Wine makes everything taste better, but make sure you’re drinking the right kind of wine with your food! There are certain wines that pair better with certain foods, having either similar or contrasting components that bring out the best flavors in each. So whether you’re more of a burger, sushi, or pizza kind of person, we’ve got the perfect wine pairings for everyone’s favorite common foods.
Caesar Salad: Prosecco
Prosecco has a light, fresh character with apple and pear flavors, as well as a bright minerality that complements the crispness and brightness of the salad. Usually, Prosecco is off-dry and makes a good start to the meal.
Sushi: Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc is crisp, dry, and subtle. It’s a delicious wine, but it won’t cover up or conflict with the delicate flavors of the fish, rice, or other elements of a sushi dish.
Tacos: Riesling
Spicy and sweet flavors make for a classic combination. Mexican food is perfect with a light, slightly sweet white wine like Riesling.
Traditional Roasted Chicken: White Burgundy Chardonnay
Chardonnay has a round texture and soft, rich flavors that are perfect with chicken. White Burgundy is made from Chardonnay, and is usually more crisp and less oaky than examples from California, making it a great pairing with chicken.
Mac and Cheese: California Chardonnay
California Chardonnay is often oaky and buttery, due to aging in barrels and malolactic fermentation. This cheesy dish is great with the rich, buttery wine.
Salmon: Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is low in tannins and smooth in texture. Its flavors harmonize with typical seasoning for Salmon.
Soft Pretzels: Merlot
Merlot is full-bodied with a smooth texture and often an oaky, dark fruit flavor profile. It would be great with the saltiness of the pretzels.
Hot Dogs: Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a juicy, dry, full-bodied red wine known as one of the signature grapes of the USA. What better wine is there to drink with this famous American food?
Pizza: Sangiovese
Sangiovese is an Italian grape used to make wines like Chianti and Brunello. It has a bright acidity that is great with tomato sauce, as well as savory flavors that work with most toppings.
Buffalo Wings: Beaujolais
Beaujolais, though dry, is very fruity and light. It’s a great way to refresh the palate while eating spicy hot wings.
Philly Cheesesteak: Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is a red wine that’s usually medium-bodied, with acid and tannins that will complement the texture and fat in the sandwich. It also can have green pepper flavors that will work with peppers if you have them on your cheesesteak. (In Philadelphia, green peppers are not traditional. Usually, cheesesteaks are simply served with meat and cheese – onions, “wit or wit out,” are optional).
Burgers: Shiraz
Australians love a good barbecue as much as Americans do. Why not pair a spicy, smoky Aussie Shiraz with a good old fashioned American cheeseburger?
Steak: Cabernet
Steakhouse lovers will recognize this as one of the most classic pairings. The tannins of the wine make the flavors of the meat and the texture of the marbling even more desirable.
Now that you have a list of wines to try with your favorite dishes, it’s time to get out there and enjoy these perfect pairings!