Most people look for a wine that can go with their dinner. In reality, there are only a few good food and wine pairings, and there are a few that aren’t so good. What you want to do is find a wine that can best match your food without changing the taste of the food or wine.

When pairing food and wine there are a few things you just don’t do. One of them is matching strong to delicate. Whether it’s the wine or the food, it still will throw everything off balance. It’s usually something you should stay away from doing.

You also should learn that acidity can be a good thing as well. A lot of people think that the “higher acid” wines aren’t very good for matching, but there’s no other wine that would best go with rich, creamy or cheesy sauces, deep-fried foods or fish dishes. Basically, tart wines go more naturally with tart foods.

Other good food and wine pairings is tannin and fat. That’s because the acidity of the tannins cuts through the thickness of the fat. Another pairing is high seasoned foods and fruity wines. A wine that is low in tannin and has a lower alcohol content matches well with spicy, salty, and smoky flavors.

Also when doing food and wine pairings, if your using an older vintage wine, don’t make a wild and complex dish. If you want to really show off the quality of the wine, make a simple dish that will allow the wine to have all of the attention.

These simple food and wine pairings will help make a successful dinner party. Just remember to take into consideration what type of dish you make, and what kind of wine you buy.


Lindsay Aston is a contributing editor for Classic Wines, specializing in food and wine pairings.