Basics of Food and Wine Pairing

Food and wine pairing may be considered a mix of art and science, but it’s one that absolutely anyone can learn. A well-matched wine and food pairing can completely transform your meal, each part bringing out the best in the other. Get it wrong, and it’ll send your taste buds into a riot of clashing flavors and flabby-tasting food. Things like ingredients, cooking methods and the characteristics of different wines all affect pairings. However, once you understand some basic principles, you can enhance your dining experiences exponentially.

General Food and Wine Pairing Tips

Here are a few simple guidelines to help you start pairing food and wine with confidence:

Keep food and wine at a similar weight: Balance is key. Your wine and the dish you serve it with should have a similar level of weight. You don’t want one to overpower the other. Generally, light foods (typically lower in fat) go with light wines, while heavier, richer dishes call for something more full-bodied in your glass.
Match flavor intensity and character: Like with like (aka congruent or complementary pairings) is a good starting point for any wine and food pairing. Match savory with savory, sweet with sweet, and look for similar flavors, like a citrus-driven Sauvignon Blanc and grilled fish with lime or an earthy Nebbiolo and mushrooms. Intensity also applies to ingredients. For example, aromatic dishes layered with spices and bold flavors need equally bold wines. Cuisines like Indian, Thai and Sichuan call for fragrant, tropical-scented wines like Gewürztraminer or Riesling.
Consider acidity: No matter the food, when it comes to wine, acidity is your friend. Always pick a wine that’s more acidic than the meal on your plate. High-acidity wines, such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a Riesling, are often used to cleanse the palate when eating slightly fatty, oily food.
Wine should be sweeter than the food: A general rule of thumb is to serve a wine that is as sweet or sweeter than the food being served. A sweet wine acts as a foil to rich foods. Think Sauternes and pâté, for example. Sweetness also helps balance the saltiness of food, which explains why sweet wines such as Port are traditionally paired with blue cheeses.
Alcohol levels: High alcohol and spice don’t play nicely together. Pairing a big bombastic California Zinfandel will make spicy Mongolian beef set your mouth on fire, not in a good way. Low to medium alcohol levels, and maybe something off-dry to quench the flames, allow you to enjoy wine and spicy food without breaking a sweat. As alcohol gives wines a lusher mouthfeel, high-alcohol wines are best saved for hearty stews, steaks and braised meats.
Pair with the sauce: Let sauces guide your wine-picking decisions. Opt for a Sauvignon Blanc with delicate citrus sauces or a Chardonnay with a creamy mushroom sauce, while a robust red like a Shiraz pairs well with brown-based sauces for meat such as peppercorn.
Cooking methods: Pay attention to the cooking method used for your meal. Grilling and barbecuing add a smoky nuance to food, so choose wines with smoky or cured notes. Poaching or steaming allows the main protein to take center stage, so something bright, crisp and not too complicated is the goal.
Opposites can attract: Contrasting profiles often make for exciting pairings. For example, pairing spicy Asian or Mexican dishes with a sweet wine like Riesling or Gewürztraminer can work well. The sweetness of the wine can help balance the heat of the food, and the wine’s often high acidity can also help refresh the palate.
When in doubt: “What grows together, goes together” is a common saying in the wine world, and it’s a clever guide for food and wine pairing. Barolo and Ossobuco. Fresh goat cheese and Sauvignon Blanc. Burgundy and beef bourguignon.

Common Food and Wine Pairings

These wine and food pairings are classics for a reason. If you’re looking for a starting place for how pairing food and wine works first-hand, try one of these tried and true combos.

Champagne and Oysters

The crisp, clean minerality found in traditional method sparkling wine (that’s Champagne, Cava and Crémant, to name a few) goes beautifully with the saline flavor of freshly shucked oysters. Think pink bubbles when serving these bivalves barbecued or grilled.

Sparkling Wine and Fried Chicken

It may sound a bit out there, but sparkling wine and southern fried chicken are a joyous marriage of flavor and texture that virtually everyone can get behind. Bubbles vs. crunch. Acidity vs. grease. It’s a refreshing pairing that’s as fun as it is delicious. Whether you’re keeping it easy with Cava or splurging on a bottle of Champagne, this pairing is always a hit.

Basics of Food and Wine Pairing

Oaked Chardonnay and Roast Chicken

Toasty, oak-aged Chardonnay with buttery roast chicken is such a wonderful, cozy pairing, especially when the weather begins to dip. This richer white holds up the chicken’s savory flavor and boasts enough acidity to slice through the chicken’s fattiness. Other stellar choices are white Rioja and Viognier or Pinot Noir, if you’re in the mood for a red.

Sangiovese and Pizza

Red fruit flavors and high acidity are the hallmarks of Sangiovese, precisely the kind of thing you’re looking for to stand up to the brightness of tomato sauce and richness of the cheese. Chianti, in particular, hits a home run with pepperoni and sausage pizza. Of course, there are plenty of other high-acidity Italian reds to go with your pizza. Check out Dolcetto, Nero d’Avola and Barbera.

Pinot Noir and Mushrooms

Pinot Noir lends itself to savory, earthy flavors like mushrooms—or truffles, if you’re feeling fancy. This wine is perfect with a mushroom pizza, portobello burger or black truffle macaroni and cheese. Of course, Pinot Noir goes well with a wide variety of dishes and is the first choice when pairing red wine with fish—it’s a superbly good partner for fatty fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Steak

Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with most steak cuts but works best with fattier cuts like sirloin or ribeye. The high tannins bind to the fat, softening the wine while cleansing your palate. A Malbec or Merlot are good stand-ins.

Zinfandel and Barbecue

Bursting with juicy berry fruit and smoky undertones and generous on the alcohol, Zinfandel effortlessly pairs with the tangy, sweet, meaty flavors of barbecued meat, whether you’re serving glazed pork ribs, barbecued turkey or bacon cheeseburgers. If you’re looking for one wine to pour at your next cookout, Zinfandel is it.

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Basics of Food and Wine Pairing

General Food and Wine Pairing Tips

Common Food and Wine Pairings

Champagne and Oysters

Sparkling Wine and Fried Chicken

Basics of Food and Wine Pairing

Oaked Chardonnay and Roast Chicken

Sangiovese and Pizza

Pinot Noir and Mushrooms

Cabernet Sauvignon and Steak

Zinfandel and Barbecue

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