From our friends at Wine Selectors.
Pairing food and wine should be a pleasure, not a problem. Learn the essential points from this comprehensive guide, then at your next dinner party, impress your guests with your pairing prowess.
Follow these suggestions for perfect food and wine pairings.
ACID + ACID
If your food is high in acid – think tomatoes or a squeeze of lemon – you’ll need a wine that’s high in acid, too. Riesling is the most obvious white choice, while Italian-style reds will balance tomatoes and cut through olive oil.
SAME + SAME
Pair complementary flavours – light-bodied wine + light dish, full-bodied wine + heavy dish, and so on. Also, pair similar textures and flavours – earthy wine + earthy food, citrussy wine + fruity dish, etc.
OPPOSITE + OPPOSITE
Try a fresh, crisp Chardonnay with a creamy pasta dish, or consider a clean, dry Riesling with a spicy, chilli-filled Asian dish. If you’re serving a dish with very simple flavours, a complex wine can enhance the experience.
HEAT + SWEET
For spicy dishes, red wines high in alcohol and tannins are a no-no as the alcohol intensifies the heat. Choose sweeter whites such as off-dry Gewürztraminers or Rieslings.
SWEET + SWEETER
If your dish is sweet, the wine should be sweeter. Think milk and dark chocolate desserts with Tawnies and Muscats, while white chocolate pairs with Prosecco, and lemon flavours are perfect with Botrytis Riesling.
TANNINS + FAT
This pairing is all about balance. Fat evens out tannin intensity, resulting in a smoother, softer red.
WINE STYLES
Try these suggestions to match with your favourite wine styles.
Full-bodied red wines
Wines: Cabernet, Shiraz and Malbec
Food matches: Their robust structure makes these an ideal partner to hard cheeses and fattier cuts of meat.
Medium-bodied red wines
Wines: Merlot & Blends, Tempranillo, Barbera and Sangiovese
Food matches: To match the moderate density tannins, go for slow-cooked or rustic dishes like pasta, Mediterranean fare, and tapas.
Lighter-bodied red wines
Wines: Pinot Noir, Grenache & Blends, Nero d’Avola
Food matches: With the finer styles, go for gamey, earthy foods like duck, while styles with higher acidity can take richer, spicier dishes.
Fuller-bodied white wines
Wines: Chardonnay, Verdelho and Viognier
Food matches: Their richer texture makes these fuller varieties an excellent match for poultry, pork, rich seafood, and cream – or cheese-based pastas.
Medium-bodied white wines
Wines: Arneis, Pinot G, Vermentino and Marsanne
Food matches: Zesty acidity makes these styles perfect with lighter flavours like tapas, pasta and salads.
Lighter-bodied and aromatic white wines
Wines: Sauvignon Blanc & Blends, Semillon, Riesling and Gewürztraminer
Food matches: These varieties' high acidity makes them ideal for fried food, raw seafood, delicate Asian dishes, and simple Mediterranean food.
Champagne, Sparkling and Prosecco
Wines: Champagne, Sparkling and Prosecco
Food matches: For the richer styles, choose seafood and richer canapés, while the lighter styles suit antipasto, fried foods, and fresh fruit.
Rosé
Wines: Dry and off-dry
Food matches: For drier styles, go for salads, charcuterie and antipasto. For off-dry styles, try spicy food or fruit-based dishes.
Dessert and Fortified wines
Wines: Botrytis, Tawny, Muscat/Topaque
Food matches: Botrytis: Cream or fruit-based desserts, pâté. Tawny: Cheddar and blue cheese, dried and fresh fruit, nuts. Topaque: Caramel-based desserts. Muscat: Chocolate-based desserts, dates, dried figs, and ice cream.
We hope these tips help you feel more confident about food and wine pairing. Here’s to the simple pleasure of enjoying food and great wine – bon appétit!
