Wine is meant to compliment food, and food is meant to compliment wine.  But which wine should you serve with which food?  The answer depends on your own tastes, the nature of the occasion, and other factors.  Still, there are some useful guidelines and here is a quick cheat sheet. 

The general rule is red wine with red meats and white wine with white meats.  (However, if you take a chicken breast and make chicken parmesan, everything changes and a red wine is now more complementary).  Like many rules, this one is made to be broken.  But it’s a useful guideline because red wine and red meats are usually more flavorful than white wine and white meats or fish. 

Don’t be afraid to break this rule with new, unusual and delicious combinations of food and wine.  For example, grilled salmon matches very well with a light red wine – or a full-flavored white.  Take your pick!  Similarly, the “right” wine for pasta depends on the sauce – tomato-based, Alfredo, or others – and your taste.  Sometimes opposites work best; try a spicy dish with a sweet, refreshing Vignoles or Traminette to cool off your mouth!  Just remember, the wine shouldn’t overpower the food and the food shouldn’t overpower the wine. We are looking for balance here!

“If it grows together, it goes together” – which basically means your local wine would most likely go great with some local beef or fresh vegetables from the Farmer’s Market.  Plus, you’re supporting your local economy. 

Cheese is a popular pairing for wine.  Red wines typically pair well with mild to sharp cheeses, while strongly flavored cheeses like bleu or gorgonzola, go well with port and a late harvest (sweet) wine.

Here are more suggestions on wine and cheese pairing.

When pairing wine with desserts, sweet food goes with sweet wine. Typically, a wine should be sweeter than the dessert it accompanies.  However, dark, bitter chocolate goes great with a dry, red wine, like Norton.  And remember sparkling wine is a very food friendly wine, so it pairs well with sweets and salty food as well!  If you are a lover of ice cream, we recommend pouring a fruit wine (e.g. strawberry, blackberry, peach) over vanilla flavored ice cream for a yummy summertime treat!

Check out more sweet tips on wine and chocolate pairing.