The art pairig - which wine is to pair with which food

The information below will help you choose the wines that make the best matches with various dishes.

APERITIF

Whether you have prepared a single dish or a full-bodied multi-course lunch, you cannot do without an aperitif. This matter should be taken care of in advance. Usually, exquisite dishes are meal starters: if you taste strong or too spicy drinks before a meal, you will hardly appreciate them. Light dry or very dry white wines and still sparkling wines are the best aperitifs, especially if rose or light red wines are served with the next dish.

STARTERS

Caviar

The classic beverage to match caviar is Champagne.

Paste

Depending on the type of paste - whether it is made of fish, poultry or meat - wine is chosen according to main ingredient or taste. See recommendations and choose the most suitable wine.

Salads

For simple green salads, there is nothing better than a light dry white wine, unless bitter leaves dominate in the salad: then, a more persistent, but still light wine is preferable. Champagne is ideal for salads with warm ingredients.

FISH

Dry white wines are suitable for fish and crustaceans, although red, rosé, and sparkling wines can also make good matches.

Smoked salmon

Smoked food needs a wine aged in an oak cask. Matured dry white wines will match smoked fish.

Fried fish

• Dry white wines
• Dry rosé wines
• Light red wines (slightly chilled)
• If a sauce is very fat-laden, choose wines with a more astringent flavour.

Fish stewed in sauce

• Dry white wines
• Dry rosé wines
• Light red wines (slightly chilled)
• Although red wine and fish taste poorly compatible, fish stewed in red wine, such as Mediterranean-style fish stew, is a good exception.

MEAT DISHES

Goose or duck liver

• Sweet white wines
• Aged full-bodied champagne

White meat or poultry

• Dry white wines
• Dry rosé wines
• Light red wines
• Champagne, sparkling wines

Grilled red meat

• Light red wines
• Full-bodied red wines

Red Stew

• Light red wines
• Full-bodied red wines

Poultry

Dishes made of poultry have such unclear favour that the choice of wine depends entirely on how it is prepared, especially when it is served with a sauce, and additional flavouring features may come first.

• Light red wines
• Full-bodied red wines

Wild fowl

• Light red wines
• Full-bodied red wines

CHEESES

Most cheeses benefit from wine.
White wines make a better match with cheese; light wine is served to match tender cheese, whereas a strong wine is served to match a strong cheese.

DESSERTS

Fruit Desserts

• Sweet white wines
• Semi-dry rose wines
• Sweet dessert wines, including muscat wines

Compliance with these rules will allow one to enjoy the best taste of wine matching dishes.