Appetizer/Brunch/Courses

Antipasti

Pinot Grigio

Artichokes

Vegetable to avoid (or eat separately) when pairing with wine. Makes wine taste acidic.

Asparagus

Vegetable to avoid (or eat separately) when pairing with wine. Gives wine a sour note.

Canapes

Champagne/Rosé Champagne/rosé sparkling wine

Caviar

Champagne/sparkling wine

Crab Salad

Chardonnay or Riesling

Cucumber Salad

Sauvignon Blanc

Egg Dishes

Champagne

Eggplant — Grilled and Tomato Salad

Merlot or Pinot Noir

Fava Beans (or Cannelli Bean course)

Chardonnay or Riesling

Figs with Prosciutto

Champagne or sparkling wine

Fish Pâté

Sancerre or any white Burgundy

Foie Gras

Champagne/sparkling wine or Gewürztraminer, Sauternes

Fruit course

Riesling

Greek Salad

Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or Albarino (Spanish white)

Mushrooms (Fresh)       

Champagne/sparkling wine

Nuts

Chilled Sherry

Olives

Chilled Sherry

Omelettes

Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Champagne

Oysters

Champagne, Chablis, and Pinot Gris

Pâté

Champagne/sparkling wine, Sauternes, Gewürztraminer

Prawns

Riesling

Prosciutto

Chardonnay

Quiche

Gewürztraminer, Riesling

Ragout

Chardonnay

Ratatouille and herbs

Zinfandel or Syrah

Salads

None. Beware of trying to pair with wine: vinegar and dressings do little for salads.

Salmon — Smoked

Champagne/sparkling wine, Riesling

Shellfish

Champagne/sparkling, Sauvignon Blanc, White Burgundy/Chardonnay, Albarino (Spanish white wine)

Snails

Champagne/sparkling wines

Soups

None. Wine does nothing for soup.

Sushi

Champagne/sparkling wine

Tapas

Champagne/sparkling wine or chilled Manzanilla Sherry

Entrées and Cuisines

Asian

Champagne/sparkling wine, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Riesling

Beef Dishes

Cabernet Sauvignon/red Bordeaux, Rhône, Syrah, Zinfandel

Beef Stew

Red Burgundy/Pinot Noir/Red Rioja, Barolo

Chicken — Fried

Barbera, Syrah, Zinfandel

Chicken — Grilled

Chablis, Champagne, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

Chicken — Roasted

Pinot Noir/red Burgundy, Viognier

Chicken Stew

Champagne/sparkling wine, or Pinot Noir/Burgundy with some crusty French bread

Chilean

Malbec

Coq au Vin

Red Burgundy/Pinot Noir/Red Rioja

Crab

Champagne/sparkling wine/Pinot Noir/Chardonnay/Pinot Gris

Dover Sole

Chablis or any white Burgundy

Duck

Pinot Noir, Red Rhône, Red Rioja, Zinfandel

Duck — Peking or Szechuan

Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir

Fish Stews

Champagne/sparkling wine

Fish — Grilled

Champagne/sparkling wine, Chablis, Chardonnay

Fish — White

Chardonnay, Chablis

Fondue

Champagne or sparkling wine

Halibut

White Burgundy/Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

Ham

Viognier, Gewürztraminer

Hamburgers

Merlot

Indian

Chenin Blanc, Fume or Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino (Spanish white)

If hot, avoid wine and drink beer or water

If medium, Chardonnay or sparkling wine

Kangaroo

Grenache, Syrah

Lamb — Braised

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah

Lamb — Rack of lamb

Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon

Lamb — Roasted

Cabernet Sauvignon/red Bordeaux, Merlot, Syrah

Lamb Chop

Cabernet Sauvignon/red Bordeaux, Pinot Noir

Lamb Stew

Merlot, St. Emilion, or Pomerol

Lobster

Chardonnay or any white Burgundy, Champagne

Lobster — Poached

Champagne or Pinot Noir

Macaroni with blue cheese

Sauternes or Late Harvest Sauvignon

Meatballs and Pasta

Merlot

Meatloaf

Cabernet Sauvignon/red Bordeaux

Mexican

Chenin Blanc, Fume or Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino (Spanish white)

If hot, avoid wine, and drink beer or water

If medium, Chardonnay or sparkling wine

Monkfish

Riesling, Pinot Noir

Omelette

Champagne, Beaujolais or any light red Burgundy/Pinot Noir

Osso Buco

Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo, Zinfandel

Pasta with cheese

Chianti Classico

Pasta in cream

Chardonnay

Pasta with meat sauce or meatballs

Chianti Classico, Merlot, Amarone, Barolo

Pasta with pesto

Fume Blanc/sauvignon blanc

Pasta with salmon

Champagne/sparkling wine or Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir

Pasta with seafood

Champagne /sparkling wine or Pinot Grigio

Pasta with Tomato & Basil

Sauvignon Blanc

Pizza with fish and cheese topping

White wine, like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc; otherwise beer, soda or water

