Wine Pairings
Champagne
a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier (the latter two are dark grapes which lend body to Champagne).
Chenin Blanc
capable of producing a wide range of wines, from fresh and fruity to oaked and sweet, and even a blend or a sparkling wine.
Champagne (Food)
dry Champagne goes great with oysters, caviar, seafood and eggs; sweet varieties go better with fruit and desserts.
Pinot Noir (Origin)
from France's Burgundy region
Pinot Gris (Alsace) (Food)
heartier fare, such as a veal chop, rabbit stew, roast port, chicken casseroles
Merlot (Food)
lamb (this is classic), duck, game, pork and strong cheese. Don't pair with fish or leafy greens
Pinot Noir (Food)
lamb, chicken, salmon and Japanese food (especially sushi)
Albariño
light to medium-bodied wines with fresh green and citrus fruit (apple, pear, grapefruit). Typically unoaked with refreshing high acidity.
Sauvignon Blanc
lighter than Chardonnay. Its predominant flavor ranges from herbal (freshly mown grass or eucalyptus) to green apples or (in the case of New Zealand wines) tropical fruits like melon, pineapple and mango.
Pinot Grigio
lighter-bodied, crisp, fresh, with vibrant stone fruit and floral aromas and a touch of spice.
Champagne (Origin)
made in the Champagne region of France (sparkling wines made elsewhere should not be called Champagne)
Carménère ("car-men-nair")
medium-bodied red wine. The wine is treasured for its supple red-and-black berry flavors (in a similar style to Merlot) and herbaceous notes of green peppercorn.
Riesling
offers primary fruit aromas of orchard fruits like nectarine, apricot, honey-crisp apple, and pear. Besides fruit, you'll often smell things like honeycomb, jasmine, or lime peel, beeswax Can be sweet or dry
Sauvignon Blanc (Food)
shellfish, halibut and poultry (Chicken, turkey)
Pinot Noir
A moderate red wine has relatively low tannins and acid. Its flavors range from cherries, strawberries and plums to earthier flavors such as leather, moss and minerals.
Merlot
A soft red wine which is perfect for beginners. Its flavors include plums, cherries and black currant.
Cabernet Sauvignon (Food)
Beef, pork and poultry. Tomato sauces. Pizza. Creamy sauces with beef,
Syrah (Food)
Beef, pork, game, stew. Herbs de Provence. BBQ (Australian Peppery Syrah)
Champagne (Cheese)
Best with Bloomy: Brie, Rich creamy spreadable rind cheeses and Hard cheeses: Cheddar, parmesan, asiago, manchego
Chenin Blanc (Cheese)
Best with Bloomy: Brie, Rich creamy spreadable rind cheeses and Washed rind: Fontina. Sweet chenins go great with Blue cheeses
Albariño (Cheese)
Best with Fresh: Mozzarella, feta, goat, ricotta, boursin, and marscarpone
Cabernet Franc (Cheese)
Best with Fresh: Mozzarella, feta, goat, ricotta, boursin, and marscarpone
Pinot Grigio (Cheese):
Best with Fresh: Mozzarella, feta, goat, ricotta, boursin, and marscarpone
Rosé (Cheese)
Best with Fresh: Mozzarella, feta, goat, ricotta, boursin, and marscarpone - dry rosé
Cabernet Franc (Cheese)
Best with Fresh: Mozzarella, feta, goat, ricotta, boursin, and marscarpone and Bloomy: Brie, Rich creamy spreadable rind cheeses.
Sauvignon Blanc (Cheese)
Best with Fresh: Mozzarella, feta, goat, ricotta, boursin, and marscarpone and Bloomy: Brie, Rich creamy spreadable rind cheeses.
