15 Rules for Great Wine and Food Pairings
F&W’s Ray Isle created pairing principles for the world’s most important wines, then the F&W Test Kitchen came up with stellar recipes to match. The result: the most comprehensive pairing guide we’ve ever created.
Slideshow: 15 Pairing Rules & Recipes
15 Perfect Pairings, from White Wines, to Rosés, to Reds:
White Wines
Champagne
is perfect with anything salty
Most dry sparkling wines, such as brut Champagne and Spanish cava, actually have a faint touch of sweetness. That makes them extra-refreshing when served with salty foods.
Crispy Udon Noodles with Nori Salt
Sauvignon Blanc
goes with tart dressings and sauces
Tangy foods won’t overwhelm zippy wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Vinho Verde from Portugal and Verdejo from Spain.
Scallops with Grapefruit-Onion Salad (photo)
Grüner Veltliner
when a dish has lots of fresh herbs
Austrian Grüner Veltliner’s citrus-and-clover scent is lovely when there are lots of fresh herbs in a dish. Other go-to grapes in a similar style include Albariño from Spain and Vermentino from Italy.
Pinot Grigio
Pairs with light fish dishes
Light seafood dishes seem to take on more flavor when matched with equally delicate white wines, such as Pinot Grigio or Arneis from Italy or Chablis from France.
Chardonnay
For fatty fish or fish in a rich sauce
Silky whites—for instance, Chardonnays from California, Chile or Australia—are delicious with fish like salmon or any kind of seafood in a lush sauce.
Sizzling Shrimp Scampi (photo)
Crisp Salmon with Avocado Salad
Off-Dry Riesling
Pairs with sweet & spicy dishes
The slight sweetness of many Rieslings, Gewürztraminers and Vouvrays helps tame the heat of spicy Asian and Indian dishes.
Thai Green Salad with Duck Cracklings
Moscato d’Asti
loves fruit desserts
Moderately sweet sparkling wines such as Moscato d’Asti, demi-sec Champagne and Asti Spumante help emphasize the fruit in the dessert, rather than the sugar.
Rosé Wines
Rosé Champagne
is great with dinner, not just hors d’oeuvres
Rosé sparkling wines, such as rosé Champagne, cava and sparkling wine from California, have the depth of flavor and richness to go with a wide range of main courses.
Dry Rosé
For rich, cheesy dishes
Some cheeses go better with white wine, some with red; yet almost all pair well with dry rosé, which has the acidity of white wine and the fruit character of red.
Triple-Decker Baked Italian Cheese Sandwiches
Red Wines
Pinot Noir
is great for dishes with earthy flavors
Recipes made with ingredients like mushrooms and truffles taste great with reds like Pinot Noir and Dolcetto, which are light-bodied but full of savory depth.
Leek-and-Pecorino Pizzas (photo)
Old World Wines
and Old World dishes are intrinsically good together
The flavors of foods and wines that have grown up together over the centuries—Tuscan recipes and Tuscan wines, for instance—are almost always a natural fit.
Pappardelle with Veal Ragù (photo)
Malbec
won’t be overshadowed by sweet-spicy barbecue sauces
Malbec, Shiraz and Côtes-du-Rhône are big and bold enough to drink with foods brushed with heavily spiced barbecue sauces.
Chicken Drumsticks with Asian Barbecue Sauce
Zinfandel
For pâtés, mousses and terrines
If you can use the same adjectives to describe a wine and a dish, the pairing will often work. For instance, the words rustic and rich describe Zinfandel, Italy’s Nero d’Avola and Spain’s Monastrell as well as chicken-liver mousse.
Cabernet Sauvignon
is fabulous with juicy red meat
California Cabernet, Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style blends are terrific with steaks or chops: Their firm tannins refresh the palate after each bite of meat.
Lamb Chops with Frizzled Herbs (photo)
Syrah
Matches with highly spiced dishes
When a meat is heavily seasoned, look for a red wine with lots of spicy notes. Syrah from Washington, Cabernet Franc from France and Xinomavro from Greece are all good choices.
Cumin-Spiced Burgers with Harissa Mayo (photo)
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