Pairing Guides
Wine and Food pairing is an extremely personal pastime, drawing from the background, culture, and habits of each person sampling the wine. Germans might think a particular wine is dry; French are likely to find the same wine sweet. Someone brought up with spicy foods might judge a wine differently than someone brought up with potatoes and pasta.
| Varietal/Blend/Type | Primary Regions | Food |
|---|---|---|
|
Late Harvest |
All Regions |
Spicy Foods (eg. Curry, Thai, Szechuan Chinese) |
|
Gewurtztraminer |
Alsace, CA, WA |
Spicy Foods (eg. Curry, Thai, Szechuan Chinese) Salads and fruit |
|
Chennin Blanc |
Loire, CA, WA |
"Sweemeat" shellfish (eg. losbster, crab) |
|
Sauvignon Blanc |
All Regions |
Fish in cream or butter sauces, creamy pasta dishes, chicken, Chinese |
|
Pinot Gris (Grigio) |
N. Italy, S. France and Germany |
Heavier fish dishes (eg. Salmon), creamy pastas, chicken |
|
Jonannisberg Riesling |
Alsace, Rhine, CA, WA, OR |
Shellfish, Seafood in general |
|
Chardonnay |
Burgandy, CA, WA, Australia |
Heavier fish dishes, fish soups, creamy seafood pastas, cheeses, delicate chicken and veal dishes (eg. wiener schnitzel) |
|
Pinto Blanc |
Alsace, Rhine, Burgandy |
Delicate white meat shellfish and fish dishes (eg. scallops, sole) |
| Red Wines | ||
|
Beaujolais, Gamay |
Beaujolais, CA, WA |
Duck, Cold meat picnic lunch, delicate cheeses |
|
Tempranillo, Spanish reds |
Rioja, Penedes |
Heavier fish, fish-meat combinations (eg. paella), strongly flavored (even spicy) chicken dishes |
|
Côte du Rhone (Grenache blend) |
Côte du Rhone |
Veal, duck, chicken in delicate wine or cream sauces, (eg. Veal Marsala, Coq au vin), cheeses |
|
Shiraz (Syrah) |
Australia, South Africa |
Roasted and grilled lamb. Mediterranean lamb dishes (eg. souvlaki), game fowl, cheeses |
|
Chianti (Sangiovese blend) |
Chianti |
Pastas with sauces dominated by tomato flavors (eg. Bolognese, cacciatore) or with strongly flavored creamy sauces (eg. alfredo) |
|
Zinfandel |
CA |
Pastas with meat and/or cheese dominant (eg. lasagna), pizza, cheese (see Chianti) |
|
Merlot |
All Regions |
Marinated pork dishes, Pork, lamb dishes with flavorful sauces |
|
Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux blend |
All Regions |
Steak, beef stews (eg. Hungarian goulash), venison stews, roast beef |
