Wine Drunk by Itself Tastes Different Than Wine With Food

Asparagus=Sauvignon BlancThe following are examples of wines with those
Christmas Pudding=Muscat de Beaumes de Venisecharacteristics.
Consommé=Fino SherryRed Wines
Foie Gras=Alsace Pinot GrisPinot Noir=High Acidity
Shell Fish=MuscadetSangiovese=High Acidity
Goat’s Cheese=SancerreGamay Noir=High Acidity
Oysters=ChampagneCabernet Sauvignon=Bitterness
Parma Ham & Melon=Pinot GrigioCabernet Franc=Bitterness
Roast Beef=St EmilionMerlot=Bitterness
Roast Lamb=Red BordeauxZinfandel=Bitterness
Roast Pork=BeaujolaisLambrusco=Sweetness
Stilton Cheese=PortPort=Sweetness
Strawberries and cream=Sweet VouvrayWhite Wines
There are also some foods to avoid with wine,Sauvignon Blanc=High Acidity
peanuts for instance will destroy wine flavoursRiesling=High Acidity
and olives are too piquant for most wines, theyMuscadet=High Acidity
need Fino Sherry or Vermouth. Another greatChampagne=High Acidity
miss match is raw apple and red wine, the acidityGerman Wines (most)=Sweetness
in the apple makes the wine very bitter. Rieslings=Sweetness
You can only taste four things on your tongue:Chenin Blanc=Sweetness
- SweetnessMatching can be further confused by the sauce
- Bitternessthat accompanies a dish, for instance:
- AcidityChicken breast can match with virtually any wine
- Saltinessincluding the very best bottles of dry/medium
 white and the finest old reds especially pinot noir.
 If you add a Curry or Cajun sauce to the chicken
The basic principle in matching is to look foryou then need a wine with a strong flavour, such
sweetness, acidity or bitterness in the food andas Gewurtztraminer or a Shiraz/Cabernet, to
serve nes that have the same characteristics.counteract the sauce. A light bodied wine will be
You’re unlikely to find saltiness in wine.merely overwhelmed.