How to Match Wine to a Meal

Have you ever wondered how people decide which wine to offer with which entrée? All the fancy restaurants have recommended wine pairings with their meal. What criteria do they look for? If wine pairing is a thing of mystery to you, this article will help you get a foundation of how to do it.

Chardonnay- This is one of the bolder white wines that can hold its own with some bigger flavors. It has plenty of acidity to cut through creamy sauces and potent herbs. This wine pairs great with many cheeses, veal, chicken, and pork, as well as shellfish and heavier fish. It’s delicious with a delicious alfredo or pesto pasta. Thinking about pairing it with a dessert? Try it with vanilla pudding or banana bread.

Pinot Noir- This red wine has a very earthy flavor which makes it pair very well with any mushroom dish. It pairs great with lamb and sausage and even salmon. It also goes great with any winter spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Its best dessert pairings are white chocolate and crème brulee.

Sauvignon Blanc- A very citrus and acidic wine, this white is great paired with some lighter flavors. Chicken, turkey, and pork are its best meats while seafood like shrimp, oysters, and lobster are also great choices. It often has an herbaceous flavor that pairs well with some herby dishes like chives, cilantro, and tarragon flavored dishes. Any citrus dessert like key lime pie or lemon bars would suit this wine well.

Merlot- This deep red wine has berry and mint or juniper flavors. It goes well with heartier dishes like pasta Bolognese or a nice juicy steak. It also pairs well with meatier fish like ahi tuna and for dessert, anything with berries or chocolate works well.

Riesling- This very well-balanced wine pairs with so many foods. It also pairs well with spicy and tangy foods like Thai dishes or BBQ sauce.  Try it with trout, smoked sausage, or duck. Its best dessert pairing is apple pie or caramel desserts.

Syrah- Syrah’s are different depending on where on the globe it was made. Even though the varieties are very different in flavor, one thing is usually the same and that’s the peppery finish. It usually has a fruity flavor and pairs well with many herbs. This is the type of wine you could drink with pepperoni pizza, roasted meat, or salmon. It has way too much flavor to go with anything light. Dessert dishes that pair well with Syrah would be coffee infused desserts, rhubarb desserts, and black forest cake.

Cabernet Sauvignon- This favorite red goes well with any cut of beef, venison, or ahi tuna. It also goes great with any brown or red sauce. If you are wanting to do a wine and cheese picnic, this wine would pair great with cheddar and gorgonzola. Not many desserts would match this flavor, but a bittersweet chocolate could be nibbled on.

Dry Rose- This wine is an appetizer wine. It goes well with hors d’oeuvres like crudité, savory pastries, and light cheeses.

Champagne- This bubbly wine does well with butter, seafood, fruit desserts and buttery desserts.

The important thing when pairing wines with food is to be sure that your wine doesn’t overpower the food, and your food doesn’t sour the wine. Most of the time, like flavors will pair well, such as earthy wines with earthy foods, sweet wines with sweet foods, bold wines with bold foods, but there are exceptions to the rule.