Pairing Wine and Food: What to Cook with Red, White, Rosé, and Sparkling Wines

Perhaps you already know what wine you want today — red, white, or maybe sparkling? But one important question remains: how to pair wine and food correctly? We have compiled some simple and proven ideas on how to pair wine and food so that you can enjoy your meal.

If you drink white wine

The main thing to know about white wines for successful wine and food pairing is that they can be very different. Conventionally, they can be divided into two broad styles: light and full-bodied.

Light and “crisp” wines

These include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Albariño, and Riesling. These wines have a pleasant acidity that cleanses the palate. That is why they are the perfect partner for sushi and rolls. They are also a classic choice for Caesar salad with chicken, oysters, and light seafood salads or any white fish baked in the oven with lemon and herbs.

Full-bodied and creamy wines

These include, for example, Chardonnay aged in oak and Viognier. Such wines have a denser texture and often a creamy taste, so they require more fatty foods. Here’s how to properly pair wine and food with this style: Carbonara, baked chicken in cream, or mushroom risotto are ideal.

What to enjoy with red wine

Red wines, like white wines, can be radically different. How to pair wine and food with them? They are also divided into two styles: light and full-bodied.

Light and berry wines

These are versatile wines with low tannins, pleasant acidity, and bright aromas of red berries. These include Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Zweigelt. They are the perfect example of red wine that goes well with fish! They are also an ideal pairing for pizza with mushrooms, pasta with mushroom sauce, and, of course, duck.

Full-bodied wines

Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Shiraz, and Saperavi are classic wine and food pairings, namely “wine for meat.” They are full-bodied, tart (tannic), and have a rich flavor. These wines go well with steaks, juicy burgers, BBQ ribs, or pasta Bolognese. They are also an ideal pairing with hard aged cheeses.

Rules for pairing rosé wine and food

Rosé is the perfect middle ground. It has the freshness of white wine but with light notes of red berries, making it perhaps the most versatile wine for food. It is a godsend for those who don’t know how to pair wine and food successfully.

For example, if someone in your group orders a margarita and another orders a Niçoise salad, rosé will go perfectly with both. It also pairs well with salmon dishes. This wine is simply made for light appetizers: antipasti, olives, feta cheese. If you want to complement the taste of fried shrimp with garlic, this is the perfect wine and food pairing — go ahead and choose rosé wine.

Sparkling wine: unusual combinations and gastronomic surprises

Many people perceive sparkling wines only as an aperitif. But this is a big mistake. In fact, thanks to its high acidity and effervescence, it goes well with almost any food. It pairs well with French fries, spring rolls, and fried calamari. It goes great with any salty snacks — chips, salted nuts, or popcorn.

And if you want to understand how to pair wine and food correctly, we cover this in the La Dilettante course, the program for which is available at https://matthewswine.com.