A Guide to Pairing Food &
Wine
These are the best basic match-ups; however, your
taste buds should rule your choice and almost any combination
of food and wine that you enjoy is the correct combination.
When serving multiple courses, each with a different wine,
always serve light before heavy, white before red and
young before old.
The basic rule is: Complex food/simple wine and vice-versa.
Developed by George Howard of Wines By George,
Manchester Center, VT
Edited by Steve Tierney, The Wine Guy,
Healthy Living South Burlington, VT
Do you have a question for the wine guys? Email wineguy@healthylivingmarket.com
//Chicken/Turkey (creamy dishes, stews,
pot pie)
Full-bodied Champagne (Blanc de Noirs)
French Loire white (Muscadet, Vouvray)
Wooded, creamy Chardonnay (California style)
White Burgundy
German Riesling (Spätlese)
Orvieto
//Chicken/Turkey (roasted, grilled)
Lightly wooded/unwooded Chardonnay
French Loire white (Sancerre)
Dry Champagne (Blanc de Blanc or Brut)
Sauvignon Blanc or Fumé
Italian Pinot Grigio
Oregon Pinot Gris
Gewürztraminer
White Bordeaux
Rosé or Beaujolais Villages
Pinot Noir
Riesling (Qualititatswein)
//Game Birds
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Noir
Shiraz
Zinfandel
Cotes du Rhone
Spanish reds
//Duck/Goose
Strong Spanish reds
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Noir or Zinfandel
Shiraz or Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages
Bordeaux
//Veal (cream sauced)
Wooded, creamy Chardonnay
Orvieto
Full-bodied Champagne (Blanc de Noirs)
Fumé Blanc
Loire Valley whites
//Veal (roasted, chopped or grilled)
Spicy Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Noir
Dry Champagne (Blanc de Blanc or Brut)
Beaujolais Villages
Gewürztraminer
German Riesling (Qualitatswein)
//Ham
Beaujolais Villages
Pinot Noir
Chianti
Gewürztraminer
French or Italian Rosé
Fumé Blanc
Full-bodied Champagne (Blanc de Noirs)
Spicy Chardonnay
//Pork
Beaujolais-Villages or Rosé
Spanish reds
Pinot Noir
Gewürztraminer
Zinfandel
Shiraz or Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Cotes du Rhone Villages
//Lamb
Spanish reds
Bordeaux
Zinfandel
Pinot Noir
Cotes-du-Rhone
Shiraz or Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon blends
Petite Sirah
Chianti
//Wild Game (Venison, Boar, Bear)
Montepulciano or Chianti Riserva
Cotes-du-Rhone
Zinfandel
Pinot Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blends
Cabernet Sauvignon
Strong Spanish reds
Shiraz (South Australia)
//Beef Stew
Pinot Noir
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends
Rhone and Languedoc reds
//Steak/Barbeque/Ribs
Chianti
Spanish reds
Zinfandel
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blends
Rhone and Languedoc reds
Petite Sirah
//Roast Beef
Pinot Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends
//Cream/Fish/Cheese Sauce
Sauvignon Blanc
French Chardonnay
White Bordeaux
Riesling (Qualititatswein)
Alsatian blends
//Red/Meat/Tomato Sauce and Pizza
Tuscan reds
Spanish reds
Light Pinot Noir
Shiraz
//Hamburgers
Spanish reds
Rhone and Languedoc reds
Merlot
Chianti
Montepulciano
Zinfandel
//Lite/White/Shellfish & Oysters
Loire Valley whites (Sancerre, Cheverny)
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Grigio
Unwooded Chardonnay
Champagne (Brut)
Riesling (Qualititatswein or Kabinett)
Muscadet
Alsatian blends
//Dark flesh (salmon/tuna/swordfish)
Cotes-du-Rhone
Wooded, creamy Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Beaujolais-Villages
Orvieto
Dolcetto
Valpolicella
Italian or French Rose
Riesling (Spätlese)
Loire Valley whites (Sancerre, Cheverny)
Gruner Veltliner
Gewürztraminer
Loire Valley whites (Sancerre, Cheverny)
Sauvignon Blanc
Riesling (Qualititatswein)
French or Italian rose
Sake
BE CAREFUL—most wines do not pair well with vinegary
salad dressings; stick to Loire Valley whites, Sauvignon
Blanc or red wines.
Pinot Noir
Zinfandel
Beaujolais-Villages
Cabernet Sauvignon
Spanish reds
Shiraz
Gewürztraminer
French rose
Sauternes
Late Harvest Riesling
Moscato
Vin Santo
Champagne
Almost anything will do except full-bodied reds and really
okay Chardonnay...look at my wine and cheese chart.
A wide choice of unwooded or lightly wooded whites and
lite reds would work...try a good Gewürztraminer
or Riesling. |
