Have you ever asked the question, what exactly do I pair with this white wine? Here’s some quick tips on what to pair with these common wine types:
Dry White
Dry white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Albarino and Gruner Veltliner are best paired with vegetables such as greens and roasted vegetables, carbs such as breads and crackers, or proteins such as fish.
Sweet White
Sweet white wines such as Riesling, Chenin Blanc and Moscato are best paired with soft cheeses, carbs, cured or smoked meats and can also be served with desserts.
Rich White
Rich whites such as Chardonnay, Oaked Whites and Viognier are also great to pair with roasted vegetables as well with carbs such as breads and crackers. They can also be paired with white meats such as chicken or turkey.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wines are great for festive events, such as celebrations and new years. These include Champagne, Franciacorta, Prosecco and Cava. These are for the most part paired with appetizers such as soft and hard cheeses, carbs and also go nicely with fish.
Light Red
Light red wines are a great meal wine, wines such as Pinot Noir, Grenache, Pinotage and Gamay pair well with most proteins such as fish and white meats, but they also pair well with roasted vegetables.
Medium Red
Wines such as Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo are also a great dinner or meal wine, proteins such as cured and smoked meats, red and white meats all pair perfectly with these wines. Hard Cheeses with medium reds is also a great pairing.
Big Red
Big red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz / Syrah, Zinfandel and Mourvedre are also great wines to pair with cured meats, smoked meats, red meat as well as hard cheeses.
Dessert Wines
Port and Tawny Port, Sherry, Late Harvest and Tokaji are all considered dessert wines, best paired with something sweet, cured and smoked meats, carbs and soft cheeses.
There are however, some foods that although not impossible are difficult to pair with a specific wine. Foods such as asparagus, green beans, artichokes, brussel sprouts and chocolate are among these. A way to utilize these foods with your favourite wine above, would be to combine them with a known great pairing. As an example, well roasting vegetables, mix in a few pieces of asparagus, peppers and some mushrooms to create a selection of roasted vegetables with your favorite spice blend.