Food and Wine Pairing

I thought I'd share with you my "cheat sheet" for helping customers pair food and wine.  I've also included some basics for helping to make a more perfect match.

Food Pairing Basics

1. Geography. 

A. Pair food and wine from the same region. e.g..  If you are having an Italian meal or cheese then try an Italian wine (Chianti is quite popular for pairing), manchego cheese and a Garnacha (both from Spain). 

B.  Pair food based on what the region is known for.  i.e. If you are having Beef you can go with an Argentinian wine.

2.  Sameness.

Consider what is driving the food (ie. cream sauce).  Pair this food characteristic with a wine having the same characteristic.  This sameness would make them compatible. 

e.g. A light fish will go with a light wine (ie. Pinot Gris), or chicken with a butter sauce would pair well with a buttery Chardonnay.  You can also consider acidity to acidity - pairing a Chianti to a tomato sauce.

3.  Contrast. 

Again, consider what is driving the food and pair this food characteristic with a wine having the opposite characteristic.  The best example of this is Asian, spicy food with Riesling.

4.  Flavor Intensity. 

Match weight and intensity (not color) of the wine to the dish.  If the food is bold then select a bold wine.  If the food is light/delicate choose a light wine.

Most people can determine the intensity of food, but have a more difficult time determining the intensity of wine.  For the latter, you can put this in perspective by equating wine to milk.  Consider the various milk options - skim, 1%, 2%, whole, half-and-half, cream, and heavy cream.  With skim milk being low intensity and heavy cream being bolder.  If you consider your wine to be that of "cream" then you have a more intense wine to pair with a more intense food.  ie. Red Zinfandel with Mexican food.

Other notes to consider:

1.  Food amplifies the oak in wine.  Do not pair an oakie wine with delicate food, it will be overpowered.  Rather pair it with grilled food.

2.  Salt is exaggerated by tannins.  Do not salt the food too much or a tannic wine will make it taste saltier.

3.  Wines that have more tannins are best served with protien-rich and fatty foods (ie. steak).

4.  Tannic wines tend to taste more mouth-drying when paired with spicy foods. 

Chardonnay

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Chicken, pork, veal, shellfish, trout, salmon

            Roasted or grilled.

            Seasonings:  butter, pepper, ginger (stir-fry), curry, lemon, 
                               garlic

            Pasta: clam sauce, cream sauce, butter, pesto

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

            Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, Gouda, Gruyere, Parmesan, 
            Provolone

Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Poultry, pork, veal, seafood

            Fried, steamed.

            Seasonings:  butter, garlic, marinara, spicy

            Pasta: cream sauce

            Risotto

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

            Aged Cheddar, Asiago, Edam, goat cheese, Gouda, 
            Mozzarella, Muenster, and even Ricotta for a unique 
            combo.

Sauvignon Blanc/Fumé Blanc

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Chicken, pork, seafood

            Seasonings:  butter, pepper, lemon, mustard, spicy

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Asiago, Brie, Cheddar, Feta, goat cheese, Gruyere, 
             Neufchatel, Parmesan

Riesling/Gewurztraminer

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Chicken, pork, veal, lamb, seafood, shellfish, sushi

            Seasonings:  Asian, curry, spicy, cream sauce

            Pasta: clam sauce, cream sauce, butter, pesto

            Salads 

            Fruits

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Brie, Blue, Boursin, Camembert, Chevre, Colby, Edam, 
             Gouda, Monterey Jack, Muenster, Swiss, Wensleydale

Sweet White Wines

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Dessert

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Crème Fraiche, Mascarpone, or shake it up with a 
             salty/sweet combo, and consider a crumble or two of  
             blue cheese.

Sparkling

Suggested Food Pairings: 

            Beef, chicken, pork, veal, fish, shellfish

            Pizza, picnics, casual fare

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

     Beaufort, Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Chevre, Colby, 
              Edam, Gouda, Gruyere, Parmesan

Other White Wines

Suggested Food Pairings:  Excellent for lunch and picnics.

               Hors d’oeuvres

     Chicken, fish, shellfish

     Light pasta dishes 

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

             Buttery cheeses

Beaujolais

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Chicken, pork, veal, lamb, seafood

            Grilled

            Seasonings:  cream sauce, lemon, sage

            Pasta: vodka sauce, tomato sauce

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

     Brie, Camembert, goat cheese

Pinot Noir

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Chicken, pork, veal, lamb, seafood

            Grilled

            Seasonings:  cream sauce, lemon, sage

            Pasta: vodka sauce, tomato sauce

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Brie, Camembert, Feta, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Muenster, 
             Port Salut, Swiss

Merlot

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Beef, chicken, pork, veal, lamb, tuna, salmon

            Grilled

            Seasonings:  herbs, butter, garlic, tomato

            Pasta: meat sauce, basil/pesto, garlic, Parmesan, tomato

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Gouda, Gruyere, 
             Jarlsberg, Parmesan

Cabernet Sauvignon

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Beef, pork, veal, lamb

            Grilled

            Seasonings:  barbecue, roast, mustard, pepper, horseradish, 
                               onion,  mushrooms

            Pasta: red sauce, gorgonzola cream sauce

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

Camembert, Cheddar, Colby, Danish Blue, Gorgonzola, 
          Gouda, Parmesan, Blue cheese, Roquefort

Zinfandel

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Beef, pork, veal, lamb, duck

            Short ribs, burgers

            Seasonings:  barbecue, pepper, spicy, garlic

           

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

            Asiago, Blue, Feta, goat cheese, Gouda, Gruyere, Muenster

Syrah/Shiraz

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Beef, chicken, veal, lamb

            Seasonings:  garlic, mustard, barbecue, smoked

            Pasta: garlic, marinara, vodka sauce

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Cheddar, Edam, Gouda, Parmesan

Malbec

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Beef chicken, pork, veal, lamb, game

            Grilled

            Seasonings:  Asian, mushrooms, stew

            Pasta:  Red sauce

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Blue, Manchego, Taleggio

Carmenere

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Beef, lamb, veal, stews, casseroles, pizza

            Seasonings:  onion, mustard, pepper, horseradish

            Italian and Chinese cuisine

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

            Gorgonzola, other strong cheeses

Cabernet Franc

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Beef, pork, poultry, veal, lamb, pizza

            Grilled

            Seasonings:  barbecue, roast, mustard, pepper, horseradish, 
                               onion, mushrooms,

   Middle Eastern, Greek

             Pasta:  lasagna

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Blue, Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Fontina, goat cheese, 
             Gorgonzola, Port Salut, Swiss

Chianti

Suggested Food Pairings:

            Beef, chicken, lamb, veal

            Seasonings:  garlic, oregano

            Pasta:  marinara, tomato sauce, meat sauce

Suggested Cheese Pairings:

    Look for region cheeses; Fontina, Mozarella, Parmesan or 
             Provolone