Wine and Food

Wine is best enjoyed with other foods-at a formal dinner, as part of an everyday meal, or on a picnic. But which wine should you serve with which food? The answer depends on your own tastes, the nature of the occasion, and other factors. Still, there are some useful guidelines.

The Best Wine is the Wine You Like Best
That may sound obvious, but it's also the most important rule. Some people like sweet wines, others dry; some like red, others white or blush. Wine is a beverage of many tastes which appeal to many different people. As with food or any other product, the best wine for you is the wine you like best, regardless of type, price, trends-or whatever anyone else might say. If you like it, it's good!

Balance and Harmony
Another important principle is that your food and wine should be in balance, complementing each other rather than competing for the attention of your taste buds. Strongly flavored dishes should be accompanied by robust wines, and delicate foods by more subtle wines. Food and wine should be in harmony, not competition.

Red Wine with Red Meats White Wine with White Meats
Like many rules, this one is made to be broken. But it's a useful guideline because red wine and red meats are usually more flavorful than white wine and white meats or fish. Many people break this rule with new, unusual and delicious combinations of food and wine. For example, grilled salmon matches very well with a light red wine-or a full-flavored white. Take your pick! Similarly, the "right" wine for pasta depends on the sauce-tomato-based, Alfredo, or others-and your taste. And with strongly flavored cheeses like bleu or gorgonzola, try some port and a late harvest wine to see which you like best.

Experiment
There are infinite combinations of food and wine to suit every taste. Some general categories of food are listed on the next page, with the most common wine matches. (A description of several New York varietal wines is on pages 14-15.) To find out which wine you and your guest enjoy most with a meal, try small samples of two or three different types-then fill your glass with the one you like best!

Appetizers
Fresh Fruit: Sparkling wine or semi-dry white
Cheese Appetizers: Sparkling wine, dry white, light red
Appetizer Meatballs or Stuffed Mushrooms: Dry white, red
Shrimp Cocktail: Sparkling wine or semi-dry white

Main Courses
Chinese or Thai Food: Sparkling wine, semi-dry white, or "spicy" white
Pasta dishes: Dry white or light red with white sauces; robust red with most tomato sauces
Chicken: Semi-dry or dry white for lightly flavored treatments; dry white or light red with grilled; light or robust red with tomato-flavored marinades
Pork: Semi-dry or dry white
Fish: Semi-dry or dry white for lightly flavored treatments; dry white or light red for grilled fish with marinades
Beef: Full dry white to robust red
Lamb: Robust red
Turkey: Dry white, light red, or "spicy" white

Desserts
Fruit Pies: Sparkling wine, late harvest or ice wines
Chocolate:
" White" chocolate: Sparkling or semi-sweet white;
Milk chocolate: Semi-sweet white or "blush";
Dark chocolate: Robust red, late harvest or ice wines

from www.uncorkny.com