When it comes to pairing food with wines, this can be mind-boggling. So many wines to choose from, white, red, sparkling, the list goes on.
When it boils down to it, very often each person has a preference on white or red and doesn't usually go by what food they are eating. However, to help you along with your next dinner event we have compiled this little list for you.
Sauvignon Blanc
This crisp, lighter white wine is known for having a lot of citruses. It is a great wine to pair with dishes that are lighter yet still packed full of flavour.
Here are some foods/ flavours that go exceptionally well with Sauvignon Blanc:
Cheese/nuts: feta, goat cheese, pine nuts
Meat/poultry: chicken, turkey, pork
Seafood: fatty white fish, oysters, scallops, lobster, shrimp, sushi
Fruits and Veggies: citrus, green apple, asparagus
Herbs and Spices: chives, tarragon, cilantro
Sauces: citrus and light cream sauces
Desserts: sorbet, key lime pie, meringue, mango
Chardonnay
The best thing about Chardonnay is its a decadent wine with sensual body, so it stands up against dishes and flavours when other white wines might fall flat.
Cheese/nuts: mild, semi-soft cheeses with unoaked Chardonnay; blue-veined cheeses with oaky Chardonnay; almonds and nearly any toasted nut
Meat :poultry: veal, chicken, pork
Seafood: halibut, shrimp, crab, lobster
Fruits and Veggies: potato, apple, squash, mango
Herbs and Spices: tarragon, sesame, basil
Sauces: cream sauces, pesto
Desserts: banana bread, vanilla pudding
Merlot
Merlot has fallen out of fashion over the last few years… but its sales numbers prove that although it might not be on trend, it is still being drunk. This wine is often forgotten about with the soft berry flavours.
Cheese/nuts: Parmesan, Pecorino-Romano, chestnuts, walnuts
Meat/poultry: grilled meats, steak
Seafood: grilled meatier fish, ahi tuna
Fruits and Veggies: caramelized onions, tomatoes, plums
Herbs and Spices: mint, rosemary, juniper
Sauces: bolognese, bearnaise
Desserts: dark chocolate, berries, fondue
TOP TIP
When pairing wine with chocolate make sure the wine is sweeter than the chocolate, if not it will taste sour.
