Pairing Wine and Food

Pairing wine with food

Pairing wine and food is an age-old pastime, but the rules have changed. Today what you like is the bottom line for choosing what to drink, whether you will enjoy it with roasted chicken, lobster bisque or a chocolate mousse.

Check out a few of our guidelines to get started. Then compare and enhance your selections and have some fun with our new Wine+Food Pairing tool. (It's in the upper-right corner of the Articles and Tools page.)

Tips for pairing

• It is no longer out of the question to pair white wine with meat or red wine with fish. Instead, think simple wine with simple food, and complex wine with complex food;
• Put like with like: A good rule of thumb when picking wine to drink with food is to consider the flavor, texture, aroma and type of food. If it is a strong, rich or hearty dish like steak or pasta with red sauce, you may be happiest pairing it with a rich, hearty wine such as a Cabernet or Zinfandel. For a lighter dish, such as a broiled white meat fish or sautéed chicken breast, a Sauvignon Blanc or one of its cousins will do the trick.

Consider the strongest flavors of the wine and the food

• The flavors of your wine can add depth to the meal if the two complement one another. Think Sauvignon Blanc (grassy, citrus) and how it might shine when combined with a salmon filet grilled with butter. Like the idea of herbs and citrus? Then you are likely to enjoy this pairing.
• If you pair a wine that has dissimilar qualities to the food, you may find the flavors clash. For example, a delicate sautéed filet of sole probably would be overpowered by a spicy, red Shiraz. But a Pinot and a rich salmon steak? Why not? Then again, a mild creamed spinach can taste metallic if paired with a strong red. You’ll know it when you try it!

Alcohol content, acidity and tannin impact how well wine goes with food

• High alcohol wines are a nice match for foods that are hearty and flavorful, such as grilled or roasted meats. Slightly sweet food like teriyaki chicken or pork with sweet and sour sauce can also work nicely with high-alcohol wines. The same wines can overpower delicate foods, however, so beware.
• Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chianti are considered high in acid and will match up well with salty or smoked foods, as well as cream or cheese sauces.
• Cabs and some Italian reds are high in tannin, so they will play well with fatty foods like steak. By neutralizing the oil in the mouth, tannin actually enhances the flavor of fatty foods. But high tannin wines aren’t ideal for spicy or sweet foods, where the two can oppose each other.

Try our new Wine+Food Pairing tool for a new experience

A great way to pair your meal with wine is to try our new online Wine+Food Pairing tool (in the upper right corner of the Articles and Tools page.) Select a dish (beef stroganoff) or a sauce (lemon butter) or a wine (Chardonnay) from one of the menus, then click and watch as suggestions pop up to complement your existing ingredient(s). Here is your one-stop matchmaker to create the ideal marriage of food and wine.

Have it your way

In the end, if it tastes good to you, it is good. Our wine samplers allow you to taste test numerous fine wines before you buy, without a big expenditure. Push the envelope and try some unusual pairings if you are feeling adventurous. Once you know what you like, you can purchase that very bottle (or several!) right here, knowing you’ll be happy with your perfect pair.