Wine & Food Pairing

The right wine with the right food is a simple statement but difficult to define. In reality the right wine is the one that you enjoy drinking. There are well tried and tested conventions that will allow you to match food and wine so that you will be able to get more out of your dining experience. The generally accepted rule of "like with like" can assist:

• Sweet wine with sweet food
• Sour foods with acidic wines
• Bitter with bitter
• Salty food with acidic wines
• Red wine with red meat
• White wine with white meat

There are of course many exceptions to this rule and dining has become far more exotic than in the past. It is also difficult to tell which wines are acidic or which retain bitterness. Experience is the answer. Improvement of the palate and your perception of the four primary tastes of wine and food, sour, bitter, sweet and salt (in food only). - The important thing to remember is not to take it too seriously and enjoy experimenting. It all comes down to personal tastes.

Wine Style	Food Style
Chardonnay	Poultry and game birds, veal and pork, rabbit fish and pasta preparations which feature cream and/or butter, mushrooms.
Sauvignon Blanc	First courses, seafood, ethnic dishes, pastas, curries, salsas, spicy sausages, vegetable dishes, luncheon salads, olive-oil based dishes, tomato sauces, goat cheese.
Chenin Blanc	Braised Chicken, sushi and other Oriental dishes, poultry, pork.
Traminer	Spicy cuisines such as Chinese, Mexican, and Indian, mild sausages, fruit salad.
Riesling	Crabmeat, appetizers and finger foods, pork, salads.
Semillon	Grilled fish, foods with creamy sauces such as pasta
Verdelho	Yabby, grilled fish, fruit platters and Italian pastas with cream based sauce
Cabernet Sauvignon	Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses.
Merlot	Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses, stews, pizza, heart pastas.
Shiraz	Beef fillet with tomato based sauce. Rich spicy meals. Veal, kangaroo, roast duck. Sparkling shiraz goes well with pastries and puddings.
Grenache	Fillet steak with tomato based sauce, sweet seafood, chicken and red meats
Pinot Noir	Lamb, duck, turkey, game birds, beef, rabbit, semi-soft cheeses.
Rose	Best with smoked foods, quiche, pork and ham, Mexican and Thai food. Can be served with all food.