Leslie Cramer has worked in the fine wine industry for twenty- something years. Known in some circles as "The Wine Wizardess," she'll cover topics from wine education, to trends o' the day and how to properly propose a toast, to health benefits of the grape.

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Food and wine pairings- a sometimes disputed; always changing topic

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August 18, 10:52 AM

by Leslie Cramer, Wine Examiner

Wine and food pairing- keep it simple

Always at question and often hard to answer- which wines with which foods? Sticking with the 'keep it simple' mentality, read on for some basic basic guidelines:

Red wines

Light-bodied- generally pair well with seafood, especially Mediteranean-inspired dishes. Pairs well with fish, particularly dishes prepared with zesty, pungent spices. The really simple rule of thumb: light wine with light meat, either red or white. Recommended: Pinot Noir

Medium-to full-bodied- Best accompaniments: steaks or sausages, grilled. Lamb or pork roast (though a Pinot would go well here, too), hearty beef stews, and barbequed ribs. Recommended: Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon

White wines

Light-bodied- Pair well with garden salads, salty appetizers and tapas, quiches, fratatas and egg-based dishes, shellfish seafood dishes like lobster or crabmeat. Recommended: Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

Medium-bodied- Pasta and veggie combos, lighter chicken-based dishes or soups, Asian-inspired dishes (Thai, Chinese, Japanese). Recommended: German Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Viognier.

Hearty, full-bodied- Rich pasta, rich, meaty fish like salmon, heavier chicken (or other poultry) dishes. Recommended: Chardonnay

Dessert- As always, pair sweet with sweet. Pies or cakes with sweet ports or sherries, or a Sauternes.

For more info: Try the guidelines with a meal or two and a few friends. And catch my man Gary Vay-ner-chuck for his take on food/wine pairings. Hang in there, he'll get to it! (Though he's pretty entertaining along the way...)

Topics: Gary Vaynerchuck

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