General Information
Historically, red wines were paired with red meat or game, and whites were paired with poultry and fish. This is often a good rule of thumb, but there are some very light, fruity reds that pair well with poultry--think Beaujolais or Beaujolais Nouveau. I believe that, in pairing food and wine, as in life in general, you are looking to achieve a balance. A rich, buttery or creamy dish begs for a wine with some acidity or bite to balance it. A citrusy fish dish might need a buttery American-style chardonnay for balance.
Although we generally stick by our assertion that there are only two types of wines, things can get a little dicey when pairing wine with food. Unfortunately, the "wine you like" may work well with some foods and not with others. When the right food is paired with the right wine, each makes the other taste better. Honest. When pairing wine and food, here are some general guidelines to follow. Rather than rigidly sticking to "red with red meat, white with poultry and fish," think textures. The sturdier or bolder the flavor of the food, the more bold and full-bodied the wine should be. Here's a helpful little list of wines listed in order from lightest-bodied to fullest-bodied, abridged from Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, 2006.
White Wines
Pinot Grigio
Pouilly-Fume
Sauvignon Blanc
French Chardonnay
Gewurztraminer
American Chardonnay
Viognier
Red Wines
Valpolicella
Chianti
Beaujolais
Bordeaux
Pinot Noir
Barbera
Cabernet Sauvignon*
Merlot*
Zinfandel (not the pink kind)*
Shiraz*
The starred wines indicate American style. These same wines made in the French style will be lighter in body. Oh, no, not another wine tasting!?!
1/2-3/4 c. sugar (to taste)
1 750ml bottle red wine
1/2 c. brandy
6 to 8 cloves or 2-3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
orange peel from 1/2 orange
Here's what you do:
Put the wine in a stainless steel saucepan along with the sugar, brandy, cloves/anise and cinnamon. Use a microplane to zest 1/2 the orange, and put that in, too.
Heat everything over medium-low heat until steaming. Don't let it boil, though--you want to keep some of that alcohol in there for extra warming! Strain through a fine strainer and serve.
If you don't have a fine strainer, rather than zesting the orange, just cut strips of zest off with a peeler or paring knife. Make sure to only get the orange part and not the bitter white pithy part.
Pairing Wines with Desserts
Port--dark chocolate, poached fruit
Late Harvest Riesling--fruit tarts, creme brulee
Sauternes--caramel and nut desserts
Asti-Spumante--biscotti, fresh fruit
One of my favorite pairings is Banfi's Rosa Regale with dark chocolate desserts. As a matter of fact, I suggest you go out right now and get a bottle. Rosa Regale is a lightly sparkling Italian sweet wine that is a lovely deep rose color. It tastes and smells like roses and berries. Honest. And it is a natural with dark chocolate. As a bonus, Rosa Regale is low in alcohol, so you can enjoy more than just a sip or two at the end of a meal.
One great way to idiot-proof your food and wine pairing is to use the wine you plan to serve in the dish you plan to serve. For example, use a decent bottle of red to make a coq au vin or a beef bourgignon. Then, serve your French Masterpiece with a glass of said red wine. Make a quick butter sauce with a Chardonnay reduction for fish and serve the meal with a glass of the wine. Make your spaghetti sauce or lasagna sauce with a half a bottle of chianti or valpolicella and serve the wine with the meal. You get the idea. But please, please, please, never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink. If it says "cooking wine" on the label, run away screaming. You think, "How bad could it possibly be?" Oh, friend, please don't try and find out. Just take my word for it. If you're not very confident in your culinary abilities, or you just need a little inspiration, here are some sites to get you started.
Allrecipes. com
Epicurious.com
Foodnetwork.com
Or simply use the Google Search Bar.