A great glass of wine enhances a meal. Pairing wine with food doesn’t have to be complicated and confusing. The most important rule to remember is that there are no rules! It’s all about personal choice.
How to Choose Wine
For a great taste experience, wine and food should taste good together and complement one another. If the wine has a very strong flavor — such as a Chardonnay (white) or Chianti (red) — and the food you’re serving it with is light and delicate, the wine will likely overpower the taste of the food.
The opposite is just as true. A light wine paired with a heavy dish may taste too bland.
The best way to learn which wines you like with which foods is simply to try them. Note these basic guidelines:
- White wines usually taste better with fish and white meats like pork and chicken
- Light white wines are excellent with shellfish like clams and shrimp
- Red wines go better with steak and other red meats, as well as with chicken, turkey or pork
- Light red wines go well with fish, such as salmon and tuna
Serve It Right
Storing and serving wine is easy. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Chill white wine in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving
- Remove the cork from a bottle of red wine one hour before pouring to let it “breathe.” You will taste its full flavor that way.
- There is no need to open white wine before serving
- Store both red and white wine in a cool place away from heat—on the floor underneath a bureau is fine; the top shelf of a closet will ruin it
- Keep red wine out of the fridge—although some people like it chilled in the summer
Champagne Tastes
Fewer drinks are more festive than champagne. There are many types of champagne — each a little different in taste, from dry to fruity, and color, from pale yellow to pink and even red. Some also have more bubbles than others.
You’ll find a wide range of champagnes from around the world. Depending on where they are made and how they are made, they might also be called “sparkling wine.”
Serve champagne very cold. You might like it so much — most people agree that champagne tastes good with everything — you won’t wait for a special occasion to drink it!
Be Responsible
Be a responsible host and make sure that your guests don’t drink and drive
