We invite you to take a closer look at the classic combination of food and alcohol. Let's consider what wine to choose for meat: white or red, strong or light, sweet or dry, and so on. Armed with this certainly useful knowledge, you will be able to make ideal couples according to the principle: "every dish – your own brand of noble alcohol.” Use this approach, and an ordinary dinner for two will most likely acquire a touch of sophistication and romanticism, and modest family gatherings will almost certainly turn into a feast of taste sensations.

The compatibility of this couple is deeply tied to chemistry. The skin of grapes (red to a greater extent, white to a lesser extent) is saturated with tannins, which effectively block the effect of fatty compounds. Such a valuable element of the berries is given to alcohol during the maceration process.

As a result, alcohol also contains tannins (in varying concentrations), which means it neutralizes the fats that are found in meat, especially red meat. Therefore, when drinking a dish with such alcohol, you help improve digestion and feel light – hence the effect of good compatibility. Well, ideal compatibility will be if you combine tastes correctly, and for this you need to know the basic principles of combining them.

What kind of wine do you drink with meat: 7 basic rules for choosing

1. For national dishes, try to take a drink from the same country and, ideally, region. This is the simplest and most reliable method, because in this case the issue of compatibility has already been taken into account by culinary traditions.
2. The simpler the food, the fewer components should be in the alcoholic bouquet, and vice versa. Otherwise, one half of the pair will completely kill the other.
3. The fattier the meat, the more tart the strong drink that goes with it, and vice versa. Light, young, virtually unsaturated varieties and brands go well with lean dishes.
4. Choose alcohol “in unison” with the dish, that is, so that it continues the taste and aromatic properties of the food. In this way, the organoleptic impressions are enhanced while remaining harmonious.
5. When deciding which wine is best to buy for meat, don’t be afraid to “play with contrast” and make sure that the halves of the tasting pair interestingly emphasize each other’s differences. With this approach, the drink enriches the experience with every sip and bite.
6. The fattier the food, the higher the acidity of the alcohol should be to soften the experience and make it easier to digest. If the dish itself carries some kind of piquant note, the taste of the alcohol must contain a mild sweetness.
7. When pairing, take into account the secondary ingredients, namely seasonings and spices, because they seriously affect the organoleptics, sometimes radically changing it. If the dish includes a complex sauce, it is necessary to select a drink specifically for it, and not for the food.

As you can see, the freedom of choice is quite wide. And it’s worth immediately dispelling the myth that only red should be served with meat - white is also suitable, but strictly for certain dishes. The main thing is to correctly take into account fat content, acidity, tenderness and even the method of cooking. To make it easier for you to navigate all the above rules and begin to apply them accurately, let’s look at more specific examples of combinations.

Wine for steak: which one to choose?

In this case it's important to navigate both on the meat itself and on the method of its preparation:

• Marble beef, juicy and fatty, fried on the grill or in a frying pan, complement it with a glass of tannin-rich red with a pronounced aftertaste. A California cabernet or a French Bordeaux would be an excellent choice.
• Chateaubriand steak, that is, a relatively lean cut, needs a lighter drink, with a soft and balanced taste. A harmonious pairing with it is red New Zealand pinot noir or Chambertin from Burgundy.

Here it is appropriate to consider what wine is suitable for meat such as beef and dishes made from it, because you don’t need to focus on steaks alone either.

So, spicy roast beef will wonderfully complement carmenere or, the berry aromas of which can harmonize with the smell of spices. Any type of beef, as long as it's well grilled, pairs beautifully with full-bodied reds like Merlot or Beaujolais. You can aptly enrich any spicy dish with aged Chianti.

What wine goes with pork?

There's a whole sea of ​​options here:

• After grilling the neck, fill your glass with red Bordeaux or Barbaresco. The dense taste of the drink will create the perfect ensemble of sensations with smoky notes, which the meat was saturated with during the cooking process.
• It is always appropriate to pair a roast with vegetables with white Viognier or Gruner. Riesling, by the way, a classic, would also be an interesting pairing. The dry and balanced taste of the drink will ideally complement the variety of shades of a hot dish.
• A whole roasted suckling pig impresses with its tenderness and even delicacy. Therefore, both dry white Chardonnay and the already mentioned Riesling, as well as light red Beaujolais and Pinot Noir, will suit it.

