The right wine served with a meal can balance out the flavors. The basic idea is to match the body and weight of the wine with the richness of the food it is being served with.
While the "rules" have become relaxed a bit, it is a good idea to avoid serving a strong tasting wine with delicate food and vice versa.
Use this chart to find the perfect wine and food combination.
Desserts | Fruits and Vegetables | Meats |
Seafood |
Herbs & Spices | Nuts & Cheese | |
Cabernet Sauvignon (Red) Flavors: Chocolate, bell pepper, red fruits, herbs |
chocolate gelato |
tomatoes broccoli cherries |
beef steaks venison |
tuna |
rosemary | walnuts cheddar cheese Gorgonzola cheese |
Chardonnay (White) Flavors: Pear, apple, tropical fruit, vanilla, spice |
vanilla or banana pudding banana breads |
apples mango squash potatoes |
pork chicken veal lobster |
crab halibut shrimp |
basil tarragon sesame |
almonds asiago cheese |
Merlot (Red) Flavors: Red fruits, pine forest, cherries |
fondue chocolate berries |
tomatoes plums |
grilled meats | tuna swordfish |
rosemary mint |
chestnuts romano cheese parmesan cheese |
Pinot Noir (Red) Flavors: Spicy cloves, geranium, black cherries |
creme brulee white chocolate |
figs strawberries mushrooms |
chicken filet mignon lamb sausage |
tuna | cloves nutmeg cinnamon |
walnuts Brie goat cheese |
Reisling (White) Flavors: Flowers, peaches, melons |
apple pie |
chile pepper pears apricot |
duck smoked sausage |
trout sea bass |
ginger rosemary |
gouda walnuts |
Sauvignon Blanc (White) Flavors: Grassy, vegetal, sweaty, tropical fruit |
key lime pie sorbet |
asparagus green apples citrus fruits |
turkey chicken |
oysters scallops |
tarragon coriander chives |
pine nuts feta cheese goat cheese |
Syrah (Red) Flavors: Black pepper, plum, berries, game |
rhubarb pie chocolate cake |
currants beets |
sausage | salmon | sage oregano |
hazelnuts cheddar |
Zinfandel Flavors: Berries, briar, black pepper |
carrot cake gingerbread |
cranberries eggplant peppers (grilled) |
hot sausage pork duck beef |
blackend fish | nutmeg black pepper |
Brie |