Wine Pairing: How to Match Wine with Food

Wine Pairing: The Basics

So, what do you need to know before you take the plunge? The first things to get to grips with are congruent and contrasting pairings. This may sound like jargon - the kind that turns amateurs away from pairing in the first place - but the concept is simple.

A contrasting pairing is just that - a marrying of a wine and a dish where the flavours play off each other. This balances the dish by offsetting the taste of the food you serve with the flavours of the wine you serve it with. Easy. Congruent pairings are the opposite - here you'll be serving wines that enhance the flavour profile of the dish by matching and amplifying its qualities.

How to Match Wine with Food

So, how do you achieve a contrasting or congruent pairing? All it takes is a little thought and time.

For each, you'll first need to think about the flavour profile of the dish you're serving. Again, this sounds more complex than it actually is.

Flavour, as the chefs among you will know, is split into five distinct categories: saltiness, spiciness, sweetness, bitterness, acidity and umami (which is essentially savouriness). All you need to do is think about which of these applies to your dish.

Take something simple like macaroni cheese; here the flavour can be broken down into two categories: saltiness and umami. To create a complementary pairing, you'll want to enhance the creamy richness of the dish. And how do you do this? By pairing it with a creamy white wine like a chardonnay.

For a contrasting pairing to your mac ‘n' cheese, simply do the opposite. Offset the creamy, salty richness of the dish with a zesty, acidic wine. This will round out the flavour and ensure the dish hits as many of those flavour categories as possible (and as desired - you don't want them all!).

Knowing which wine will give you the flavour you're looking for is the difficult part. The easiest way to get around this is to read the tasting notes of each wine you serve, see how they apply to the flavour profile of your dish, and you're away.

Or you could always try them out yourself. And as it technically counts as work, you don't have to feel guilty. Cheers to that!

TIP: There's two ways to pair wine: with a contrasting or congruent pairing. These will see you either matching the flavour of the dish and drink, or finding a wine that fills in the flavour blanks left by the food. Easy!

Wine Pairing Rules

Now you've gotten to grips with the 101s of wine pairing, there's some catch-all rules you should (usually) keep in mind.

The first of these involves the intensity of your dish. A good pairing will put the flavour intensity of the dish and the wine on an equal footing. For a simple salad, pairing it with a bold, heavy bodied red like a cabernet sauvignon will drown the flavour. Pair it with a light white like a sauvignon blanc and you're on to a winner.

The same process applies to an intense, spicy dish. Pair it with a delicate white and you'll both lose the taste of the wine, and fail to complement the dish. Choose something sweet (to offset the spiciness) and strong (like a shiraz) to match the intensity of the curry and you'll raise the bar for dish and drink alike.

Apply this rule together with the congruent and contrasting method above and you're well on your way to creating a match made in wine heaven.

The meat myth

A serving of wine wisdom known to even the greenest of aspiring sommeliers is the old adage: ‘red for red meat, white for white'. For a steak, where the meat is the main event, this generally holds true. But if you're serving chicken in an intense show-stealing sauce, a delicate white just isn't going to cut it.

So what do you do? This again requires matching your wine to the intensity of your dish - try to choose a wine that works with the flavour of the meal as a whole, rather than choosing one that plays on the flavour of its constituent parts.

A chicken curry and chicken salad both contain white meat, but will require vastly different parings to achieve the desired effect.

If it grows together, it goes together

This is another of the broad wine rules that can help guide your plunge into pairing. A Spanish dish, in the main, will be best paired with a Spanish wine. Again, apply this idea to the others listed above and you'll add another element to your vino armoury.

Just try not to disregard the other rules in the process.

Cava chameleon

Bubbly is the secret weapon of the first time pairer. It'll match beautifully with (almost) any dish. The sparkling effervescence and slight sweetness will cut through the spice in fiery Asian dishes, perfectly complement light seafood or poultry plates and even marry up nicely with most meats, fruits and nuts.

In short, if in doubt, get bubbly. You may not stumble on a perfect pairing, but you'll certainly get close.

TIP: Match your wine to the intensity of the dish, rather than the meat you're using. A rich and rustic Zinfandel will bring a chicken curry to life, even though it's technically a white meat dish!

What Wine Glass

Now you've got the basics bottled, you'll need the right barware to put your pairing know-how to good use.