Cabernet Sauvignon (Cheese)
Best with Semi-soft: Provolone, Havarti and Gouda
Chardonnay (Cheese)
Best with Semi-soft: Provolone, Havarti and Gouda
Syrah (Cheese)
Best with Semi-soft: Provolone, Havarti and Gouda
Pinot Gris (Alsace) (Cheese:)
Best with Semi-soft: Provolone, Havarti and Gouda. Washed rind: Fontina. Hard cheeses: Cheddar, parmesan, asiago, manchego
Sangiovese (Cheese)
Best with hard cheeses: Cheddar, parmesan, asiago, manchego
Malbec (Cheese)
Blue Cheese: Gorgonzola. Monterey Jack, provolone and even melted Swiss cheese
Chardonnay (Origin)
Burgundy region of France
Cabernet Franc (Origin)
Cabernet Franc is a parent to Cabernet Sauvignon (the other is Sauvignon Blanc). The crossing occurred sometime during the middle 1600's around southwestern France (Bordeaux).
Bordeaux Wine
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec (with tiny amount of Carménère).
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a full-bodied dry wine. While Chardonnays in California taste like vanilla (due to fermenting in oak barrels), French Chardonnay is often more citrusy.
Carménère ("car-men-nair") (Food)
Chicken Mole, Carne Asada, Cuban-style Roast Pork, Roast Dark Meat Turkey, Beef Brisket, Beef Stew, Filet Mignon, Lamb w/ Mint, Lamb Stew.
Chardonnay (Food)
Chicken, shellfish, halibut, salmon, and other dishes with a rich, creamy sauce (Chardonnay goes surprisingly well with steak topped with Béarnaise sauce).
Malbec (Food)
Dark meat poultry and lean red meat. Malbec pairs well with earthy flavors too, such as beef brisket. Additional recommendations include duck, chicken leg, lamb, beef, ostrich, buffalo, and pork shoulder.
Malbec (Origin)
France, where it grows in the Sud-Ouest.
Chenin Blanc (Food)
Fresh and fruity wines go great with vegetables and salads or creamy chicken based and fish based dishes. Sweeter Chenins go well with dessert dishes and pungent cheeses. Sour: Green apples. Veal, Trout, Chicken, Turkey, Pork Chop, Guinea Foul, Halibut, Smoked Salmon, Terrine, Pâte
Pinot Noir (Cheese)
Fresh, Bloomy and Washed Rind cheeses
Carménère ("car-men-nair") (Cheese)
Fresh: Goat Cheese, Mozzarella, Pepper Jack, Farmer's Cheese, Cotija Cheese, Feta Cheese
Pinot Gris (Alsace)
Full-bodied, richer, spicier. Show incredible richness, breadth across the palate, earthy minerality and terroir. green apple, honey, slightly bitter finish
Riesling(Cheese)
Goes best with Blue cheeses: Gorgonzola
Syrah (Origin)
Grown in France's Rhône Valley
Merlot (Cheese)
Hard cheese: Cheddar, asiago, parmesan, manchego
Sangiovese (san joe VAE sae)
High acid, high tannin. Have very fruity and earthy components
Cabernet Franc (food)
Higher acidity makes it possible to pair with tomato-based dishes, vinegar-based sauces (smoky BBQ). Red meat. Poultry
Albariño (Origin)
Highly regarded Spanish white grape variety. Best known in the Rias Baixas region of Galicia in northeast Spain.
Riesling (Food)
In general, pair lighter, crisper Rieslings with delicate (or raw) fish; more substantial Rieslings are good with Asian food, chicken, salmon and tuna.
Sémillon (seh mee yohn) (Origin)
It's an important blending component in White Bordeaux and is also planted throughout Australia
Sangiovese (origin)
Italy
Zinfandel/Primitivo Italy (origin)
Italy, Puglia
Cabernet Sauvignon
Its strong tannins make it a perfect pairing for meat and other high-fat dishes. Cabernet is a full-bodied wine with strong currant flavors; if aged for several years, the fruit fades while a leathery earthiness remains.
