by Anonymouse

Created on: August 07, 2009   Last Updated: May 08, 2012

When paired properly, food and wine bring out the best in each other. Most people begin their meal with white wine, and move on to darker varieties as the food gets heavier. Basic guidelines on pairing food and wine can get you started, but your taste buds should always have the final say.

Wine & Cheese

Of all the food combinations on Earth, wine tastes best when paired with cheese. As a general rule, red wine goes best with hard cheeses, and white goes better with soft cheeses. Camembert and sharp Cheddar taste wonderful with Cabernet Sauvignon. Champagne, on the other hand, should be paired with mild cheddar, edam, or gouda. Chardonnay is the greatest match for gruyere or provolone, while cream cheese dishes call for White Zinfandel.

Salads & Appetizers

Champagne will usually taste great with the first course of a meal. Choose from Extra Dry, Brut, Blanc de Blanc, or Blanc de Noir. Just avoid Extra Dry champagne if you'll be eating shellfish, lobster, or crab as an appetizer. Sauvignon Blanc would be much better with those dishes. In fact, white wines complement most appetizers. Try Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, or Dry Riesling. White Riesling is the one to avoid - unless you're eating mild cheese or chocolate.

The Main Course

Depending on the dish, certain wines will match the main course better than others. Seafood tastes best with Chardonnay. Red wines are a great match for steaks and red-sauced Italian food, in which case, you can't go wrong with Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet, or Zinfandel. White wines like Dry Riesling are great with pork dishes and Asian fare. To make choosing the ideal beverage even easier, nearly all varieties of white wine complement poultry and vegetarian dishes.

Herbs & Spices

If herbs and spices are added to a dish, the best wine pairing options can easily change. Chardonnay is a sharp and tangy wine, making it a remarkable match for foods cooked in lavender, lemon, rosemary, and thyme. Cabernet Sauvignon is great with pepper and other spices commonly used for beef. Basil, oregano, and thyme go together well with Pinot Noir. Foods containing chipotle, hot peppers, cumin, or cloves are best matched with Zinfandel.

The Dessert

Nothing beats sipping a glass of wine with dessert. Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc, and White Riesling go well with most of them. There are plenty of luscious matches for fruity and creamy dishes. Chocolate desserts actually pose the biggest challenge! Cabernet and Merlot are useful go-to wines to pair with chocolate, but Port tends to be the crowd-pleaser. Even if you stray far from the norm, pair food and wine how it tastes best to you, and you'll never be disappointed.

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