The first thing to consider here is glassware. Reds, whites, sparkling, sweet and all those wines in between work best in the right glass. And this isn't just the preserve of experienced wine fanatics - stemware is usually tailor-made to make the most of the wine it's intended to hold, and even the occasional drinker will notice the difference the perfect glass makes.

Best Glasses for Red Wine

For red wine, you'll want a large glass with a good sized bowl that tapers up to a narrow opening. There's good reason for this. The size of the glass allows the drinker to swirl their red without the risk of splurting out shirt-ruining splashes. And swirling isn't just something wannabe winesters do for kicks - it actually works, aerating and agitating the wine to release the aromas and flavours locked within.

Once released, these aromas are trapped by the narrow opening of the glass, meaning each sip is packed with flavour.

The size of the glass is also crucial. A larger bowl allows the ethanol fumes from more alcoholic wines to diffuse. This helps to prevent that shiver-inducing smack that high proof tipples like vodka are notorious for. It'll also break down the tannins in a bold red - those tiny molecules that give red wine its distinct bitter taste and cause that mouth-drying sensation. Tannins aren't bad, but too many and your wine can be difficult to swallow. A large and airy bowl will break them down, making your red as smooth in taste as it is in colour.

Lastly, don't disregard the stem! Clutching the bowl of a glass gently heats the wine, which can negatively affect the flavour of a red. Finger prints are also an issue: the last thing you want is a sumptuous shiraz served in a smudged glass. Give your guests a comfortable stem to grip and they'll thank you for it later.

For a great glass without the price tag, check out Olympia Solar. Or for something a little more impressive to complement your best bottles of red, try the Claro range of crystal glassware.

Best Glasses for White Wine

For white wine, you'll need something a little different. A smaller glass is your friend here, as you'll want to trap the delicate floral notes and zesty finish of your whites. Smaller stemware also helps to keep your wine cool, perfect for a fresh glass of pinot on a summer's day.

For heavier whites like chardonnay, a slightly larger glass is better, helping to release those creamy notes that make it such a good partner to richer dishes.

Solar is another great option here. Available in large or small, there's a glass for every type of white.

Best Glasses for Sparkling Wine

Bubbly is a bit different again. With the sparkle being the main event, keeping that fizz fizzing is your first priority. Fluted champagne glasses are the order of the day here, and will prevent the dreaded disappointment of a flat cava by keeping your bubbly effervescing nicely.

Serve your sparkling favourites in a Solar flute - or a Claro one if you're feeling extra decadent - and you're away.

Best Glasses for Wine Tasting

And what if your customers want to try before they buy? Luckily, there’s a glass for that too. Tasting glasses are smaller than your average glass but still feature that crucial tapered bowl that’ll really bring out the flavours in the vino you serve. Allow your guests to sample the tipple that catches their eye in a tasting glass and they’ll get a good idea of the flavour profile of the white, red or bubbly they’ve picked straight away. 

Article: For a more in-depth guide to getting the right glass, see our stemware buying guide.

Wine Serving Essentials

Once you've found the right glass, you're well on your way to wine perfection. But it's the little things that often make the biggest difference.

A glass rack is a space-saving way to keep your stemware scratch free - and looks great above the bar. To keep your tipples at the perfect serving temperature, a wine chiller is a must. It's also an easy way to merchandise your best bottles and prompt those impulse buys at the bar.

Wine buckets and coolers are another essential. Olympia's stylish double-walled rang is perfect for whites, roses, champagnes and everything in between. Available in brushed steel, copper or gunmetal, they look great on the table too. Get all your wine accessories here.

A wine decanter will not only allow your reds to breathe and release their hidden flavours, but will also look great too.

Lastly, a glasswasher is an investment well worth making. With all those extra glasses your new-found pairing know-how will require, keeping up with demand can be tough. A quick and easy glasswasher can really help to take a load off. Try Classeq for a budget-friendly option, or Hobart if your pairing really takes off.

What Other Drinks Can You Pair With Food?

Wine isn't for everyone.

Luckily, it's not just vino that matches up nicely with a meal. Restaurants are increasingly serving decadent dishes with a side of craft beer, a well-chosen short or even cocktails. Rum is on the up and can really bring out the sweetness in barbecue-inspired dishes.

Craft beer can be as complex and varied as any wine, so your options to tickle the taste buds of the wine averse are endless here. Serve a rich IPA in a stemmed beer glass with a hearty pork dish and you can't go wrong.

