The following is a suggested food and wine pairing guide to assist you in selecting a style of wine based on your food selection. Besides making the most of your meal, this may help narrow down your choices from a long wine list, and give you a conversation starting point with your Sommellier or Server.
Basics
As a general rule, wines are better appreciated when they progress from light to heavy over the course of the meal, with white wines served before reds, and dry wines before sweet ones. Sweet dessert wines should taste sweeter than the food they are served with.
Ingredients
Conventional pairings came about to complement or contrast the main ingredient of a dish. For example, white wine has traditionally been paired with fish because its tactile elements – light food and light wine – are complementary. The same rule applies for heavy red meats and full-bodied red wines. But often the dominant flavors of a dish come from other ingredients instead, such as cooking fats, sauces, spices or herbs, that have affinities with particular wines.
Cooking Methods
Cooking methods influence the aromas, tastes and textures of foods and figure prominently in the wine match. Charcoal-grilled foods pair well with oaky wines because they complement the smoky elements of both partners. Braising adds weight and richness to foods, helping them form a stronger link to fuller-bodied wine styles.
Wine Pairing: Wine to Food
Wine - Can Be Paired With
Sparkling - Caviar, Shellfish, Smoked Fish, Double/Triple Cream Cheeses
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris - Fish, Shellfish, Green Vegetables, Goat and Sharp Cheeses
Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc - Poultry, Game Birds, Prepared Meats (Charcurerie), Exotic Spices, Citrus
Chardonnay, Viognier, Semillion - Poultry, Game Birds, Fish and Shellfish, Butter Cream, Cows Milk Cheeses
Rose - Smoked Meats, Prepared Meats (Charcuterie), Sausage, Bold Spices, Milor or Strong Cheeses
Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc - Sausage, Prepared Meats, Mild Red Meats, Cheeries, Berries, Aged or Strong Cheeses
Merlot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Pinot Noir - Red Meats, Game Meats, Sausage, Mushrooms, Truffles, Woody Herbs
Syrah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon - Red Meats, Game Meats, Sausages, Black Pepper, Aged and Hard Cheeses, Blue Cheese
Dessert Wines - Chocolate, Blue Cheeses, Nuts, Dried Fruit
source: Williams Sonoma Guide to Wine Pairing
Wine Pairing: Food to Wine Style
Food Selection - Suggested Wine Style
Red Meat - Full Bodied Red
Cured Meat - Medium Bodied Red
White Meat - Light Bodied Red
Shellfish- Light Bodied White, Aromatic White, or Rose
Fin Fish - Rosè or Aromatic White
Hard Cheese - Aromatic or Full Bodied White
Soft Cheese - Full Bodied White
Greens - Light Bodied White
Exotic Spices - Sparkling
Dessert - Dessert Wines