A great wine and food pairing can enhance any meal. Use this simple guide to learn the basics of wine pairing to elevate your next dining experience.

Whilst drinking any kind of wine won’t spoil a delicious dish, choosing the right pairing can enhance your food’s flavour, so it’s worth knowing a basic understanding of how to accurately pair wines. 

Read on to find our ultimate list of pairings.

Nail the basics of wine and food pairing

Firstly, you’ll need to recognise a few basic rules of wine pairing..

• Match light-bodied wines with lighter dishes such as salads, fish and chicken

• Match full-bodied wines with creamy or hearty dishes such as red meat

• Sweet wine is generally paired with a sweet dish such as a dessert

• You can also pair sweet wines with spicy or salty dishes to balance the heat and flavours

• It is better to match the wine to the sauce rather than the meat

Acidity is a big factor when pairing wines. Low acidity wines compliment delicate foods like salads and seafood. Whereas high acidity wines can help to cut through fatty foods such as heavy pastas, fatty meats and fish. This rule applies to the wine’s weight too. Full-bodied wines even out hearty dishes whereas light-bodied wines pair well with lighter dishes.

The ultimate wine pairing list

Red wine pairings:

Bold red wines - Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir

• Steak

• Beef

• Pork

• Duck

• Lamb

• Crab/Lobster

• Tomato-based pasta

Light red wines - Chianti, Zinfandel, Rioja

• Cured meats

• Cheese

• Risotto

• Fish

• Tapas

• Burgers

White wine pairings:

Rich white wines - Chardonnay

• Creamy cheese

• Chicken/Turkey

• Seafood

• Sushi

• Creamy pastas

Crisp white wines - Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc

• Salads

• Shellfish

• White seafood

• Risotto

• Light pastas

• Risotto

• Thai or Mexican dishes

Sparkling white wines - Champagne, Prosecco, Cava

• Seafood

• Shellfish

• Chicken

• Sushi

• Root vegetables

• Rice

• Salads

Rosé wines - Cabernet, Zinfandel, Provence

• Chicken salads

• Salmon/Tuna

• Vegetarian dishes

• Charcuterie

• Soft cheeses

• Pastry dishes

• Pizza

• Duck

Need to keep your wine fresher for longer? We’ve got lots of wine gadgets to help with that, from aerators, to wine saver pumps, to champagne stoppers, we’ve got all the wine accessories you’ll need.

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