What Wines Go With What?

Below are a few words explaining what wines go with what foods, and the reverse--when you are eating a certain type of meal, for instance Chinese or Thai or Barbecue, what wine goes well with it. These may help demystify some off the label confusion I talked about in my last post.

Chardonnay:

Usually a medium to full-bodied, dry wine.

Poultry and game birds, veal and pork, rabbit fish and pasta preparations which feature cream and/or butter, mushrooms.

Sauvignon Blanc (Fumé Blanc):

Medium to light-bodied and dry.

First courses, seafood, ethnic dishes—pastas, curries, salsas, spicy sausages, vegetable dishes, luncheon salads, olive-oil based dishes, tomato sauces, goat cheese.

Chenin Blanc:

Light to medium-bodied, normally off-dry to semi-sweet.

Braised Chicken, sushi and other Oriental dishes, poultry, pork.

Gewürztraminer:

Light to medium body, usually semi-sweet, occasionally off-dry.

Spicy cuisines such as Chinese, Mexican, and Indian, mild sausages, fruit salad.

Riesling (Johannisberg Riesling, White Riesling):

Light to medium bodied, semi-sweet to off-dry.

Crabmeat, appetizers and finger foods, pork, salads.

Red Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon:

Medium to full-bodied, tannic and dry.

Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses.

Merlot:

Medium to full-bodied, less tannic than Cabernet, dry.

Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses, stews, pizza, heart pastas.

Zinfandel:

Medium to full-bodied (also made in a lighter style), dry.

Hamburgers, beef, lamb, venison and game, hearty pastas, turkey, stews, pizza.

Pinot Noir:

Medium to light-bodied, dry, little tannin leaves silky texture.

Lamb, duck, turkey, game birds, beef, rabbit, semi-soft cheeses.

Pink Wines (Rosé, White Zinfandel, Cabernet Blanc, Blush, Blanc de Noirs):

Vary in color and sweetness. Choose the most current vintage.

Best with smoked foods, quiche, pork and ham,Mexican and Thai food. Can be served with all food.

Sparkling Wines/Champagnes
(méthode champenoise / fermented in the bottle):

Crisp and bubbly.

Brut:

Dry. Traditionally a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Aperitifs and first courses, fruits and nuts. Fuller bodied variations go well with any fish and chicken.

Blanc de Noir:

More fruity than brut, but still dry.

Aperitif, with lunch, desserts.

Blanc de Blancs:

More delicate than brut.

Caviar. Anytime.


What Foods go with what Wines?

Chinese

Choose slightly sweet or off-dry wines. Rosès and Gewürztraminers are the best, followed by Rieslings and Chenin Blancs. With Tea or Peking duck, try Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.

Warning—Go easy with plum and hoison sauces...too much will kill and wine.

Japanese

Choose very cold, off-dry, fruity white wines or any sparkling wine.

Thai

Rosé is the best choice but Rieslings can be a good bet. Gewürztraminer is a risky choice, can be good or bad.

Warning—Dry whites and reds are generally to be avoided.

Vietnamese

Best advice is to choose very cold, fruity, slightly sweet Rosés and Gewürztraminers. Rieslings are not a strong choice, Chardonnay proves to be more flexible.

Mexican

Very cold, fruity, full-bodied Sauvignon Blancs and Rosés work well. Chili heat will drown Rieslings and Gewürztraminers. Gamays and Pinot Noirs perform well, too. Cabernet and Merlots are not a good choice because of the tannin.

Southwestern

Choose fruity wines such as Rieslings and Sauvignon Blancs and reds such as Gamays and light spicy wines such as Zinfandels. Try sparkling wines too, especially with seafoods. Pinot Noir blends well.

Warning—Chilies and high tannin wines clash. Avoid Merlots and Cabernets

Indian

Choose full-bodied sparking wines and reds such as Merlots and Zinfandels. Drier, full-bodied Rosés work well also.

Middle Eastern

Fruity wines, both red and white, work well. Choose the drier Rosès and Rieslings.

Barbeque

Wines need to be both fruity and rich, Zinfandel or Rosè make good choices. Try Sauvignon Blancs with seafood.

Fried Foods

Sparkling wines are terrific. Any crisp, dry, fruity wine, white or red, works well too.

All right? Perhaps that will help. 'Til next time, SEE YA!