Tips on Food and Wine Pairing

  • The body or weight of the wine and its acidity are as important as its flavors in matching it with food.
  • Great wine and food combinations come not only from matching flavors, but also in contrasting them.
  • Wines should follow each other at the table in a natural progression from driest/lightest to sweetest/most full bodied.
  • The food should not overwhelm the wine any more than the wine should overpower the food. Together, they should be harmonious and complementary.

Type of Food

Type of Wine

Higher acid foods
(tomatoes, citrus fruits, goat cheese)

Higher acid wines
(Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay
Beaujolais, Pinot Noir)

Richer and fattier foods
(duck, lamb, beef, cheese)

Slightly oaky white wines or young red wines
(Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel)

Spicy, salty or smoked and
more heavily seasoned dishes

Lighter tasting, fruity wines
(Gewurztraminer, Johannesburg Riesling, Gamay Beaujolais)

Foods with some sweetness
(meat or poultry dishes with fruit sauces)

Wines that offer some sweetness
(Gewurztraminer, Johannesburg Riesling, White Zinfandel)

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