Malbec
Known for its plump, dark fruit flavors and smoky finish, Malbec wine offers a great alternative to higher priced Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Rosé (Food)
Light meats and fish pairs okay with spice
Pinot Grigio (Food)
Lighter dishes such grilled shrimp, fish or light appetizers.
Chenin Blanc (Origin)
Loire Valley, France
Sémillon (seh mee yohn) (Cheese)
Look for richly flavored and nutty cow's milk and sheep's milk cheeses. Examples: Compté, Gruyere, Cheddar. Hard cheeses
Zinfandel/Primitivo (Cheese)
Manchego, Bandage-wrapped Cheddar and Trentingrana
Cabernet Franc
Medium-bodied red wine. The wine is loved for its savory, bell pepper-like flavors, medium-high acidity and mouthwatering taste.
Merlot (Origin)
Merlot grows around the world, but is perhaps most famous for its part in the Bordeaux blend (which includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère).
Cabernet Sauvignon (Origin)
One of the world's most recognized varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon plays a dominant role in Bordeaux blends.
Sauvignon Blanc (Origin)
Originally from the Bordeaux region of France
Carménère ("car-men-nair") (Origin)
Originated in Bordeaux, France and now grows almost only in Chile. Originally, Carménère was thought to be Merlot when it was first transplanted into Chile. This case of mistaken identity is perhaps what saved Carménère from extinction when Phylloxera devastated the vineyards of Bordeaux in the late 1800's.
Albariño (Food)
Oysters, mussels, clams, white fish, white crab
Rosé (Origin)
Provence France
Riesling (Origin)
Rhine region in Germany
White Bordeaux Wine (White)
Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon and Muscadelle (Arugula Salad with Lemon and Parmesan, Angel Hair Pasta with Basil Pesto)
Zinfandel/Primitivo (Food)
Since Zinfandel leans on the sweeter side of red wine, it's a great pairing partner with spiced barbecue dishes and curry. Pro tip: Pick out the spices you taste in the wine and add them to your sauce. Quail, Turkey, Pork, Bacon, Ham and Veal. Zinfandel works well with Barbecue red meats and lamb.
Sémillon (seh mee yohn) (Food)
Sushi, raw fish, White meats, Fish,
Syrah
Syrah's are big, bold reds with flavors of black currant and spice. Darker than a cabernet sauvignon (Darkest and most full-bodied). Contains high amounts of health-invigorating antioxidants. Note: Syrah and Shiraz - a popular Australian wine - are the same grape
Sémillon (seh mee yohn)
Sémillon wine is loved for its full body, like Chardonnay, but with flavors closer to Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc. lemon, apple, pear and green papaya. There's something very waxy about the taste (lanolin). Can range from being a zesty, palate-cleansing wine like Sauvignon Blanc to a rich, creamy, lemon-flavored wine like oaked Chardonnay.
Rosé
The bright flavors of rosé can range from light and sweet to dry and nuanced
Pinot Grigio (Origin)
The grape originated in France (it's from the Burgundian Pinot family), and is known as Pinot Gris in France, where it is most cultivated in Alsace. Across the border in Italy it is known as Pinot Grigio.
Pinot Gris (Alsace) (Origin)
The grape originated in France (it's from the Burgundian Pinot family), and is known as Pinot Gris in France, where it is most cultivated in Alsace. Across the border in Italy it is known as Pinot Grigio.
Sangiovese (Food)
Use Sangiovese's savory as a congruent flavor with herbs and tomatos. This technique will actually bring out more fruity flavors in the wine. A Sangiovese with high tannins will work perfectly with rich roasted meat, cured sausages and hard cheeses.
Zinfandel/Primitivo
Zinfandel is lighter in color than both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. However, although a light-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir, Zin's moderate tannin and high acidity make it taste bold. Generally speaking, most Zinfandel wines have higher alcohol levels ranging from about 14 - 17% ABV. Higher alcohol adds an oily texture and bigger, bolder body.