Matching wines with food

Matching Wines with Food
Learning about wine, its varieties and characteristics, and how to match food to wine. The right combination between food and wine is a source of ultimate bliss for every connoisseur.
Both wine and food can benefit from the right pairing. The right wine can accentuate unexpected gastronomical aspects of food and vice versa, wine can shine in a new light when accompanied by the right dish. It is a pleasure to the palate and it teases the senses when you combine fine dining with a glass of good wine. White wine is excellent when you are dining on fish or chicken, while red wine goes perfectly with red meat dishes.
Top Tips for Matching Food with Wine 
 
 
Match the wine with the dominant flavour, texture or characteristic of the dish you are preparing to find a balance that works. Below are some general rules of thumb followed by categorised suggestions of wines which will match. Try them out and then expand on or fine tune the choices to create your own personalised, definitive list.
  1. Rich, heartier dishes suit full bodied wines such as Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel or Chardonnay
  2. Foods with a naturally higher acidic content, including many fruits and cheeses, often go well with wines which are considered to have a sharp edge such as Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio or Zinfandel. These wines will also flatter foods that are commonly served with a tangy accent, such as fish or salads which are frequently flavoured with lemon or vinegar.
  3. Highly seasoned dishes flavoured with salt or spice will pair happily with lower alcohol, fruity wines like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio, a dry Rosé or Pinot Noir rather than anything highly tannic.
  4. Delicately cooked and flavoured food, such as steamed, smoked or poached dishes, will require an equally delicate match. Try Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel or Gewürztraminer.
  5. Sweeter savoury dishes, such as honey roasted ham or pork with a syrupy glaze, will suit a medium sweet or off dry wine like Riesling or Chenin Blanc.
  6. Desserts and puddings will only successfully match well rounded sweet wines - or at least wines that taste sweeter than the dish they are asked to complement. Serving anything else leaves the wine in danger of tasting acidic or simply rather weak. Try Muscat, Vespaiola, Frontignac or a Port.
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