Red or white
Pairing wine with different dishes
ROBUST FLAVOR Flavorful meat dishes pair well with medium to full-bodied red wines.
For those with a hankering for comfort foods like BBQ ribs or spaghetti with marinara sauce, a zinfandel would be a good bet.
Pairing nicely with a rich rib-eye steak drizzled with pungent blue cheese would be a cabernet sauvignon or barbera—incidentally, the barbera also offers a nice accompaniment to salami, where its acidity will cut through the fat of the cured meat.
Lingering in the reds, a lamb dish or even Thanksgiving turkey might pair well with the versatile pinot noir.
Heading into spring with gardens just coming into bloom, foodies can begin looking to brighter foods for the palate.
“With the warmer weather and lighter foods, I enjoy the seasonal artichokes and asparagus,” says Cindy Adams, certified sommelier and tasting room manager, at Guglielmo Winery. “A bright, grassy sauvignon blanc is one of the few wines that marries perfectly with these foods.”
Those opting for dishes with a classic white sauce including chicken or fettuccine alfredo, chardonnay makes a great match for this palate pleaser.
But, Adams warns, “Avoid buttery chardonnays as they will interact with the vegetables to give a very metallic taste.”
Longer days are perfect for sitting outdoors on a patio with a sparkling wine in one hand and good sushi or even potato chips in the other.
“For an Easter ham I would choose a dry rose,” says Adams. “And, definitely a rich Merlot with spring lamb.”
Those opting for spicier dishes, including Thai food or a kung pao chicken, might consider a slightly sweet rose or viognier.
For dessert lovers, chocolate pairs well with port. Whether a tawny or ruby, be sure it’s sweeter than the dessert otherwise it will taste sour.
As a general rule of thumb, rich robust flavors of red meat traditionally go well with red wines, while lighter meals like fish, salad or even pasta with cream based white sauces pair well with white wines.
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