The field for culinary experiments here is very rich - go for it.

Selecting wine for lamb

This is red meat, juicy and quite fatty. Therefore, when you are going to stew or fry it, put a bottle of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon to cool. The blackcurrant notes of the first or the tartness of the second diversify the aftertaste. And such alcohol will relieve heaviness in the stomach by neutralizing fat with tannins.

It's a completely different matter - lamb, very soft and relatively light. Fruity pinot noir or will help to complement it aptly, revealing all the organoleptic benefits. The softness and balance of the drink will be the perfect finishing note.

What kind of wine is served with poultry meat?

The choice here depends entirely on who are you preparing:

• It is appropriate to wash down a fat goose or turkey with something powerful and tart. So pour cabernet sauvignon into your glass and you can’t go wrong.
• Chicken or partridge require a delicate approach. Some light and fruity variety like the already mentioned pinotage will help to fully reveal all the tenderness of their taste.
• The best simply has to be spicy, because the meat of this bird is quite specific. After preparing it, give preference to Chilean carmenere or Austrian shiraz, and get aesthetic pleasure from your dinner.
• The rather exotic grouse and pheasant today want an equally unusual alcoholic company. Therefore, take Spanish Navarro as a pairing for the roast, just do not overdo it with spices when preparing the dish in order to hear the exquisite nuances of the drink.

It deserves special words, because it is traditionally our most popular bird, present on almost every holiday table. When boiled, it goes well with pinot blanc and pinot grigio, and when stewed, it goes well with Alsatian Riesling.

If you cook it in lemon sauce or bake it with herbs, you can safely pair it with sauvignon blanc. If the chicken is too peppery, use berry shiraz or beaujolais. If you grill a bird, give preference to rose from Spain (especially since you probably don’t drink it every time). By the way, it will be a great accompaniment for crispy wings.

What goes with game

Specific meat (such as bear meat, but not only) is often tough and dry, and has a special smell that is not pleasant for everyone. To balance the aroma and taste, it is served with rich sauces, most often berry ones. Therefore, the optimal pair in this case would be some light red variety.

If we consider more familiar game, That:

• stewed wild boar goes well with bandol and fita, fried wild boar goes well with Chianti;
• roast venison goes perfectly with merlot and cabernet sauvignon, and grilled tenderloin can be washed down with a glass of shiraz or.

You need to be able to select light meats, because they help to awaken your appetite. Thus, sausages or smoked meats are simply created for shiraz, which excites with a whole bouquet of aromas. And the pate is perfect for white semi-dry varieties like Chardonnay or Rkatsiteli.

Which wine to go with meat in specific cases

If you have cold appetizer– sliced ​​sausage, boiled tongue, smoked chicken fillet and the like, – pour Chablis, Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling into glasses. The white variety with its characteristic fruity flavor will not let you down.

If cooked meat stew, take a bright pinot noir. As you savor the kebab fresh from the skewer, appreciate the full-bodied depth of the Merlot or Beaujolais and you will feel twice as much pleasure.

If you did spicy dish and don’t skimp on spices, give preference to something warming. In such a situation, carménère is ideal, and if the food is generously seasoned with garlic, then valpolicella.

Culinary occasions may be different, but you can always find good wine to go with meat - so choose it, guided by the above rules. Just don’t lean too heavily on alcohol at the table - remember, it should only accompany lunch or dinner, and not be the reason for the meal.

Pork, like any other product, requires special treatment. Wine for pork should be chosen taking into account the taste of the dish itself and the characteristics of the drink. Some wines are highly recommended for pork, while others are absolutely not suitable. If you don’t know which wine is best for pork, go by your taste preferences - your own taste buds will definitely not let you down!

So, what wine goes with pork and what is served with wine - let's figure it out in order.

In terms of its characteristics, pork is more often reminiscent of veal than beef: light, tender meat, prone to dryness in inept hands. That’s why many classic wine pairings for dishes with pork are white and rose wines. In addition to beer, the Germans most often serve Riesling (dry or semi-dry) with their countless sausages. In Italy, the wine to go with pork chops is almost always Greco di Tufo. In France, pork baked with apples is served with Loire whites based on Chenin Blanc.

