Wine and Food Pairing Made Simple

Wine pairing seems intimidating — a world of rules about red with red meat, white with fish, and never anything else. The truth is that the rules are really just a few simple principles, and once you understand them, you can intuit a good pairing without memorizing charts.

The Core Principles

Match Weight and Intensity

The most important principle: light food needs light wine, rich food can support a heavier wine. A delicate poached sole fillet would be overwhelmed by a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. A hearty beef stew would make a light Pinot Grigio taste thin and watery. Match the weight of the food with the body of the wine.

Complement or Contrast

You can pair to match the flavors (complementary) or to contrast them:

• Complementary: Buttery Chardonnay with rich, buttery lobster — matching richness with richness
• Contrast: Crisp, acidic Sauvignon Blanc with rich, fatty goat cheese — the acid cuts through the fat and refreshes the palate

Acid Loves Rich Foods

High-acid wines (Champagne, Chablis, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc) are incredible with fatty, rich dishes. The acidity cuts through fat, cleansing the palate between bites. This is why sparkling wine works with fried food and fatty charcuterie.

Tannins Love Fat and Protein

Tannins (the grippy, drying sensation in red wines like Cabernet) need fat and protein to soften and balance. A tannic Cabernet Sauvignon with a fatty ribeye steak is a classic pairing because the fat and protein interact with the tannins, making both the wine and the food taste better. That same Cab with a lean chicken breast or vegetable dish would taste bitter and harsh.

What Grows Together, Goes Together

A useful heuristic: regional wines evolved alongside regional foods. Italian wines are high-acid and pair beautifully with Italian food. Spanish wines go with Spanish cuisine. French wines with French food. This "rule" breaks down with international cuisines but works surprisingly well within European traditions.

Specific Pairings

• Oysters and Champagne/Chablis: Classic — the mineral, acidic wine mirrors the briny, saline oyster
• Salmon and Pinot Noir: The fattiness of salmon handles the light tannins; the earthy Pinot complements the fish's richness
• Grilled steak and Cabernet Sauvignon: The classic match — tannins and fat
• Pasta with tomato sauce and Chianti: High-acid Chianti matches the acidity of tomatoes
• Spicy food and off-dry Riesling: The slight sweetness cools the heat; the acidity balances the richness of spicy dishes
• Roast chicken and white Burgundy (Chardonnay): The versatile match — works with the richness of roast chicken
• Cheese and Sauternes: Rich, sweet wines with aged, salty, funky cheeses — Roquefort and Sauternes is one of the world's great pairings

Wine Cooking Tips

When cooking with wine: only cook with wine you'd drink. "Cooking wine" from the supermarket (sold with added salt) is inferior and will make your food taste worse. A cheap but drinkable table wine is perfectly fine for cooking — you're using it for structure and acid, not fine flavor notes. Never cook with anything corked or turned.