Grape Varietal | Grape will go well with the following foods |
Barbera | Tomato based pasta dishes, Pizza, Parmesean Cheese, Barbera can work with both meat and fish dishes |
Cabernet Franc | A fairly versatile food friendly wine able to be served with poultry dishes, red meats, heavy game or pizza. |
Cabernet Sauvignon | Fatty red meats, such as lamb, beef (steak), heavy sauces e.g., steak au poivre and pepper-crusted ahi tuna. Oaked wines can be used to matched with cooking methods that have similar influences on the food such as grilling |
Cinsaut | classic bistro fair, creamy blue cheese, strawberries, Mediterranean cuisine |
Dolcetto | pasta, light tomato sauces, pizza |
Durif | stronger meats - game, beef, lamb, and spicy sauces |
Gamay | bistro fair -- roast chicken -- mild and nutty cheeses, such as swiss, brie and Munster |
Grenache | braises and stews: long slow cooked roasts of pork or lamb daubes and stews with dark, winey sauces --red such as Chateauneuf du Pape is good with richer and gamier birds |
Malbec | Red meat, can stand up to Mexican spice, Italian tomato based dishes |
Montepulciano | pasta with a meat-based ragù, Eggplant Alla Parmigiana |
Mourvèdre | meat based stews, Provencal vegetable dishes.roast lamb |
Nebbiolo | risotto (milanesa or mushroom) |
Nero d'Avola | Meatballs, roasted lamb, pasta with tomato base sauces |
Petit Sirah | stronger meats - game, beef, lamb, and spicy sauces |
Pinotage | A medium-bodied Pinotage, cqn go with grilled or sauteed fish and thick soups. A heavy-bodied Pinotage goes well with red meat, venison, barbequed dishes. |
Pinot Noir | duck, squab, quail |
Sangiovese | tomato-based pasta and pizza sauces with a Sangiovese-based Chianti; more aggressive oak treated wines pair well with grilled and smoked food |
Syrah | Pairs with grilled meats, whether steaks, hamburger, sausage, or lamb; pizza, game such as venison, boar, or pheasant |
Tempranillo | beef, lamb, bacon, pork, duck, and hard cheeses. |
Zinfandel/Primitivo | tomato based sauces, bbq dishes, sausage, dark bittersweet chocolate |
GRAPE VARIETAL | |
Airén | Plainly cooked fish and shellfish. Grilled chicken breasts |
Albariño | seafood, shell fish, tapas style dishes |
Chardonnay | Unoaked Chardonnays: pan roasted fish; shellfish ---Oaked Chardonnays: Boudin Blanc, Salmon, lobster, sweetbreads |
Gewürztraminer | chicken and fish dishes, pairs well with spicy Asian style dishes |
Melon de Bourgogne | seafood-particularly oysters--other seafood dishes that Muscadet pair well includes lobster, shrimp and mullet |
Muscat | dessert wine |
Pinot Gris | seafood, light pastas, grilled chicken breasts |
Riesling | white fish or pork, and can stand up to the stronger flavours and spices of Thai and Chinese cuisine |
Roussanne | white meat and fish |
Sauvignon Blanc | Fish, cheese, particularly Chevre, can pair with sushi |
Sémillon | Seafood, fish, clams, mussels --sweet wines pair with desserts |
Torrontés | smoked meats, mild to medium-strong cheeses, and seafood. pairs well with spicy food |
Trebbiano | pasta with oil base, pan fried fish |
Verdejo | Tapas |
Verdelho | shellfish, seafood, asian food |
Verdicchio | light pasta dishes, fish |
Viognier | shell fish, roasted monkfish |
Wine and Food Pairing Sites:
Matching Food and Wine with Fiona Beckett
Kendall Jackson Food and Wine Pairing Guide
Gourmet Sleuth Wine Pairing Chart
DNRONLINE.COM- Virginia Wine Guide
History of Wine and Food Pairing
Science of Food and Wine Pairing
The Basic Wine and Food Pairing Rules
Notes on Food and Wine Pairing from the Experts