Basic Wine Selection

You don't need to be a wine connoisseur or have a wine cellar in your home to keep the right wines on hand for pairing with just about any meal.

If you plan to have about twelve varieties available and re-stock as you use them, you'll always be able to make an appropriate choice to pair with the evening's menu.

The Reds

Pinot Noir - an easy drinking red that pairs well with all sorts of red meat and game and strong flavored fish like salmon

Cabernet Sauvignon - a top choice for pairing with beef

Chianti - great for serving with Italian-style red sauce, whether it be on pasta or pizza

Syrah / Shiraz - a full-bodied red for strongly flavored meat and game dishes, sausages and strong cheeses

Merlot - relatively light-bodied red that works nicely with pork and turkey

Rosé - dry and off-dry rosés are versatile enough to pair with just about anything you'd care to serve with them

The Whites

Chardonnay - an extraordinarily versatile white with a wide range of flavor profiles, can complement almost any poultry or fish dish as well as a variety of cheeses

Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris - a wine that ranges from dry to sweet, delicious with rich cream sauced pastas and dishes served with white wine sauce

Sauvignon Blanc - perfect for matching the acidity in dishes that contain ingredients like tomatoes and lemon, also nice with goat cheese

Riesling - a light white wine that ranges from bone dry to sweet, it complements Asian cuisine, pork, duck and smoked fish nicely

Gewürztraminer - a spicy aromatic wine that works well with spicy cuisines like Thai and Indian

Champagne / Sparkling Wine - wonderful with culinary indulgences like oysters, caviar and truffles in addition to shellfish in cream sauce

Written by Lynne Webb