The ideal wine to serve with pork is acidic, rather spicy, with coconut aromas (pork is rich in lactones, which are responsible for the coconut aromas in both food and wine). A completely unsuitable wine for pork is cabernet (and sauvignon and franc).

Pork and red wine are the perfect combination if you have a whole roasted pig. Chianti Classico, Hermitage, Bordeaux or Côtes du Rhone accompany it perfectly.

Pork is not very popular among chefs, and in those cases when they do cook it, the dishes are accompanied by familiar companions - Riesling and Chardonnay.

Wine for sweet and spicy pork

Fondant is made from morcilla blood sausage. There is a liquid yolk hidden inside. Chips and crispy fried brisket add a contrast of textures, while the bitter orange sauce provides a contrast of flavors. Pinot noir suited the dish best (it has blood, bitterness, and a delicate velvety structure), pinotage is also interesting (against the background of blood sausage, the most animal notes begin to appear, but lovers of “wild” wines should like it).

Sweet and spicy pork is served with semi-dry red sparkling Lambrusco.

Chiarli Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Italy, Emilia-Romagna 100% Lambrusco, without aging in oak.

“Warm jellied meat” with warm salad of young beans “cloud” from Iberico.

What wine goes with mild pork?

Those parts of pork that are usually used for jellied meat (pieces from the head and legs) are boiled for a long time to obtain a tender, thick mass. The dish turns out sticky, and it was this quality that turned out to be decisive when choosing a wine - all the experts asked for something noticeably acidic to wash the palate. Lambrusco copes with this task best due to its sparkling quality. And the weight of the dish coincided with valpolicella ripasso.

South African red wine Spice Route Pinotage 2011 is served with mild pork. South Africa, Swartland. 100% Pinotage.

What wine is served with sweetish pork?

Risotto with pork, chanterelles and Manchego foam. In the case of risotto, the texture, the food, is most important. The meat was cut very finely and almost dissolved in the rice and cream, revealing a subtle aroma. Although the slight bitterness of the lemon sauce, which brought the faint bitterness of the chanterelles to the surface, also played a role. It was she who brought to mind the idea of ​​pinot gris, and the combination with it turned out better than with riesling.

The sweetish pork is served with a light pinot gris without aging in oak.

Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve 2010, France, Alsace. 100% pinot gris.

Piglet with blood orange sauce, hazelnut caramel and Jerusalem artichoke.

Wine for sweet-citrus pork

The pork was baked for a long time at a low temperature, so the pig can be eaten with a spoon. The sweetish glaze with caramel and demi-glace is balanced by a sour sauce made from blood orange juice.

Thanks to its generally restrained flavors, the dish goes well with many wines, but with whites there is one difficulty - pork with mashed potatoes is only good when served hot, so with properly chilled Riesling there is a temperature contrast that not everyone likes. The dish called for a textural red wine with spicy undertones.

The sweet and citrusy pork is served with traditional Rioja Reserva.

Marques de Riscal Rioja Gran Reserva 2005, Spain, Rioja. Tempranillo, graciano, mazuelo. Aged 32 months in old American oak.

Chocolate almonds, crispy pig's ear and peach granita

Wine for salty and creamy pork

The salty and creamy pork is served with semi-dry powerful sherry.

Valdespino Oloroso Solera 1842, Spain, Jerez. 100% Palomino Fino aged without flor, solera founded in 1842.

What else is served with wine?

Peach granita, chocolate mousse and crispy pork ear cracklings are served with wine on a solid pink salt crystal. Such serving gives a lot both in aesthetic and taste terms - the granita thaws and slowly “salts out” from the plate, so the degree of salinity of the dish increases from zero to quite sensitive during the eating process. Dry wine, of course, couldn’t cope here, but sherry showed its best side.

The main pork lovers outside of Eastern Europe live in China. Traditionally, wine was not served with sweet and sour pork and spicy stir-fries, but globalization makes its own changes: in restaurants in Hong Kong and Shanghai, very spicy dishes with pork are served with semi-dry Alsatian Rieslings and Gewürztraminers, which balance the heat of the spices with their sweetness and floral aromas.

