Top Rules for Great Wine and Food Pairings

A perfect mise en place, and you even have a double choice of fish and meat-based second courses, so as not to disappoint anyone.

You have everything under control. Or that’s what you think.

You chose the wines based on common sense, hoping to avoid your sister-in-law’s looks of disapproval: white with fish, red with meat and rosé if you have both fish and meat. No way: rosé doesn’t go well with everything. Plus, in some cases even the most classical food and wine pairings can be wrong. And, above all, sommeliers believe the time has come to follow one’s personal taste. Without forgetting some common sense, to enhance the taste of both the food and the wine. 

For the appetizer: cheese does not always go with red wine

If you love gorgonzola, you should know that the best combination is with white wine: the Gewurtztraminer is perfect, with its aromatic and intense taste, as well as Malvasia, with its dry and aromatic scent. 

Does your chopping board mostly include a refined selection of goat's cheese? If creamy, pair them with some good Sauvignon; if mainly seasoned, pair them with some Pinot Gris. If you’d rather have some red wine, focus on the most delicate and less tannin varieties, such as a bottle of Italian Grignolino. 

Pairing wine and food by contrast

The answer to greasy food is acidity and tannin, that somewhat bitter taste that makes many red wines stand out. 

A few examples may include a beef tartare with Chianti, the roast lamb with Merlot or, if you prefer whites, a portion of veal with tuna sauce with some white wine or a lobster cream risotto with an elegant glass of Champagne.

Pairing wine and food to mirror flavors

If you combine some light wine like Burgundy with a plate of curry, the flavors will not balance and the wine will end up tasting like water. A good rule is to pair delicate dishes with delicate wines, rich dishes with well-structured wines.

Choose a flexible wine

Flexible means not too tannic or alcoholic, but with good acidity. Many Italian red wines are perfect with a variety of dishes, from the simplest to the most elaborate ones. 

If you prefer white wines, the Sauvignon Blanc is perfect both for the appetizer with some fresh gazpacho, an octopus carpaccio or fresh cheeses, and risotto with asparagus or spicy dishes.

What about dessert?

Panettone, pandoro, apple pie or spoon cake: none of them goes well with Brut. The contrast between sweet and sour taste makes the wine taste even more acidic. Better to go for a glass of Prosecco or some sweet Moscato.