Certain wine-and-food pairings go better together than others. But when you’re unfamiliar with the flavors and complexities of wine, you may have trouble knowing which wine to serve with which food or vice versa. When you want to make the perfect pairing, consult these handy tables, organized by white, red, and Champagne/sparkling wine categories.
Credit: Illustration © iStockphoto.com/reekerseeker
White Wine |
Serve with |
Bordeaux, white |
Shellfish (especially lobster, scallops, and shrimp); grilled
fish; goat cheese |
Burgundy, lighter-bodied white |
Delicate fish dishes |
Burgundy, fuller-bodied white |
Heavier fish dishes; lobster; chicken; turkey; veal |
Chablis |
Seafood (especially oysters, clams, and mussels) |
Chablis, grand cru |
Lobster; dark-fleshed, meaty fish |
Chardonnay |
Poultry (especially chicken); seafood (especially lobster),
salmon, fish in light sauces; veal; ham; creamy cheeses (Brie
Camembert) |
Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc |
Full-flavored fish and shellfish dishes (such as lobster);
poultry; veal; pork; strong cheeses |
Gewürztraminer |
Strong cheeses (Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Cheddar, aged
Gouda); pork; ham; spicy Asian cuisine; foie gras |
Hermitage Blanc |
Full-flavored fish and shellfish dishes (such as lobster);
poultry; veal; pork; strong cheeses |
Pinot Gris |
Spicy meat dishes |
Pouilly-Fumé |
Rich fish (salmon); chicken; veal; goat cheese |
Riesling |
Delicate fish dishes |
Sancerre |
Shellfish or light, freshwater fish (trout) |
Sauvignon Blanc |
Shellfish (mussels and oysters); lobster; goat cheese |
Zinfandel, white |
Fish; pork; pasta with cream sauce |
Red Wine |
Serve with |
Barbaresco |
Roasted meats (especially beef); game meat (venison, boar,
rabbit); flavorful game birds (pheasant, duck); hard cheeses
(fontina, Gouda, cheddar) |
Barbera |
Pasta; pizza; any tomato-based dish |
Barolo |
Roasted meats (especially beef); game meat (venison, boar,
rabbit); flavorful game birds (pheasant, duck); hard cheeses
(fontina, Gouda, cheddar) |
Bordeaux, red |
Lamb; venison; simple roasts; hard cheeses (Comte,
Gruyère, Cheddar) |
Burgundy, red |
Fish (especially salmon); seafood; chicken; turkey; ham; beef;
game meats (duck, pheasant, rabbit, venison) |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
Steak; lamb; pot roast; veal; duck; game birds; hard
cheeses |
Chianti, Classico |
Lamb; roast turkey; veal; steak; roast beef |
Chianti, light |
Pasta; prosciutto; roast chicken |
Cotes du Rhone |
Hamburgers; chicken; pizza |
Cotes du Ventoux |
Hamburgers; chicken; pizza |
Merlot |
Chicken; duck; lamb; steak; pot roast; veal; game birds; hard
cheeses |
Pinot Noir |
Lohi; mereneläviä; kana; vasikanliha; sianliha; Ankka; riistalinnut; paahdettua
naudanlihaa |
Zinfindel, punainen |
Grillattu liha; grilli; pizza; mausteisia ruokia |
Samppanjaa tai kuohuviiniä |
Tarjoile kanssa |
Asti |
Makeat jälkiruoat (erityisesti hääkakku) |
Samppanja tai kuohuviini, kuiva |
Muna ruokia; mausteinen aasialainen keittiö; kalastaa; mereneläviä; pasta (mutta ei
marinarakastike); risotto; siipikarja |
Samppanja, puolisek |
Tuore hedelmä; jälkiruokia, jotka eivät ole liian makeita |
Samppanjaa, roséa |
lammas; kinkku |
Samppanja, vanhentunut |
Ikääntynyt Asiago; vanha Gouda; Parmesan juusto |
Moscato d'Asti |
Jälkiruoka; brunssiruoat |