And for those with a sweet tooth, dare to pair a cocktail with a dish and you'll soon reap the rewards. This takes some clever balancing to get right, but deploy the pointers above and you're certain to find a cocktail that'll bring that extra something to the table. Pair it with the right cocktail glass to really put on a show.

Take the pairing plunge

Pairing isn't an exact science; there's no hard and fast rules. The best way to get a flavour for what goes with what is to sample it yourself. Go out on a limb, be bold and you might just stumble upon something special. Just try to find a pairing that works for both the dish and the drink and you're on the right track.

And after all, it might just be that extra kick your menu needs.

Article: It isn't just wine that pairs perfectly with food. Beer, spirits and even cocktails can bring another layer of lusciousness to a dish if done right. Check out our articles on craft beer and cocktails for some inspiration.

How to Pair Wine with Food: Popular Pairings

So, how do you start with wine pairing? What'll go with a zippy sauvignon blanc, and how do you pair a bold Bordeaux without overwhelming the dish itself? These questions can baffle the eager amateur before you've even popped your first cork.

But it needn't be so intimidating. With a few basic rules on red and dash of wisdom on whites you'll soon be pulling together a pairing that'd give a seasoned sommelier a run for their money.

Below, we've put together some hints, tips and tasting notes that'll give you a great launch point. Drink them in and once you've got a flavour for what goes with what, the experimenting can begin!

Reds

From light to heavy, rustic to complex, reds cover a wide spectrum of flavours. Most will serve you well when paired with a rich dish, but marry up the right red with the right ingredients and you'll bring both the bottle and dish to life.

Pinot Noir

Perfect with: Mushrooms.

Light bodied yet savoury and deep in flavour. Pair pinot with earthy ingredients like mushrooms to really bring out the meaty, umami taste that we love them for.

Cabernet Sauvignon & Bordeaux

Perfect with: Steak, mushrooms & burgers

Fruity, complex and layered, these rich reds are celebrated for their savoury notes and dark fruit flavours. Pair them with umami-laden dishes like pizza with mushrooms, gourmet burgers or a seared steak and the tannins within will bring an extra kick to these already rich dishes. You'll also bring out the berry notes in the wine itself by doing so. Cheers to that!

Malbec, Syrah & Cotes du Rhone

Perfect with: Leaner meats & cheese

Bold and complex like a Cabernet Sauvignon, but with a less prominent tannin kick, these medium to full-bodied wines are great with everything from lamb to pork to steak. They pair especially well with strong cheeses, making them the perfect accompaniment to an after-dinner cheese board.

Zinfandel

Perfect with: Simple, flavourful dishes & curries

Rich, rustic and slightly sweet, Zinfandel is the perfect match for both simple dishes that pack a flavourful punch and more complex, spicy curries. Think pates and terrines if keeping it easy, and a savoury-sweet curry if you're going all out. The spicy, rich notes in the wine will complement the fiery kick of the curry and raise the dish to another level.

Whites

From zippy and tangy to rich and creamy, white wines are as broad in flavour as reds. Match them with lighter dishes like salads, seafood and fruit for a pairing to remember. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, pair sweeter whites with fiery dishes and revel in an explosion of taste.

Chardonnay

Perfect with: Seafood in heavy sauces & meatier fish

Creamy, silky and smooth, Chardonnay is the perfect pairing for prawns in a lush garlic sauce or a delicious cut of salmon. Serve it with milkier cheeses to really amplify the buttery notes in drink and dish alike.

Sauvignon Blanc

Perfect with: Herby dishes and zingy salads

A favourite with wine drinkers the world over, the zippy freshness of sauvignon blanc makes it a perfect pairing for dishes like grapefruit salad, as well as any fresh plate made with basil, coriander, mint or parsley. If in doubt here, go green.

Pinto Grigio

Perfect with: Shellfish

Delicate, light and deliciously dry, this acidic wine pairs perfectly with shellfish like prawns. Think of it like a fresh squeeze of lemon on a perfectly cooked fish dish.

Riesling

Perfect with: Sweet & spicy dishes

Sweet and sour battle it out in a good Riesling. The sweetness tames the spice in fiery Asian dishes, while the acidity will cut through even the most heavily seasoned of curries. Delicious with Thai food.

Sparkling

Champagne

Perfect with: Salt

Everyone's favourite bubbly matches deliciously with salty savouries. It's slightly sweet taste (sometimes hard to detect under the fizz) makes it perfect for salty dishes like macaroni cheese, as well as snacks and even junk food staples like fried chicken!