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Food & Wine Pairing

Which wine should you serve with a meal? There’s no need to worry that white wine only goes with fish and red wine with red meat.

It’s all about what you like to eat and drink.

You don’t need to be a wine connoisseur or a gourmet cook to enjoy matching wine selections with recipes. But, it can be a challenge to plan a meal complete with wine. Here are a few general guidelines that will help you pair your wine and food best for the most pleasurable dining experience.

Basically, you will find that certain tastes and textures marry better with certain wines in comparison to others. The following basic principles apply:

Item – it all depends on what you select:
- Delicate foods with lighter wines
- Robust foods with fuller flavored wines
- High acid foods with wines that are higher in acid
- Higher fat foods with wines higher in tannin levels
Method – grilling, broiling, etc. For example, because of the pine resin or “forest floor” quality of red Bordeaux, it pairs well with grilled meats in particular.
- Additional flavors and sauces
- Light sauces with white wines
- Dark sauces with red wines

Pairing the right wine with the right meal enhances the wine tasting experience. Based on the type of meal you’re serving, we suggest:

Dry Whites: seafood, poultry, lighter meats
Sweet Whites: some desserts, fruit and cheese
Blush: picnics, cold cuts, buffets, game birds, fowl
Reds: red pasta sauce, red meat, cheese, bitter chocolate
Sparkling: almost everything (except red meat)

Food and Wine Pairing Guide

This guide offers many excellent suggestions for food pairing. Use the suggestions as a guide and ultimately choose your favorite pairing. Remember to trust yourself; you are the only expert on your personal taste. Cheers!

Appetizers
Soup/Salads
Meat
Pasta
Poultry
Seafood
Dessert

Appetizers

Pâté
- Gewürztraminer
- Sparkling
Quiche
- Sparkling
- Pinot Grigio
- Sauvignon Blanc
Hard Cheese
- Chianti Blend
- Full-Bodied Whites
Oysters on the half shell
- Sparkling
Shrimp Cocktail
- Riesling
- Pinot Grigio

Top

Soup/Salads

Minestrone
- Orvieto
- Sparkling
French Onion
- Sparkling
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Pinot Noir
Spinach Salad
- Pinot Grigio
- Orvieto
Caesar Salad
- Pinot Blanc
- Bordeaux Blend - White

Top

Meat

Spicy Sausage
- Chianti Blend
- Shiraz / Syrah
Pork Ribs
- Shiraz / Syrah
- Zinfandel
Pork Tenderloin
- Pinot Noir
- Rioja
- Merlot
Roast Pork
- Rosé
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
Pork Chops
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Shiraz / Syrah
- Pinot Noir
Osso Bucco
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Shiraz / Syrah
Veal Piccata
- Chardonnay
Veal Marsala
- Pinot Noir
- Chianti Blend
- Shiraz / Syrah<.li>
Veal Chop
- Malbec
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chianti Blend
Rack of Lamb / Lamb Chops
- Malbec
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Shiraz / Syrah
Roast Beef
- Pinot Noir
- Bordeaux / Meritage Blend
- Cabernet Sauvignon
Porterhouse
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Malbec
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
New York Strip
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Bordeaux / Meritage Blend
- Merlot
Corned Beef
- Cabernet Sauvignon
Filet Mignon
- Bordeaux / Meritage Blend
- Rioja
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Shiraz / Syrah