by Annette Naif

It can be a little overwhelming figuring out what wines to pair with your food. Here are some tips on how to pick the best wine with your favorite dish.

Beef

Simple Roasted Grilled              Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Red Boudreaux

Shiraz

Zinfandel

 

In a sauce                                  Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Cabernet Sauvignon

Shiraz

Zinfandel

 

Braised                                        In red wine (match with the same red wine)

Osso Bucco –  Amorone

Brunelle di Montalicione

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Peppery spice – red Zinfandel

 

Acidic Sauce                              Match acid with acid

Chianti

 

Eastern (China, India, Japan)  Off-dry Gewürztraminer or Riesling

         (Chinese or Indian)

 

Veal                                             Rich savory manner good with Barolo,

Brenello di Montalicino, Bordeaux, Cabernet, Merlot or event a Cotes du Rhone

 

Poultry

Chicken in a cream sauce       Chardonnay or full White Burgundy

 

Chicken – Fried                           Lean Sauvignon Blanc

Chardonnay (may not be as refreshing)

 

Chicken – Roast                         Chardonnay or White Burgundy

If you like red, try Riaja, Pinot Noir or Red

Burgundy

 

Chicken (Tomato, Spicy,           Smokey & Spicy – Cabernet

Smokey)                                      Sauvignon

Tomato – Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino or Rioja

Spicy – Gewürztraminer or dry-off Riesling

 

Duck or Game Bird                    Medium-bodied, flavorful Pinot Noir

Red Burgundy

Rioja (good with squab or quail)

 

Eastern (China, India,              Off-dry Gewürztraminer or Riesling

Japan)                                       (Chinese or Indian)

Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc (Japan)

 

Fish

Full Flavor or Rich Sauce          Flavor fish with rich butter sauce –  Chardonnay

 

Mild Flavor or Lemon Sauce    Sauvignon Blanc

 

Salmon                                       Red – Pinot Noir or Burgundy

                                            White – Pinot Gris or Chardonnay

 

Caviar                                        Dry Champagne

 

Crustacean

Crab                                           Dry Riesling

 

Lobster                                        Chardonnay

                                     Corton-Charlemagne

                                             Brut Champagne or other Brut Sparkling Wine

                                                    Vouvroy is good as well

 

Oysters                                       Sauvignon Blanc

Chablis

Champagne

 

Shrimp                                       Light acidic manner Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio

Substantial Sauce – Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay

                            Cocktail Sauce – off-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer

 

Scallops                                   Clean, rich Chardonnay

 

Pasta

Red Tomato Based                Chianti

                                         Sangiovese

                                         Zinfandel

                                         Dolcetto

 

Lasagna                                 Barolo

                                        Barbaresco

                                        Riserva

                                        Chianti

                                        Montepluciano d’Abruzzo

                                        Rossi di Montepulciano

                                        Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

                                        Other Italian Reds

 

Cream Sauce                      Sauvignon Blanc

                               Light Italian Chardonnay

                               Pinot Grigio

 

With Light Fish                       Pinot Grigio

                                       Sauvignon Blanc

 

Dessert

Apple Based Desserts                 Sauternes

 

Chocolate                                  Brachetto D’Acqui

                                             Asti Spumanti, Muscat

                                             Moscato d’Asti

                                             Port

 

Cheese                                        Port (Stilton Cheese)

                                             Sauternes (Blue Cheese)

                                             Amarone (Parmegiano Reggiano)

Keep in mind that foods go well with wines where they initiated from so if you are having French food a French acid wine would go best. Additionally, wines and hot spices do not go well together; wine survives better on the palate with a little sweetness.

At the end of the day if you are unsure about what wine to pair with your favorite dish the best rule of thumb is to drink what you like!

Food and Wine Pairing. (2007). Retrieved July 15, 2012 from www.foodandwinepairing.org. 

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