Pairing with food

There are a number of myths about which wine goes with what food. Here is some pairing advice for food and wine from our two experts, who together have more than 60 years of experience in tasting and judging.

Cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel

These full-bodied reds generally complement rich dishes. Classic pairings for cabernet include braised, roasted, or grilled lamb or roast beef, and desserts with chocolate as an ingredient. Zinfandels pair with foods similar to those served with cabernet. You can also pair zins with creamy pasta sauces, barbecue, and even pizza.

Chardonnay

Richer chardonnays with heavier doses of wood extract pair well with poultry in cream or butter sauces, dishes with herbs (oregano, mustard, cloves, ginger, and sage), lobster in butter, other shellfish, and seafood platters and stews. Simple, tart, fruity chardonnays complement finger foods, sushi, raw bar, or plain grilled fish.

Chenin blanc

Dry style chenin blancs pair well with Asian food and herbed or grilled fish or chicken. Softer, off-dry-style chenin blancs go with spicier Asian dishes and barbecued food.

Malbec

This simple, fruity wine can be paired with casual snack foods such as pizza and burgers, but more complex varieties do best with richer foods such as beef (steak, barbecue, stews) or mushroom risotto.

Merlot and red-wine blends

Fairly rich wines, these pair well with broiled, roasted or grilled meat and chicken, meaty, firm, hearty fish such as Ahi tuna, savory side dishes such as winter squash, yams, and hearty portabella mushrooms, nuts, rich sauces with herbs (garlic, rosemary, thyme, and tarragon), aromatic vegetables such as fennel and onion, and rich foods such as lasagna and cheese.

Pinot grigio/pinot gris

Those of the drier, lighter-bodied Old-World style pair well with lighter dishes: less-seasoned and less-sauced seafood, and shellfish. New World-style wines can take on richer and heavier fare, such as seafood with butter sauce, salmon, veal dishes with light sauces, egg rolls and spring rolls, citrus-accented foods, sauces and seasonings including garlic, onion, mustard, and vinegar, sour-cream- and yogurt-based foods, salads with savory elements such as bacon, and pasta with cream, butter, or pesto.

Pinot noir

This lighter red especially complements roast beef, broiled, roasted or grilled meat, chicken, oily or fatty fish such as salmon, and savory, rich, herbed foods.

Prosecco

Prosecco can be off-dry and fruity. It pairs well with many foods, including finger foods and sushi.

Riesling

With their combination of fruit notes and pleasing acidity, Rieslings can go well with spicy Asian dishes, roast chicken or pork, grilled sausages and seafood, and fruit and cheese plates. They're also fine choices as an aperitif.

Rosé

It might have a touch of sweetness and fruit flavor that stands up to savory or spicy foods. Or it might be drier and leaner, with an acidity that would pair well with sushi, grilled, stewed, or smoked seafood, or barbecued meats. It's best served chilled.

Sauvignon blanc

This white wine pairs well with poultry dishes, including roasted chicken and turkey with herbs, pasta in cream sauce, baked fish, and grilled shrimp, raw bar, and steamed clams and mussels. It also works well with spicy Asian food and Spanish tapas, or as an aperitif.

Sparkling wines

These pair well with hors d'oeuvres, soup and salad, mild cheeses, and light desserts. They can also serve as an aperitif or a counterpoint to a heavier main course of fish or fowl. Fruity wines would complement spicy Asian food.

Torrontés

It pairs well with smoked meats, spicy Thai, or other Asian foods, and seafood dishes.

Zinfandel

This wine pairs with foods similar to those served with cabernet, and with creamy pasta sauces, barbecue, and even pizza.

A myriad of Web sites now offer food-pairing advice, including www.winewebcentral.com/winepairing/, which has a well-designed interactive tool that suggests good, better, and best choices according to the food and its sauce or preparation. (But where the site recommends simple, fairly sweet white zinfandel, we'd instead suggest the off-dry, and more interesting, chenin blanc.)

For more details on ideal wine-serving temperatures, see How to serve wine.

See also:

Beer

Chocolates

Wine chillers

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Kitchen-Planning Guide