Pairing the right wine with a complementary meal can be one of the most pleasing sensory experiences any “foodie” can have. But even if you’re someone who enjoys good wine and delicious food, there’s a chance you may not exactly know how and why it all works together so well. Which is why I’ve put together this simple guide and found helpful charts to make it all easy to understand. Eating well shouldn’t be so complicated. Take a look ahead and save this post for an easy guide to pairing food and wine.
How to Pair Wine with Food
White wines are traditionally great with fish courses and red wines lend themselves to earthier flavors, given the richness of the grapes. But here’s a breakdown you can easily follow and keep in mind next time you order a meal or prepare your favorite dish.
White Wines:
Champagne – Pair with savory, salty foods.
Chardonnay – The buttery undertones lend itself to richer sauces and fatty fish dishes
Pinot Grigio – The crisp and delicate flavors pair best with lighter and citrusy fish dishes.
Sauvignon Blanc – The freshness of this wine pairs well with citrus or tart dishes.
Red Wines:
Cabernet – A classic cabernet lends itself to a traditional steak or beef meal.
Malbec – This bold wine pairs well with spicy or heavily seasoned dishes.
Pinot Noir – A rich pinot noir pairs well with earthy flavors.
Syrah – Because a syrah typically has spicy notes, it works well with dishes that are rich and heavily seasoned.
This great chart by Wine Folly makes it easy to see which wines go with each food variation:
And here’s another useful wine chart by Wine Folly that you can pin or print to keep in your kitchen for easy access:
Note: Click on each chart to view it in a larger, easier-to-read size.
