No Need to Whine: The Right Wine to Serve with Every Dish

Selecting wines to go with party menus can be a bit of a challenge. To make sure you don’t whine about wine, I’ve created a simple guide to which wine best accompanies what food.

Wine and food pairing suggestions

Whether you’re holding an open house, a party or an intimate, personal gathering, these useful food groupings and compatible wines will make sure you have the right wine to serve with every dish.

Choose a bottle of each of red, white, and blush if you want to cover all your bases. But your tastes may vary, so when in doubt, always pick what you prefer.

Red Wines

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Rich wine with flavors of blackberry, brown spice and vanilla. Goes with:

• Beef
• Lamb
• Pastas with Red Sauce
• Soups
• Stews
• Chili
• Hard Cheeses (Romano)

HEARTY BURGUNDY

Medium-bodied wine with flavors of red raspberries and hints of vanilla. Ideal with:

• Beef
• Pork, Stews
• Chili
• Italian Dishes with Red Sauce
• Pizzas
• Hard Cheeses (Romano)

MERLOT

Balanced wine with bright fruit flavors of raspberry jam and juicy red berries. Perfect with:

• Beef
• Pork
• Lamb
• Pizzas
• Pastas with Red Sauce
• Asian
• Mexican
• BBQ
• Rich Chocolate Desserts

PINOT NOIR

A medium-bodied wine with a fresh cherry aroma, red fruit flavor, and a soft finish. Accompanies:

• Beef
• Poultry
• Lamb
• Pork
• Pastas with Red Sauce
• Soups
• Stews
• Chili
• Pizzas
• Asian
• Mexican
• BBQ
  

White Wines

MOSCATO

Delightfully sweet, medium-bodied wine with flavors of peach, apricot, and hints of citrus. Nice with:

• Spicy Asian Entrees
• Mexican
• BBQ
• Soft Cheeses (Ricotta, Brie)
• Creamy Desserts
• Rich Chocolate Desserts
• Fruit Desserts

CHARDONNAY

Softly balanced with citrus, ripe tree-fruit flavors, and hints of oak. Great with:

• Poultry
• Seafood
• Pastas with White Sauce
• Vegetarian Entrees & Salads,
• Soups
• Stews
• Chili

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Medium-bodied wine with fresh citrus and melon flavors.

• Seafood
• Vegetarian Entrees & Salads
• Pasta Dishes with White Sauce, Pesto or Tomato Sauces
• Soft Cheeses (Ricotta, Brie)

PINOT GRIGIO

Light-bodied wine with green apple and citrus flavors and a crisp finish.

• Poultry
• Seafood
• Pastas with White Sauce
• Vegetarian Entrees & Salads
• Soft Cheeses (Ricotta, Brie)

CHAMPAGNE

Lovely sparkling wine ranging from the sweeter Extra Dry to less-sweet Brut styles more common in the U.S. Serve with

• Most any food!

Blush Wines (Rosé)

WHITE ZINFANDEL

Refreshingly sweet with the taste of strawberries, watermelon, and aromas of raspberry and cherry. Lovely with:

• Poultry
• Asian
• Mexican
• BBQ
• Vegetarian Entrees & Salads
• Rich Chocolate Desserts
• Creamy Desserts
• Fruit Desserts

WHITE MERLOT

Medium-bodied wine with aromas of blackberry, raspberry and bing cherry. Pleasant with:

• Asian
• Mexican
• BBQ
• Creamy Desserts
• Fruit Desserts

Of course, many of the food suggestions above are based on how well the food counters the flavor and quality of the wine. Pairing sweeter wines with spicier foods, for example, create a pleasant counterpoint to one another, resulting in a melodic whole.

See? It’s not that difficult to find the right wine for every dish. So there’s really no need to whine about wine!

Happy Cookbooking,

Erin