Prosciutto, jamon and other types of cured and smoked pork are exactly the case when red wine is required, although not too powerful. Classics of the genre - Barbera and Sangiovese for prosciutto, Rioja for jamon, Beaujolais for all other versions. Morcilla fondant with potato chips, confit pork belly and bitter orange... An unorthodox take on things - American Zinfandel.

Quite often it happens that a housewife who has excellent knowledge and practical experience in cooking, who has prepared an exquisite table, but has a very vague idea of ​​what wine to serve with meat or fish, makes a hasty and ill-considered decision, offering drinks that cause outright dissonance, and beautiful , a magnificent feast, for which a lot of effort was spent at the stove, turns into a banal eating of “heated” food. The impression is blurred, despite the efforts of the owners of the hospitable house.

In a restaurant that values ​​its reputation, you can count on the help of a sommelier, who will help organize a treat that complies with all the rules of wine etiquette. But what if you plan to receive guests at home?

It is better to buy for the first time a wine that you have not personally tasted before, not in an ordinary supermarket with a self-service system, but in a specialized retail chain. If you don’t understand the types of wines, specially trained staff will help you make the right choice.

Don’t try to immediately remember the range of all wines: their classification, not to mention the range on the world market, has reached tens of thousands only among the most famous brands.

If the wine store has some special and rare wine in its assortment, then the consultants will definitely try to draw your attention to it. Sommeliers working in branded wine stores are experienced psychologists, so they often know how to evaluate a potential buyer who appears on the doorstep. Noticing the visitor’s confusion, they will give you maximum attention, listen carefully and help you make the best choice, taking into account all your wishes.

In a retail chain, there are marketing rules, according to which the most expensive product is located so as to “catch the eye,” that is, in the center or on the top shelves of the display case. Therefore, cheap wines are most often displayed on the lower shelves. Above are more “deserved” drinks, according to recognized world standards. When going shopping, you will have to think about the question of why you are buying wine and evaluate your financial capabilities.

What wine to choose for meat

If wine is needed to prepare a marinade, then you can opt for dry wines with a strength of no higher than 8%, which are an excellent substitute for vinegar in the recipe. Sometimes in cooking stronger, dessert wines are used, which have a certain aroma and taste necessary for the dish.

For use for culinary purposes, it is also necessary to take into account the principle of compatibility of wine with meat and fish, cheese and eggs, and other products included in the recipe. If choosing the right one is difficult, stick to neutral shades.

The taste of red meat (beef, lamb, duck, game) is perfectly balanced by red wine, which contains tannins, which help break down the fats present in these types of meat in greater quantities than in white meat. The choice between dessert or table wine for red meat also depends on other components of the dish and spicy additives. It is preferable to add red wines with a higher sugar content to meat dishes with a sweet, oriental aroma of cloves, cinnamon, and citrus notes. At the same time, it will be very good if the recipe contains “sour” ingredients, which will balance the taste of the dish to the greatest extent.

Traditionally, meat dishes belong to the category of hot, main courses served after cold appetizers. At this point, it is customary to serve stronger red wines. They are not refrigerated: the room temperature of red wine not only fully reflects its aroma, but also does not cause a feeling of discomfort when combined with a hot dish. Dry red wines are served with cold appetizers or as an aperitif before lunch. The best aperitifs are sparkling wines, champagne or sherry, because they contain a sufficient amount of acid, as well as gas bubbles, which stimulate the appetite.

Accordingly, taking into account these nuances, red wine is selected for a red meat dish, but from a more expensive series, aged, vintage or collection wines, depending on the planned costs, which is served directly to the table. Red wine is uncorked 30-40 minutes before drinking so that it has time to react with air and open.

What wine to choose for fish

The existing stereotype that red wine does not go well with fish is destroyed by successful compositions of red fish, “noble” varieties, and some types of light red (for smoked red fish) or spicy pink (for shellfish or crustaceans) wines. Such a composition will look perfect and complete, especially if there are cheeses or meat snacks made from dry-cured or smoked meat products on the snack table with smoked red fish.

