Wine and Food Pairing Guide

When it comes to matching food and wine, don’t worry about always following the common “rules.” While many wine drinkers stick to popular pairings, you’ll discover that through experimentation, some white wines may complement a steak and a robust red may add great balance to a grilled fish. So go ahead and throw out the rulebook and have some fun improvising and finding your own personality in paring food and wine.

A simple suggestion to remember is that wine should complement the food rather than dominate it, and vice versa. Just like you wouldn’t eat a delicate, paper-thin pastry shell with thick beef stew and baked potatoes, the same holds true for wine. You don’t want one to overpower the flavors of the other. The trick to keep in mind is that lighter foods tend to complement lighter wines, and heavier foods tend to complement heavier wines. It’s really that easy.

Although there’s always room for experimentation in pairing food and wine, it’s sometimes best to follow the most traditional and widely accepted preferences. Take a look at the popular dishes below and choose a Gold Medal Wine Club wine to accompany your favorite meal.

Pairing Wine with Meat & Fish

Pairing Wine with Cheese

You may wonder why wine and cheese pairing parties are so popular, and it’s simply because the two have so much in common. Both are natural products that may be enjoyed while fresh, simple, and young, or in their more complex forms when they are aged and mature. Cheese tends to “smooth out” wine, and helps to bring out the best qualities in both.

There are so many varieties of wines and cheeses, that the pairing possibilities are endless. However, most consumers tend to find that white wines match best with soft cheeses and stronger flavors, while red wines match best with hard cheeses and milder flavors. As with any food and wine pairing, there are no absolutes in the world of wine and cheese, but below are some good guidelines to help you find your personal taste preferences.

Pairing Wine with Dessert

Pairing wines with desserts tends to be more difficult since virtually all desserts are sweet with quite an expansive range of flavors. The general rule of thumb is to choose wines that are sweeter than the dessert, so usually a Port, dessert wine, or demi-sec sparkling wine will be your best option. Of course, there’s always room for experimentation, but below are the most popular dessert pairing preferences.

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