The Ultimate Food and Wine Pairing Guide to Elevate Your Dining Experience

There are few pleasures in life quite like sipping on a decadent glass of wine while enjoying your favourite dinner. But ask any oenophile and they’ll tell you that the art of pairing food with wine is far more intricate than it appears. So, what wine goes with what? Let us answer this question as we explore the world of food and wine pairing. 

The difference between contrasting and congruent pairings 

There are two key methods for pairing wine with food, each offering a distinct approach to matching taste profiles. With contrasting pairings, you’re going for opposite flavours that balance each other out and create a dynamic juxtaposition on your plate. A classic example of this is spicy curry with a sweet Riesling. Or, fried chicken with a dry and acidic sparkling wine. 

Congruent pairings, on the other hand, combine similar flavours to create a harmonious and cohesive meal. This could be roast beef with a full-bodied Merlot or the ultimate cheese and wine pairing, creamy Brie with a buttery Chardonnay.  

6 basic rules for wine pairing 

Balance out the acidity of the wine. High-acid wines like Pinot Grigio or young Riesling pair wonderfully with fatty or buttery foods, as the acidity cuts through the richness and livens up what is likely a heavy meal. 

Match your wine to the sauce, not just the meat. Your protein matters when it comes to choosing the right wine pairing, but when you think about it, it’s the sauce that brings the most flavour to the dish, so it needs to work well with your wine. 

Avoid pairing too many bold flavours. This is a surefire way of confusing your palate. A classic example of this? Combining strong, tangy blue cheese with a bold red wine – it’s just too much. Instead, create a balanced experience where the food and wine enhance one another, not clash. Strong, tangy blue cheese with a sweet, smooth Port, for example. 

Consider regional pairings. Wine and food from the same region typically pair well together because they come from a similar climate, soil and culture. This explains why a common lamb wine pairing is Rioja and grilled lamb. Rioja is a red wine from the north of Spain, where lamb is very widely consumed. 

Serve wine at the right temperature. Drink your wine too warm or too cold, and certain characteristics like the aromas, texture and flavours may not come through. As a rule of thumb, you should serve red wines at 15–18°C, white wines at 7–10°C, sparkling wines at 4–7°C, and dessert wines at 7-13°C. 

Experiment with your pairings. Yes, there are certain rules all wine connoisseurs know and most likely abide by. But if you’re curious about a flavour combination you’ve never seen before, what’s stopping you from trying it? Ultimately, the best wine and food pairings are the ones you enjoy.