Fortified red wines, such as Madeira, are preferable to accompany hot dishes of red fish of fattier varieties or prepared using a noticeable amount of fats of animal or vegetable origin. For hot dishes of beef, lamb, game with red meat with a neutral taste, the same wines are selected, but with muted shades, for example, Cabernet Sauvignon. The tart aftertaste of red wines combines more successfully with complex sauces for red meat and recipes that use pronounced spicy additives.

It is important to take into account not only the taste, but also the aftertaste that the wine creates, because it is this that will directly interact with the taste of the dish served with it.

What wine to choose for poultry and sauce

Chicken, rabbit, turkey, and lean pork are usually combined with white wines. The principle of their selection for appetizers and main courses is similar to the choice of red wines. But white wines, from the lightest to the aged, caramel shades, are cooled before drinking and opened during lunch, and not in advance.

Complex sauces that often accompany meat dishes often make it difficult to choose a wine that matches their taste.

Opt for a white wine with delicate, unobtrusive notes if the taste of white meat does not have bright and sharp tones. Pair a creamy chicken dish with Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc, and herbes de Provence will pair beautifully with Chardonnay. As a successful exception, the tart taste of red Pinot Noir is combined with Provençal sauces. If a white meat dish contains garlic and mayonnaise, serve it with sherry.

Serve lean white fish without sauce with light white wine, and choose a tart wine for fatty white fish dishes.

Try to choose a fruity wine for game.

Any meat or fish baked in the oven or on the grill is not capricious. You can serve this meat or fish without sauce with any wine.

It is better, of course, to get acquainted with the taste of this or that wine in advance, before preparing for the banquet. In restaurants, the chef and sommelier work hand in hand, thinking through the menu, but at home, preparing for a family holiday in a narrow circle, you will have to study wine etiquette on your own.

A conclusion is emerging: knowledge of wine etiquette is necessary for everyone, at least at an initial level, since it is not always possible to get advice from a professional.

Wine and meat

Rich meat pairs well with bright red wines that contain lots of tannins. Tannins act as astringents and help reduce the fatty taste of meat.

Basic Rules:

Wine with beef steak

Lean meat = light wine

According to this rule, the leaner the meat, the less intense the wine should be. Conversely, richer meats such as beef tenderloin will pair well with a rich, tannin-rich red wine (Petit Sirah or).

Wine with lamb

Soft tannins

Lamb has a rather delicate taste and texture, so it is better to choose brighter wines as a pairing, but with less tannins (Syrah or).

Choice of wine depending on the type of meat

→ Wine with beef

Wine for lean beef

When pairing wine with lean beef, choose light to medium-bodied red wines. These wines should have a slightly more pronounced acidity that pairs well with the texture of lean meats. The most correct thing in this case would be to select the richness of the wine depending on the richness of the meat. Therefore, if, for example, you are serving stewed beef fillet, then a medium-bodied wine such as Sangiovese would be an ideal pairing.

Meal options: entrecote, roast beef.

Wine for fattier beef

Rich meat pairs well with bright red wines that contain lots of tannins. Tannins act as astringents and help reduce the fatty taste of meat. That's why bright wines like Barolo or Napa cabernet are the perfect pairing for your steak.

Examples: filet mignon, porterhouse steak, t-bone steak, ribeye.

→ Wine with lamb

The taste of lamb is more delicate than beef, so it is worth choosing wines that are simple in aromatics. Lamb takes on the taste of the sauce quite well, which is also of great importance when choosing wine. In any case, it is better to choose medium-bodied or fruity wines that do not have pronounced tannin.

Syrah and Petit Verdot are an ideal pairing for lamb.

→ Wine with veal

Veal is a special red meat that can be paired with white and rose wines. A striking example of such a combination is the national dish of Austrian cuisine, Wiener schnitzel and Grüner Veltliner. Please note that only thanks to the special method of preparing this dish, the meat retains its special characteristics, so when choosing a wine for veal, take into account the method of its preparation and the sauce with which it is served, since veal, like lamb, strongly takes on the taste of the sauce.