Pizza with meat topping

Red wine, Zinfandel; otherwise, beer, soda or water

Pork

Pinot Noir/red Burgundy, red Rhônes, Syrah, Zinfandel, Riesling, Beaujolais

Pork Chop

Riesling

Pot Roast

Barolo

Quail and Pheasant

Red Burgundy or Syrah

Rabbit

Cabernet Sauvignon/red Bordeaux, Red Rhone, Pinot Noir, Merlot

Red Snapper

California Red blend/Meritage

Risotto

Pinot Noir/red Burgundy, Amarone

Risotto with truffles

Italian reds, like Barbaresco or Barolo

Salmon

White Burgundy, Pinot Noir/Red Burgundy, Pinot Gris

Sausage — Bratwurst

Sancerre, Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc

Scallops

Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris

Sea Bass

Chardonnay/Chablis

Shrimp Curry

Sauvignon Blanc or Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

Soufflés

Champagne or sparkling wine

Spicy Foods

Riesling — this wine loves any pork, especially grilled pork chops

Squab

Pinot Noir

Steak au Poivre

Red Zinfandel, Rhone, or Syrah

Thai

Chenin Blanc, Albarino (Spanish white), Riesling, Fume, Sauvignon Blanc or sparkling wine, Viognier

Tuna — Grilled

Pinot Noir/red Burgundy, Rioja

Trout

Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Soave, Albarino

Trout — Smoked   

Riesling, Gewürztraminer

Tuna Dishes

Chablis, Champagne/sparkling wine, or Sauvignon Blanc

Turkey — Roasted

Pinot Noir/red Burgundy, red Zinfandel, Shiraz

Veal

Pinot Noir/red Burgundy, Chardonnay

Vegetarian

Chardonnay or Champagne, Sparkling wine

Venison

Syrah/French Red Rhône

Cheeses

Note: Contrary to conventional thought, white wine actually pairs better with most cheeses than red. Cheese coats the palate with fat. Dry red wines are not equipped to penetrate the fat, and as a result are neutralized — perhaps overpowered — by cheese. An exception to this is red Port wine, which is sweet and marries wonderfully with Stilton and other blue cheeses. Dry white wines, on the other hand, have more acidity than dry reds and are better able to cut through the fat and co-exist quite nicely with cheese. Nonetheless, people still like to have cheese with red wine, so we supply suggestions for both.

Cheeses with Red Wine

Brie

Burgundy or Pinot Noir

Époisses

Burgundy or Pinot Noir; Barolo; Barbaresco; Super Tuscan; Chianti

Cheddar, Gouda, or Gruyère

Bordeaux/Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot; Zinfandel

Époisses or Parmigianino

Barolo or Barbaresco

Gouda

Chianti Classico; Merlot; Zinfandel

Parmigianino

Chianti Classico; Super Tuscan

Blue Cheese

(Roquefort or Stilton)

Port

Triple Crème (Brillat-Savarin or Explorateur)

Burgundy/Pinot Noir

Cheese with White Wine

Blue Cheese/Roquefort

Sherry (dry)

Brie

Champagne, White Burgundy/Chardonnay

Camembert

Champagne

Cheddar

Riesling

Cheddar, Soft

Champagne

Feta

White Burgundy/Chardonnay

Fontina Val d’Aosta

Burgundy, Pouilly-Fuissé, Chardonnay, Riesling (versatile with both reds and whites)

Goat Cheese

Champagne

Gorgonzola

Sherry (dry)

Gouda

Champagne

Gruyère

Burgundy/Chardonnay, Riesling

Munster

Gewürztraminer, Riesling

Triple Crème

Champagne, White Burgundy, Sancerre

Cheese Tips

Serve cheese at room temperature and remove it from the refrigerator about 90 minutes or more before serving.

Serve a chewy whole grain bread or crusty French bread with cheese. Hold the crackers because they do little to enhance cheese or wine.

Fruit and Cheese Pairings

Pears crave Parmigianino. A glass of Chablis will marry well. If you insist on a red wine, try Barbaresco or young red Burgundy/Pinot Noir.

Apples and Cheddar are a natural. A glass of Chardonnay is excellent. If you insist on red wine, try a glass of young Burgundy/Pinot Noir.

Fresh Figs crave Brie. Include some prosciutto and a glass of Champagne for a lovely combination.

Grapes are always a sure accompaniment with Cheddar, Brie, Triple Crèmes, or Fontina Val d’Aosta. Add some crusty bread and Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. If you insist on red, then use Cheddar with some Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir.

Desserts

Apple Dumplings

Late Harvest Chardonnay or Riesling

Cakes with Jam or Raspberry

Late Harvest Riesling or Chardonnay

Dark Chocolate

Red wine, like Port, works well; Champagne often also used

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Red Blend/Meritage or Cabernet Sauvignon or Port

Figs (fresh)

Champagne, preferably Rosé Champagne

Ice Cream and Meringues

Champagne/sparkling wine

Lemon Soufflé

Champagne

Pear Tart

Champagne

Plum Desserts

Late Harvest Riesling or Chardonnay

Rich tarts, crepes, pecan pie

Sauternes, Late-Harvest Riesling, Madeira