| Appetizers |
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| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Caviar | Fresh | Dry Champagnes like ultra bruts and blanc de blancs, and top Sparklers | The slightly salty delicate flavor of caviar is best with champagne and sparklers. But well chilled vodka is best |
| Pate | | White Burgundy, Sauternes, Late Harvest Vidal and Pinot Noir | The rich flavor and texture of pate requires whites and reds with firm acidity |
| Green Olives | Marinated | Spanish Fino and Manzanilla | A match made in heaven |
| Escargots | garlic | White Burgundy, Gewurtztraminer, Beaujolais | |
| Roasted red peppers | Rich, smoky, sweet | Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc Pinto Grigio, Beaujolais, Grenache, Dolcetto | |
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| Soup | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Vichyssoise | | Fino, Manzanilla, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon | |
| Seafood | Bisque | Pinot Gris, Burgundy and New World Chardonnay, Amontillado, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc | A dry white with good body |
| Bouillabaisse | | Dry Rose | Provencal dry roses are ideal, but others can work well, if not too fruity |
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| Salad | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Green Salad | Lettuce, arugula, frisee, radicchio, green herbs, | Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay | Try to avoid having vinegar in your salad dressing since vinegar destroys the flavor of wine. Herbaceous whites with good acidity are best with vinaigrettes; Balsamic are more wine friendly. |
| Salad Nicoise | | Dry aromatic white or dry rose or pungent Sauvignon Blanc | |
| Spinach Salad | | | |
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| Beef | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Brisket | Barbecue | Shiraz, Chianti, Zinfandel, Petit Verdot | Make sure they are young and hearty reds that can stand up to your barbecue sauce |
| Stew | Beef Bourguignon | Bordeaux blend, Syrah/Shiraz, Malbec, Zinfandel | A lusty full flavored red will taste wonderful with beef stews and other braised beef dishes |
| Steak | au poivre | Cabernet, Merlot or peppery Zinfandel | Full flavored, big textured red is needed here to counter the pepper |
| T-bone | Grilled | Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot Bordeaux | Full flavored, big textured red |
| Meat Loaf | Veal, Pork, Beef | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel. | Medium-bodied reds with some spice would go best |
| Chili | Chile con carne | Zinfandel | |
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| Lamb | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Leg of Lamb | Roast | Bordeaux from Pauillac or St. Julien, New World Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Cote Rotie, Shiraz | Complex deep red goes here |
| Chops | Grilled with Lemon,-thyme butter, white beans | French wines from the South like Bandol, young Bordeaux, Cabernet, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Sangiovese | |
| Stew | Tomatoes, onions, potatoes, peas | Spanish riojas, earthy New World Pinots | |
| Curry | White Rhone, Bandol Rose, German Kabinett, Gewürztraminer | Pungent, spicy curry require a high acid white, crisp and young, or a rose. |
| Souvlaki | Grilled | Cabernet Francs, Cabernets, | Medium-bodied reds with herbal notes |
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| Veal | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Chops | Served with wild mushroom (porcini ) sauce | Barolo, Brunello, Barbaresco, Tuscan blends, youthful Bordeaux, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, rich Spanish reds from Ribera del Duero or Priorat. | Rich full complex reds best here |
| Scaloppini | Served with egg plant and tomatoes | Nebbiolo, Chianti; Cotes du Rhone, Spanish Rioja, Red Burgundy | |
| Osso Buco | Veal shanks, carrots, celery, rosemary, sage, lemon peel etc. etc. | Barbaresco, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, or Taurasi. Herbal white wines also work: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Vernaccia, Greco di Tufo, Amarone | Some folks argue that Amarone and Osso Buco are a marriage made in heaven. |
| Wiener Schnitzel | | Riesling, Grunerveltliner | Light red, dry medium bodied white |
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| Pork | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Chops | Red wine marinade | Rhone reds, Chianti, Shiraz, Barbera, Zinfandel, especially, if the marinade is fruity | Select a bigger wine to drink than the wine used in the marinade |
| Roast Loin | Tarragon and Mustard Sauce | Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume, Grave, Meursault, New World Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc from Virginia and the Loire Valley, herbal Pinot Noirs | Whites with high acidity, rich full flavors, and herbal; soft easy drinking reds herbal in character. A classic white Burgundy or similar quality New World Chardonnay |
| Spareribs | Smoky Barbecued Ribs | Zinfandel, Petit Verdot, Primitivo | |
| Ham | Baked and honey-glazed | Full Flavored Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Dry Rose, Pinot Noir, | If smoked ham, try German Riesling; Pinot Noir works well with the saltiness of ham |
| Sausages | rich onion gravy, olives, capers, | Malbec, red Bordeaux | Whites that have spicy, oily character like Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio also work |
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| Game | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Venison | | Merlot, Shiraz, Zinfandel | Big rich supple fruit forward red is best |