Veal goes well with rosé sangiovese, valpolicella (made from the local Corvina variety) and zinfandel.

→ Wine with venison

Venison is a fairly lean meat that sometimes has a pungent odor. Give preference to uncomplicated, medium-bodied wines. This combination will make the wine more aromatic, and the characteristic smell of venison will be less pronounced.
Choose from Côte du Rhône, Châteauneuf du Pape, Chianti, Valpolicella or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

Selection of wine depending on the type of sauce or seasonings

The sauce plays such an important role in the choice of wine for a dish that it can significantly affect the enogastronomic combination. For example, an ideal pairing for sweet and savory oriental dishes would be light Lambrusco, bright shiraz from South Australia or fruity South African pinotage.

→ Sweet sauces: Options: Sweet BBQ Sauce, Pomegranate Molasses Sauce, Korean BBQ Sauce, Mongolian Beef Sauce, Soy Sauce. Pairing: Fruity red wines such as Lambrusco, Gamay, Shiraz from Australia, Syrah from California, Zinfandel, Primitivo, Negroamaro (from Puglia in Italy). Tip: Oriental beef dishes go well with sparkling rosé.
→ Green sauces: Options: mint sauce, chimichurri, garlic rosemary sauce. Pairing: Opt for bright, fruity wines with soft tannins, such as Argentinean or Monastrell. If a dish uses a lot of fresh garlic and onions, then it is best to choose medium-bodied wines with high acidity, which will hide the aroma of the onions - Côte du Rhône or Carménère.
→ Brown sauces: Options: Bordeaux sauce, demi-glace, red wine sauce. Pairing: Choose wines with hints of undergrowth, like Bordeaux, red wines from Languedoc-Roussillon, wines from the north of Italy (Barbera, Dolcetto).
→ Tomato sauces Options: Spanish sauce, marinara sauce Pairing: Medium-bodied red wines with good acidity that will harmonize with the acidity of the tomatoes are suitable. Pairing: Sangiovese, Merlot, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo and Bardolino.
→ White sauces Options: Yogurt sauce, blue cheese sauce, béarnaise sauce, béchamel, stroganoff sauce, pepper sauce. Pairing: Cream sauces offer a wide variety of combinations. You can serve the dish with yogurt sauce with grenache or even rose wine. Wines with hints of spice in the taste, like shiraz, go well with pepper sauce. For stroganoff sauce, choose a Syrah from France. Lasagna cooked with béchamel sauce is ideal paired with a medium-bodied wine (for example, Valpolicella Ripasso). Béarnaise sauce goes well with bright wines with pronounced acidity - Chilean cabernet or Lagrein from Italy. Pairing with different types of wine

→ Light red wines

Light red wines are served with dishes made from lean or lightly fried meat. This truly magical union is based on the harmonious combination of the ideal acidity of light wines and the delicate structure of raw steak. Try a light red wine with venison and beef tartare or Vietnamese beef pho soup.

→ Medium-bodied red wines

Medium-bodied wines pair well with multi-ingredient dishes, for example: Bolognese sauce, beef stew, tomato dishes, lasagna, hamburgers, Indian lamb curry, nachos, stews, beef Bourguignon.

→ Full-bodied red wines

Full-bodied red wines are ideal paired with steak, ribs, and barbecue dishes.

How to choose wine and what to serve with dishes for a festive dinner? Most of us know the general rule: white wine goes with white meat and fish, and red wine goes with red meat. And if there are a lot of guests, then it is better to serve both - who likes what. However, such simple rules are hardly suitable for true gourmets. After all, wine largely determines how tasty the dishes you serve will be. Wine not only accompanies food, it helps to correctly place flavor accents.

Guided by the basics of wine selection, you can experiment to find the best wine pairings with your favorite foods. These recommendations will not only guide you on how to choose a wine for which dish, which wine is best suited, but also how to serve the wine correctly, in what container and at what temperature. So let's look at these rules.

Rule of time

Firstly, pay attention to the time of year and the temperature outside the window. During the hot season, we should recommend those wines that quench your thirst well and have a pleasant “freshness”. Dry white table wines are distinguished by these qualities.

