Food and Wine Pairing: The Perfect Guide for All Dishes

As the days grow longer and the crisp air of spring fills us with good cheer, there's no better time to host a dinner with our dearest friends. The rules are few: food, laughter, and lots of joy. But if we decide to bring some wine to the table, then we must pay attention to a few simple rules! That's why we've provided you with an impeccable and practical guide to never miss a beat and choose the right wine for you. Each dish is generally accompanied by its wine, but the essential rule to follow is one: choosing the right wine means balancing the aromas with the flavors of the dish. Ideally, finding the perfect pairing means thinking that a delicate dish requires a light wine, while a dish with strong flavors should be paired with bold flavors. But let's discover together the rules to follow to bring our favorite foods to the table with impeccable food and wine pairing.

Wine to Pair with Fish: Discover the Secrets

If we've planned to serve fish for the evening with friends and delight refined palates, then we know, we'll follow those few dogmas we all know: the wine to pair with fish is definitely white wine. But are we really sure? Actually, there are exceptions. Generally, white wine can be paired with seafood dishes because fish-based dishes are very delicate and less structured, which is why a red wine could overpower the flavor. However, for some types of fish, the situation changes: for a more intense flavor, a more structured wine is preferred. Fish in red sauce, on the other hand, can be accompanied by dry white wines, rosé wines, or even light red wines. But if our dinner is not fish-based?

Wine to Pair with Sushi: How to Choose the Right One

For lovers of refined flavors and contrasting tastes of Japanese cuisine, we have a few small tips in store to make the dinner unique and unforgettable. Certainly, pairing wine with sushi may seem rather unusual. According to Japanese tradition, sushi must be strictly accompanied by sake. However, wine and sushi pairing has often proven to be a real revolution, so why not give it a try? The wine to pair with raw fish must contrast the sweetness of the dish. Some Italian wines indeed have characteristics that perfectly complement this type of dish. You'll be surprised to know that, contrary to what you might think, sparkling wines are perfect to be consumed from appetizers to desserts. If you prefer to pair wine with sushi, you'll need to choose one with a pronounced acidity and a savory note. Champagne is also recommended for pairing. The wine to pair with sushi can simply be white, perhaps aromatic and fresh. Rosé wine is also perfect, preferably sparkling and low in alcohol content. For red wine lovers, however, pairing wine with sushi is difficult but not impossible. Certainly, when thinking of red wine, it will be much easier to associate it with meat. But even in this case, the rule is not universal.

Red Wine to Pair with Meat: Here's How to Choose It

Choosing to serve a meat-based dinner could seem like the simplest solution. Creating a meat-based dish involves telling a story and enhancing it. Wine pairing with meat should never be random; it should enhance the dish itself. It is necessary to take into consideration the type of meat, the use of spices and sauces, and how it is cooked. The rule of red wine pairing with meat is not universal! Did you know that with white meats, a structured and flavorful white wine is preferred? Red wine is intended for grills. Red wines in this case are perfect if medium or long-aged. If we serve raw or rare meat such as tartare, the advice is always to pair it with young wine, and in this case, not necessarily red.

Wine to Pair with Pizza: The Unexpected Union

There's only one food, however, that more than any other truly pleases everyone: we're talking about pizza! If you're thinking of a no-frills evening of laughter, music, and couch, pizza is perfect! In this case too, however, there is wine to pair with pizza. It is always necessary to consider the pizza topping; avoiding wines with intense flavors is the basis of everything. In general, white wines, rosés, and sparkling wines are the most suitable because they are fresh. For example, Margherita pizza or any other red pizza (for classic lovers), having already an acidic component, does not pair well with a wine with too much acidity.

Wine to Pair with Chocolate: The Perfect Match

And as they say: saving the best for last! Every respectable dinner needs a dessert to end on a high note. And even in this case, we can accompany the perfect glass of wine with the sweet. Contrast pairing works. A dry wine with a sweet dish helps, so champagne is not drunk in these cases. The wine to pair with desserts must respect the properties of the dessert itself! And this also applies to chocolate. White chocolate is best paired with white dessert wines, while dark chocolate is best paired with a wine with an intense and complex flavor, and so on.

Certainly, following precise rules to put perfect pairings on the table is not always easy, but as we know, a dinner among friends must contain not only the right amount of wine fizz! The perfect pairing exists only if wine and food provide the background to an evening spent with the right company.