Top Ten Tips For Pairing Food & Wine

1. Start with lighter wines before more full-bodied varietals, serve dry before sweet, and generally, lower before higher alcohol content.

2. For delicately flavored wines, such as Torrontes, Vieira or a dry Muscat Blanc, prepare poached, steamed and other simple, lightly flavored dishes.

3. Smoked flavors such as smoked salmon or meats, or highly spiced dishes (Thai food, fish tacos, sushi) should be paired with a wine that has a lot of fruit and a lower alcohol. Alsatian wines (Gewurztraminers, Rieslings, pinot Blancs) are all good. Pinot Gris is better that Pinot Grigio, due to the extra weightiness, and for reds, Pinot Noir. Avoid tannic or high acid wines like Cabernet, Petite Sirah or Barbera!

4. Acidity loves acidity. Therefore, pair tomatoes, goat cheese and vinaigrettes with Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Albariño on the white spectrum and Pinot Noir, Barbera or Nebbiolo on the “dark side”.

5. Richer, fattier foods love full-bodied wines. For example, Chardonnay with Fettuccini Alfredo. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz, Syrah or Petite Sirah with any grilled meat or steak. We like filet, rib eye for the first two varietals, lamb or venison alongside the last three.

6. Go easy on the asparagus, artichokes and chilies when pairing food and wine. The flavors in these foods can greatly alter and even overpower many wines. For an “I’m gonna' impress the pants off you” evening, it’s best to skip them unless you know what you’re doing.

7. Cook with the wine you drink! Okay, so you aren’t going to pour a ’82 Lafitte Rothschild into a beef stew; but neither should you pour “Two Buck Chuck” in it either! If you really plan to drink the Rothschild with your stew (and I’ll bet it’s a damned good stew!) then grab a decent Cab or Meritage to cook with as well.

8. Pair the weight of the wine with the weight of the food. Don't let the flavors in the food overpower the wine - and vice-versa! Tasting is the key! Which leads us to:

9. Know your wine - if you've found a favorite wine in the past, you'll have a better idea what dish you might to serve with it. Keep a log of both restaurant and home-cooked meals you've enjoyed. Be sure to note the particular the wines you drank with those meals and whether or not they worked for you.

10. Be adventurous, enjoy yourself and have fun! Remember the fundamental rule:
“The only good wine is the wine that you like… all the rest are bad by definition!”