The politically correct rule regarding pairing wine with food used to be: Red wine with red meat, white wine with fish and white meats. These days, things have loosened up and most vintners and chefs agree you should drink the wines you enjoy most with the foods you like best, regardless of color.
Of course, there are some combinations that work particularly well together, like poached salmon and a creamy Chardonnay or a hearty pasta with a robust Zinfandel.
Poultry & Game Birds |
 Lamb |
Ham & Pork |
Pasta |
Ethnic Dishes |
 Seafood |
Cheeses |
Beef |
Dessert |
 Soups |
Eggs |
Fruits & Vegetables |
A Brief Guide To Matching Wine with Food
The old rule, red wine with red meat, white wine with fish, was a good one to follow back in the days of square meals.
Today, recipes are more interesting with a wider range of flavors and textures which makes matching them with wine more fun and interesting. When picking a wine, look for a match between the flavor characteristics of the food and wine.
Also, lighter flavored wines usually go better with lighter flavored dishes and robust wines with robust foods. Here are some guidelines that help make matching food and wine easier. But in case you lose this guide, the three most important rules to remember are:
- Drink what you like.
- Just about any wine with a meal is better than NO wine at all.
- When panic sets in, red wine with red meat, white wine with fish.
Wine Types / Grape Varieties
Wine Flavor Descriptions and Food Flavor Matches:
Jump to:
Sparkling |
Sauvignon Blanc |
White Meritage |
Chardonnay |
Gewürztraminer |
White Zinfandel |
Pinot Noir |
Merlot |
Red Meritage |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
Zinfandel
Sparkling
- Crisp
- Tart
Sauvignon Blanc (also called Fumé Blanc) or White Meritage
Lemony flavored dishes like veal piccata. Chicken, fish and shellfish recipes that taste good with a squeeze of lemon. Pita sandwiches with sautéed beef and yogurt. Stir-fried beef with vegetables. Dishes flavored with lemon grass. Anything with peppers, green bell to hot chiles.
Chardonnay
Fish sautéed in butter or with almonds. Fried oysters and clams. Fish, shell fish, chicken and veal with cream-based sauces. Roast pork. Anything, even grilled beef, with a fruit-based salsa like papaya or mango. Thai and other Far Eastern dishes with coconut or peanuts.
Gewürztraminer
Rich flavored appetizers like gravlax or liver pâté. Spicy and spicy-hot food, especially Chinese. Curries.
White Zinfandel
Hamburgers and any food served with ketchup. Salmon and other meats grilled with tomato-based BBQ sauce.
Pinot Noir
Simply grilled or sautéed beef tenderloin. Perfect with Prime Rib. Fish poached in Pinot Noir.
Cabernet Sauvignon also Merlot (lighter, softer) and Red Meritage (more complex)
Lamb and classic beef dishes including Stroganoff, steak with Bordelaise, Bearnaise or other rich sauces. Duck and pheasant. Grilled salmon.