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| Poultry | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Roast Chicken | Salt, pepper, garlic, lemon in the cavity | Rioja and Ribero del Duero, Barbera, Dolcetto, Grenache, Petite Syrah, Red Burgundy, German Riesling or other similar style delicate Chardonnay | Chicken is usually neutral in flavor so pay closer attention to marinades, accompanying vegetables, herbs and spices when pairing with wine. |
| Sauteed Chicken | Tomato-based sauces | Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Rioja, Dao | |
| Grilled Chicken | Marinades of garlic, saffron, paprika, cilantro, ginger | Off-dry whites Rieslings, Hoorays, Sauvignon Blanks, off-dry roses, Cotes-du-Rhone, Gigondas, Minervois | Medium-bodied reds with good acidity and spice, off-dry whites and roses; ginger needs sweetness of Vouvrays and off-dry wines; cilantro needs more herbaceous wines like Sauvignon Blanc |
| Jamaican Jerk Chicken | Fish, chicken, vegetables dishes | Sparklers, Gewurztraminer, and fruity roses | These pairings work unless the food is very spicy. |
| Duck Breast | Grilled | Pinot Noir or Beaujolais | Meaty and fruity often make good pairs |
| Roasted with plum sauce | Barbera or Syrah or other reds with black plum flavors, Nebbiolo | |
| Quail and Squab | Oven roasted | Rioja Reserva, Bordeaux, Pinotage | |
| Turkey | Plain Roast | Light bodied white and red wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Beaujolais, Cabernet Franc | |
| Turkey Thanksgiving meal | All the trimmings | Gewurtraminer or rich fruity red like Syrah or even Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc | Intensely flavored wines needed with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and other dishes |
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| Fish | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Salmon | Grilled or seared | White Burgundy, Chablis, Viognier, Chardonnay Pinot Gris, and even young Pinot Noir | |
| Smoked | champagnes and sparklers, manzanilla sherry, dry Riesling | |
| Tuna | Grilled or seared | White Burgundy, Chardonnay-Viognier and Rhone blends, Pinot Noir and Merlot | |
| Sole, Turbot, Halibut | Grilled | White Burgundy, Chablis, lightly oaked or un-oaked Chardonnays, Pinot Grigio | Light-bodied fish like sole work best with a light-bodied white wine like Pinot Grigio |
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| Shell Fish | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| oysters, clams, mussels. | Raw, steamed in wine with garlic and parsley | Champagne or Sparkling Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Muscadet | Shell fish is almost always best with whites that are crisp and high in acidity |
| shrimp | Fried | Muscadet | |
| Oyster stew | | Chardonnay | Richer whites with richer sauces |
| Seafood salad | cold | Champagne or Sparkling Wine, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio, | |
| Cioppino | Tomato and seafood | Zinfandel | |
| Lobster | Richly sauced | Champagne, Chardonnay, Vigonier | |
| Crab | Cold Crab Salad | Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier | |
| Crab cake | | Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay | A sweet pepper aioli would call for Chardonnay |
| Soft shell crab | | Chardonnay, Riesling | |
| Scallops | Sauteed simple | Champagne or Sparkling Wine. Sauvignon Blanc | Sweet flavor good with crisp wine |
| Cream sauces | Semi-dry Riesling | Best with medium-dry whites |
| Grilled with Peppers | Chardonnay | |
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| Pasta | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Lasagna | Cheese and tomato sauce | Chianti, Vino da Tavola, | |
| Ravioli | Butter and cream sauce | Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay | |
| Tortelloni | Stuffed with Gorgonzola | Robust Malbec, Chianti | |
| Macaroni and cheese | Cheese Sauce | Pinot Grigio or Dolcetto, Beaujolais | |
| Pizza | Tomato and cheese | Chianti, Zinfandel | |
| Spaghetti | Meat Sauce | Chianti, Barbara, Zinfandel | Spaghetti and Zinfandel are favorite American food and wine pairing |
| Linguini | Clam Sauce | Arneis, Gavi | |
| Pesto Sauce | Vernaccia, Verdicchio, Orvieto | |
| Fettucini | Carbonara | Amarone | |
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| Desserts | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Apple Pie | Tart apples, cinnamon | Auslese, Late-harvest Riesling, Muscat, Sauterne, Late Harvest Vidal | |
| Cheesecake | Plain and with fruit | Orange Muscat, French Beaumes-de-Venise, Sauternes, Late Harvest Vidal | Sauternes goes well when cheese cake has fruit topping |
| Tiramisu | | Vin Santo or cream Sherry | |
| Chocolate | Chocolate cake, mousse, souffles | Banyuls, Baumes-de-Venise, California Orange Muscat, Muscat Blanc, Vintage Port, Tawny Port, Extra-dry champagne | Banyuls from the Cotes de Roussillon district of France make the perfect match; chocolate with cabernets accentuate their tannins and diminish their fruit |
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| Cheese | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| Double Cream and Triple Cream | Brie, Camembert | Sparkling wines, medium-bodied Pinot Noir, Sancerre | |
| Cheddars | Mild, sharp, tangy, robust | Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Merlot, Syrah, whites with bottle aging | |
| Hard Cheeses | Parmesan, Comte, Gruyere | Sancerre, Graves and similar style Sauvignon Blancs, Chablis, Gewürztraminers, Riesling or even sweet Sauternes or Mombazillac and Tempranillo | |
| Goat Cheese | | Riesling, Grunerveltliner, Sauternes, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume | A white wine is best here. |
| Stilton, Roquefort, and other Blue cheeses | | Port, Amarone, Sauternes, Sparkling wines, Syrah, Zinfandel, Chianti | Also try Sauternes with Roquefort since sweet and salty work well together |
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| Chinese Food | | |
| Type of Dish | Preparations-Sauces | Wine Options | Food and Wine Pairing Notes |
| | | Riesling or Gewurztraminer | Low alcohol fruity wines go best with spicy food |
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