Wine Pairing Guide
Choose what you are eating to get three wine picks with a short reason for each, or choose a wine to see the foods it suits. The full pairing chart can be printed for the kitchen or your next dinner party.
Foods it goes with
Wine pairing chart freetoolcabin.com
| Food | Best match | Also great | Avoid |
|---|
Red White Rosé Sparkling Sweet / fortified
How to use the Wine Pairing Guide
- Type a dish or ingredient, like salmon or curry, and press Find wine – or click a dish in the list.
- Read the three picks: the best match, a great alternative and another good option, each with a reason.
- Check the avoid note and tip to fine-tune for your sauce or cooking method.
- Switch to Wine → food to see a wine's profile and every dish it goes with.
- Open Pairing chart and press Print chart for a one-page cheat sheet.
Six rules of food and wine pairing
- Match weight. Light dishes (fish, salads) with light wines; rich dishes (steak, stews) with full-bodied wines.
- Acid needs acid. Tomato sauces, vinaigrettes and citrus need a wine with equal or higher acidity, like Sangiovese or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Sweet needs sweeter. A dessert wine should be at least as sweet as the dessert, or the wine tastes sour.
- Fat loves tannin and bubbles. Tannic reds and sparkling wines cut through fatty meat, cheese and fried food.
- Spice wants sweetness, not alcohol. Off-dry, low-alcohol whites calm heat; high-alcohol tannic reds make it burn.
- Pair to the sauce. The sauce often matters more than the meat: chicken in cream sauce and chicken in tomato sauce need different wines.
Quick wine pairing chart
| Food | Best wine | Also try |
|---|---|---|
| Grilled steak | Cabernet Sauvignon | Malbec, Syrah |
| Roast chicken | Oaked Chardonnay | Pinot Noir, Beaujolais |
| Salmon | Pinot Noir | Chardonnay, dry rosé |
| Oysters | Champagne | Chablis, Albariño |
| Pasta with tomato sauce | Chianti (Sangiovese) | Grenache, Zinfandel |
| BBQ ribs | Zinfandel | Shiraz, rosé |
| Thai curry | Off-dry Riesling | Gewürztraminer, rosé |
| Goat cheese | Sauvignon Blanc | Chenin Blanc, rosé |
| Blue cheese | Port | Sauternes |
| Dark chocolate | Port | Late-harvest Zinfandel |
Wine serving temperatures
| Style | Serve at | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Sparkling | 43–48°F (6–9°C) | Champagne, Prosecco, Cava |
| Light whites and rosé | 45–50°F (7–10°C) | Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Riesling |
| Full whites | 50–55°F (10–13°C) | Oaked Chardonnay, Viognier |
| Light reds | 54–60°F (12–16°C) | Pinot Noir, Beaujolais |
| Full reds | 60–65°F (16–18°C) | Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec |
| Sweet and fortified | 45–64°F (7–18°C) | Sauternes chilled, Port at cellar temperature |
"Room temperature" for red wine means a cool cellar, not a warm dining room: 15 minutes in the fridge helps most reds served too warm.
Frequently asked questions
What wine goes with steak?
Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic choice because its tannins soften against the fat and char of a grilled steak. Malbec and Syrah are excellent alternatives; for lean cuts like filet mignon choose a smoother Merlot or Pinot Noir.
What wine goes with salmon?
Salmon is rich enough for a light red, so Pinot Noir is the favorite. Oaked Chardonnay suits salmon in butter or cream sauce, and dry rosé is a good middle ground for grilled salmon.
Red or white wine with chicken?
Both work. Roast chicken is great with Chardonnay or a light red like Pinot Noir or Beaujolais. The sauce matters most: lemon and herbs call for Sauvignon Blanc, and creamy sauces for Chardonnay.
What is the basic rule of wine pairing?
Match the weight of the wine to the weight of the food, then balance flavors: acidic food needs an acidic wine, sweet food needs a wine at least as sweet, fatty food likes tannin or bubbles, and spicy food likes low alcohol and a touch of sweetness.
What wine goes with spicy food?
Off-dry Riesling and Gewürztraminer are the best choices because a little sweetness and low alcohol calm the heat. Avoid high-alcohol, tannic reds, which make chili taste hotter.
Which wine goes with cheese?
It depends on the cheese: Sauvignon Blanc with goat cheese, Champagne with brie, Cabernet with aged cheddar, and Port or Sauternes with blue cheese.