In winter, they prefer “warm”, well-warming red table and strong grape wines. The especially widespread use of wines of these brands in winter is also explained by the fact that the winter menu contains more hearty and “dense” dishes from meat, pork, and lamb, which go well with both red table wines and strong grape wines.

Secondly, when deciding which wine to serve with which dish, you need to follow the rule: Each dish is served with its own wine.

At the beginning of lunch or dinner, drinks that stimulate the appetite are served - aperitifs. These can be quite strong drinks, of the “you can’t drink much” type, or, on the contrary, the lightest wines that go well with light snacks. Such wines include sherry and Madeira; Both of these drinks lack the primitive and harsh taste of vodka and have a delicate aroma.

Dry white grape wines can be offered with hot fish dishes. Of the domestic and post-Soviet wines, the Rieslings “Abrau”, “Anapa”, “Su-Psekh”, “Alkadar” and Georgian wines No. 1 “Tsinandali”, No. 3 “Gurjaani” are especially recommended for these dishes... Recommended for the second meat courses red dry grape wines, especially the following brands: Georgian red table No. 2 “Teliani”, No. 4 “Mukuzani”, No. 5 “Saperavi”, No. 10 “Stolovoe” and “Cabernet” (Moldavian or Ukrainian).

And finally, dessert. For sweet dishes they offer dessert Muscats and Tokai Pinot Gris, all brands of Cahors. Sweet varieties of champagne are recommended for fruits, ice cream, and ice cream. For champagne served outside of lunch or dinner, it is recommended to serve various cheeses, as well as dry cookies, pastries, cakes, sweets, candies, fruits, nuts, pistachios, and fried salted almonds.

Champagne (sweet only), in its quality and aroma, is one of those rare wines that can accompany dishes of various tastes (but, of course, not spicy snacks). This drink can be recommended for a festive dinner or lunch - instead of all other wines. In this case, dryer brands are served first, gradually moving on to sweet ones. Sweet champagne accompanies sweet dishes and fruits.

Color Rule

Red wine. Goes well with most cheeses, fried and spicy meat dishes, pizza, spaghetti, fruits (pears, nectarines) and berries. Please note that restaurants offer red wine with sea trout and salmon dishes, and this combination is gradually becoming more and more popular. Another trend in the fusion cuisine style is sushi and red wines, a combination that gives rise to many taste variations.

White wine (dry). Its taste is best emphasized by such dishes as fish (salmon, tuna), caviar, white meat (poultry and veal), low-fat sausages and salads seasoned with sauces (for example, mayonnaise, but NOT vinegar!), first courses (soups, puree, stew).

Rose wine, semi-dry. It is the most versatile, but most appropriately combined with hot appetizers, shrimp, seafood and desserts.

Sparkling or sparkling wines. Champagne can be served on almost any occasion and with any dishes (but champagne does not go well with soups, herring, meat and cabbage).

Dessert and sweet wines heavier and stronger than dry ones. They are usually served after the main courses: with desserts: pastries, pies, creams and jellies.

Temperature rule

For a more complete and vivid expression of the taste of the wine, it must also have the appropriate temperature.

Red wine(it is served at room temperature 16−18°C).

White wine (dry) served chilled to a temperature of 8−12 °C.

Rose wine, semi-dry(served at room temperature 16−18 °C).

Sparkling or sparkling wines It is customary to drink chilled to a temperature of 6−8 °C.

Dessert and sweet wines should have a temperature of 12−16 °C.

Rule of taste

The main, key rule for choosing wine is simple, like everything ingenious: the more complex the dish (treat), the simpler the drink should be. And vice versa. Moreover, keep in mind that often an ordinary table wine that goes well with the taste of a particular dish may be more appropriate than an expensive wine aged for many years, which will taste discordant with it. If your dish is fatty, then it is better to serve it with wine with a tart taste. A specialist in branded wine stores can recommend this wine to you. Wine masters say that each region has its own specialties in preparing dishes and that wines grown in the same region will go well with them, however, this advice will come in handy if you are in a wine-growing region. If the climate for growing grapes is unsuitable, you will have to select wine from the brand that you trust most. Below is a list of recommendations for certain dishes.

