Pairing food with wine
Pairing food with the perfect wine doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s simple and should always be fun. Don’t take it too seriously and always choose what works for you, even if it’s not the expert’s choice. We’ve put together this simple guide to get you started.
Chicken
Chicken is a versatile staple which can be cooked in a variety of ways using different spices, sauces and garnishes. This can make it difficult to choose the perfect wine pairing but here’s some general recommendations. 
This light meat can often pair best with smooth, white wines such as Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. These can work especially well with milder meals such as a pasta dish or chicken pie. For spicier recipes, choose an aromatic white such as Pinot Grigio. It’s a versatile wine which will pair beautifully with Mexican, Indian or East Asian inspired cuisine.
Unless the dish has a rich sauce or stock, you won’t want to pair it with a full bodied red wine as the flavours can become overpowered. Instead choose a light red such as Pinot Noir which compliments Roast chicken perfectly.
Fish
Fish dishes often have a very light flavour which mostly suits itself to a dry white wine. Some fish can even pair with a light rose such as red mullet. Stronger varieties including salmon and tuna can handle bolder white wines including the Australian Chardonnays. With a high oil content, mackerel and sardines will need a fresh white such as Muscadet.
There can be occasions to pair fish with red wine depending on the other ingredients and your cooking methods. Grilling or barbecuing brings the intense flavors out of fish, making it acceptable for smooth reds such as Pinot Noir. If you’re including meat, such as chorizo and monkfish, you’ll want to consider a red Rioja.
Meat
A full bodied red is the go to choice for many meat dishes which require wines with a high tannin content. If you’re serving a steak or roast beef, the velvety texture of Malbec will complement the meat perfectly. 
Alternatively, for even richer foods such as veal or rabbit, choose the French Mourvedre which has hints of dried herbs and mocha overtones. For a winter wine for warming meals such as casserole and smoked meat dishes, choose the reasonably priced grape, Shiraz.
Dessert
As a rule of thumb, the wine should match the sweetness of the dish whilst having some acidity to balance the flavours. The candied fruitiness of a late harvest Zinfandel should be paired with fruit desserts including carrot cake, tarts and apple pie. 
For lighter recipes including fruit sorbets and lemon meringue pick up a white Moscato wine which has a fruity and citrus flavours. For chocolate based deserts, a highly concentrated red wine with flavours of dark berry always works best. A Cabernet Sauvignon provides just the right amount of sweetness for that decadent chocolate cake.
This guide should give you a better understanding of appropriate food pairings. It’s now time to sample for yourself and discover your favorite wines.
Young, passionate, and inquisitive—these are the words—that best describe Megan Taylor. A natural extrovert, she makes it a point to travel on a regular basis to experience different cultures and discover new things. In addition, her passion for writing allows her to produce captivating pieces in a heartbeat.
Leave a Reply