet, Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style blends are excellent with steaks or chops--such as lamb chops with frizzled herbs. The firm tannins in those wines refresh the palate after every bite of meat.
Sauvignon Blanc: Goes with tart sauces and dressings
Tangy foods--such as scallops with grapefruit-onion salad--will not overwhelm zippy wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Vinho Verde from Portugal and Verdejo from Spain.
Dry Rosé: For rich, cheesy dishes
Some cheeses go with white wine, a few with red; nonetheless almost all pair nicely with dry rosé, that has the acidity of white wine and the fruit character of red. For an indulgent cheese dish, then you can try out some Italian Cheese Sandwiches.
Old World Wines: Are intrinsically good with Old World dishes
The tastes of wines and foods which have grown up together over the centuries --Tuscan recipes and Tuscan wines, for example -- are nearly always a natural match. Pappardelle with veal ragù pairs great with a medium-bodied Chianti, for instance.
Pinot Grigio: Pairs with light fish dishes
Light fish dishes, such as seafood tostada bites, appear to take on more flavor when paired with both delicate white wines, such as Pinot Grigio or Arneis from Italy or Chablis from France.
Malbec: Won't be overshadowed by sweet-spicy barbecue sauces
Malbec, Shiraz and Côtes-du-Rhône are big and bold enough to drink with foods brushed with heavily spiced barbecue sauces, such as these chicken drumsticks with Asian barbecue sauce.
Moscato d'Asti: Loves fruit desserts
Moderately sweet sparkling wines like Moscato d'Asti, demi-sec Champagne and Asti Spumante greatly highlight the fruit in the dessert, rather than the sugar. Try it with honeyed fig crostatas.
Syrah: Matches with highly spiced dishes
If a meat is greatly seasoned--like cumin-spiced hamburgers with harissa mayo--look for a red wine with a great deal of spicy notes. Syrah from Washington, Cabernet Franc from France and Xinomavro from Greece are good options.
Grüner Veltliner: Pairs with dishes that have lots of fresh
Austrian Grüner Veltliner's citrus-and-clover scent is great when there are lots of fresh herbs in a dish, such as zucchini linguine with herbs. Other go-to grapes in a similar fashion include Albariño out of Spain and Vermentino from Italy.
Zinfandel: For pâtés, mousses and terrines
Whenever you can use the same adjectives to describe a wine and a dish, then the pairing will often get the job done. As an example, the words rustic and rich describe Zinfandel, Italy's Nero d'Avola as well Spain's Monastrell in addition to creamy chicken-liver mousse.
Off-Dry Riesling: Pairs with sweet & spicy dishes
The faint sweetness of several Rieslings, Gewürztraminers and Vouvrays helps tame the heat of hot Indian and Asian dishes, such as Thai green salad with duck cracklings.
Rosé Champagne: Great with dinner, not just hors d'oeuvres
Rosé sparkling wines, for example rosé Champagne, cava and sparkling wine from California, have the depth of richness and flavor to go with a vast selection of main courses, such as beef risotto.