CHOOSE WINE FOR SNACKS

Light snacks Appetizers prepare you for the main courses of lunch. They should be light and unobtrusive, whetting your appetite. Appetizers should be accompanied by the same light, dry wine. Sweet wines suppress taste buds and therefore, because of it, not only the taste of dishes disappears, but also the meaning of the snack. Carbonated sparkling wine And sherry- classic aperitifs.

Mollusks and crustaceans For seafood such as oysters, a white wine with a mild taste and delicate aroma without sharp acidity is a must. Good recommended Chablis or . If you are serving heavily seasoned fish, serve it with Chenin Blanc or Rose.

Eggs The wine served with eggs should be very light and uncomplicated. Good wines for eggs - spicy ones Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer or even light red wine. If you're serving pie as an appetizer, try a rosé wine made from red grapes, such as Pinot Noir And Grenache.

CHOOSE WINE FOR FISH DISHES

Smoked fish Try it Chardonnay or sherry. Do not serve light or lemony wine with this dish. By the way, you can serve the same wine with smoked meat, as well as a light red or spicy rose - all of them will be a pleasant addition to the dish.

Fish without sauce The more tender the fish, the more delicate the wine should be. It should be light, not too strong, only slightly sour at the end. For oily fish such as sardines or mackerel, serve a stronger wine, e.g. Verdelho(Madeira).

CHOOSE WINE TO PAIR WITH MEAT

White meat with cream sauce When you serve chicken, taste it. Semillon or Sauvignon Blanc. If the sauce is rather bland, take Riesling or. Fish with cream sauce is served with the same wine.

For meat without sauce Almost anything goes with simple grilled meats, such as baked chicken, pork or veal. The smooth flavors of these no-sauce dishes will liven up any wine. For meats with a more pronounced flavor, such as goose or duck, be sure to serve white wine. Wines in this category - Gewurztraminer or Chardonnay.

White meat with Provencal style sauce A strong, fresh wine with a good aroma goes well with such complex dishes. Try tart red wines such as Pinot Noir.

Garlic, mayonnaise and butter sauce For such aromatic dishes with a strong taste, serve sherry or wine retsina.

Spicy dishes Chinese food served with a glass of good Gewurztraminer, sweet Chenin Blanc or dry Riesling (Riesling).

Red meat For roast beef or lamb, the wine should have the same dull taste as the dish itself. Try a good red Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabernet Sauvignon). With more complex dishes, such as goulash, serve a tart wine. Why not try Shiraz (Shiraz).

Game Fruit wine is best suited for small light game species such as pigeons, woodpeckers and quail. Recommended red grape Merlot or Pinot Noir. Try it with venison Shiraz or Cabernet. And if you want to experiment, try it Zinfandel.

CHOOSE WINE FOR DESSERTS

Dessert With a heavy, floury dessert, there's always room for a sweet dessert wine like Botrytis, but maybe you want to try a good Muscat. Great for creamy desserts Riesling And Semillon, champagne or good a sparkling wine.

Fruits and fruit desserts When fresh fruit is on the menu, it is always worth serving sweet varieties of champagne, Botrytis or fruity Riesling.

Chocolate Chocolate can be enjoyed without any accompaniment. No wine can improve its delicate melting taste.

Considering how different cheeses are, it is difficult to predict the right wine. Each type of cheese has its own wine. But there are general tips: Blue cheese (blue) is good dessert wine Soft cream cheese - Shiraz or Cabernet Cheddar - any claret(Bordeaux wine) For cheeses with a strong taste - Auslese or Botrytis, grape port wine, classic Liquor Muscats.

Shape Rule

An important point is the choice of glasses for serving wine.

White and rose wines should be poured into glasses with thin walls, on a high stem. Thanks to this shape, the wine does not heat up from your hands. Usually these are narrow glasses in the shape of tulips.

Dry red wines Served in wide glasses so you can enjoy the taste of the drink for a long time.

Champagne wines served in special - narrow, tall glasses so that they do not heat up in the hand.

Sweet wines served at the final stage of the meal. Usually poured into small glasses with a low stem.

We hope that these rules will help you comprehensively answer the question “Which wine to serve with which dish?”

Prepared from materials