MATCHING OF WINE & FOOD

Matching of Wine & Food

Lighter Whites
Delicate Dishes

Lighter white wines are great accompaniments to the kinds of food we eat for lunch, as hors d’oeurvres and for appetizers. Though their flavors range from citric to herbal and from floral to fruity, their dominant characteristics as far as food is concerned are light body and crisp acidity.

These qualities make lighter whites good complements to dishes that feature acidity (like oysters on the half shell with lemon wedges) and nice contrasts to dishes that take on weight from fat or starch (such as pates or pastas). For more nuance pairings, try matching flavors, too – an herb-scented Sauvignon Blanc will marry well with grilled vegetables, while a berrylike white Zinfandel will amplify a fruit salad.

Versatility is another strong point. Lighter whites can be drunk on their own as aperitifs, but also make good lead-ins to more serious wines, whether richer whites or reds. If you keep only one bottle of wine in the fridge, choose one of these.

	Santa Ines Sauvignon Blanc 1997 Gold Medal Vinexpo 1997 Bordeaux Gold Medal (1996) Wine & Spirit Thailand Bangkok 1996
	Santa Ines Chardonnay 1998 1996 Vintage Rated 84 by Wine Spectator
	Santa Ines Legado de Armida Chardonnay 1997 Silver Medal International Wine Challenge, London 1998
	Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc 1996 1995 Vintage Rated 88 by Robert Parker "Finest Sauvignon Blanc from Chile" Robert Parker
	Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay 1995 Rated 87 by Robert Parker Silver Medal 1995 International Wine Challenge United Kingdom
	Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexcandre Chardonnay 1996 Rated 88 by Robert Parker

Food categories

Clams or oysters
Delicate fish such as sole, flounder, snapper
Cold cuts and pates
Grilled vegetables
Salads with mild dressings
Pasta with oil-based and vegetable sauces
Chevre and other fresh cheeses

Richer Whites
Medium-Weight Dishes

Richer white wines are the showpieces, the heavy hitters of the white wine world. Full-bodied, with ripe fruit flavors, often showing the smoky or vanilla accents of oak fermentation an aging, richer whites are powerful when young and can become elegantly complex with age.

They fit best with main courses. In fact they are often too assertive to drink well on their own, and need food to show their multifaceted characters. They can stand up to the opulent flavors of lobster, tuna, or pork – foods that echo and amplify the generous structure of the wines. They also match well with subtle sauces – richer whites prefer dishes that complement rather than challenge them.

Chardonnay is the king of this category, but it would be a shame to stop with this wine. White Rhone can be even bolder and richer, while Alsace offers similar weight with more idiosyncratic flavors. Though perhaps less versatile than lighter whites, these wines offer more reliable matches when it comes to the food we’re eating today.

	Santa Ines Sauvignon Blanc 1997 Gold Medal Vinexpo 1997 Bordeaux Gold Medal (1996) Wine & Spirit Thailand Bangkok 1996
	Santa Ines Legado de Armida Chardonnay 1997 Silver Medal 1998 International Wine Challenge, London
	Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc 1996 1995 Vintage Rated 88 by Robert Parker "Finest Sauvignon Blanc from Chile" Robert Parker
	Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay 1995 Rated 87 by Robert Parker Silver Medal 1995 International Wine Challenge United Kingdom
	Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Chardonnay 1996 Rated 88 by Robert Parker
	Chateau Cantelys Blanc 1994, Grand Vin de Graves Rated 89 by Wine Spectator "Wonderfully crafted, medium to full in body, flavorful finish."
	Chateau Bel-air Gallier, Graves Blanc Sec. 1994, 1996 80% Semillon, 20% Sauvignon "Very aromatic, elegant and fruity, can be drunk both while they are young and still have their freshness, and vigour and after ageing in the bottle a few years."
	Chateau Olivier Blanc 1994, Pessac Leognan Cru Classe 65% Semillon, 30% Sauvignon, 5% Muscadelle Rated 90 by Wine Spectator "Thick and rich, full bodied and fruity."

Food categories

Crab or lobster
Richer fish such as salmon, tuna or mackerel
Roast chicken or turkey
Baked ham or roast pork
Chef salad
Pasta with cream sauce or seafood
Brie and other semi-soft cheeses

Lighter Reds
Richer Dishes

In Europe, the bottle on the dinner table is most likely a lighter red – Dolcetto in Italy, Beaujolais in France or Rioja in Spain. These fresh, fruity wines are the traditional accompaniments to almost every dish in any meal short of a formal feast.

Lighter reds are easy partners with a wide range of dishes. Their bright acidity suits richer fish dishes, especially if you serve the wine slightly chilled. Their moderate tannins can stand up to poultry and lighter meats, even those with fairly rich sauces. Their fruit flavors are often accented with spicy or smoky notes that match well with pastas and pizzas.

Most lighter red wines are made to be drunk within five years of the vintage, so you don’t have to worry about whether a bottle is "ready to drink." They are good bridge wines – they fit well after lighter whites, before richer reds and on either side of richer whites. They make a lively contribution to a meal without overshadowing the food.

	Santa Ines Merlot 1997 1995 Vintage Rated 83 by Robert Parker
	Santa Ines Legado de Armida Merlot 1997 Commendation at Decanter 1997 and 1999
	Casa Lapostolle Merlot 1996 Rated 90 by Wine Enthusiast
	Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Merlot 1995 Rated 89+ by Robert Parker; 90 by Wine Spectator Gold Medal Vinexpo 1997
	Chateau de Mille 1995, AOC Cotes du Luberon Red 40% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Carignan, 10% Cinsault, 10% Counoise "Excellent producer, the best estate in the Cotes de Luberon is the Chateau de Mille … The wine is excellent." By Robert Parker
	Chateau La Rose Corbin 1995, Montagne St. Emilion 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc Nose : Fine and fruity, pleasant and well balanced
	Chateau Cote de Baleau 1994, St. Emilion Grand Cru 60% Merlot Noir, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15 % Cabernet Sauvignon Good nose, medium body, round and velvety
	Chateau Franc Maillet 1995, Pomerol 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc Fine and fruity, smooth, balanced
	Clos de Menuts 1995, St. Emilion Grand Cru 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc A fine and full bodied wine, rich and delicate, with a long finish

Food Categories

Rich fish with red wine or mushroom sauces
Game birds such as squab, quail or pheasant
Chicken or turkey, roasted or with red wine sauces
Veal scaloppine
Pasta or risotto with meaty sauces
Pizza
Swiss and other mild, firm cheeses

Richer Reds
Heavyweight Dishes

Traditionally, richer reds are the wines that come up from the cellar, dusty with age. Fortunately for those of us who haven’t been laying down bottles for decades, there are plenty of richer reds available that make good drinking today. They offer ripe fruit flavors of berries and plums, often add accents of smoke, toast, vanilla or spice from aging in new oak barrel, and generally have firm tannins.

Richer reds are the classic partners for meat; the interplay of tannin and fat improves both food and wine. But these wines match well with most hearty dishes, whether based on pasta, beans or cheese. Be wary of flavors that are too spicy or too acidic; they can make rich reds seem clumsy. Most herbs and even fruits, however, bring out hidden depths in the wines.

Bordeaux is the archetypal cellar red; classic Cabernet Sauvignon and trendy Merlot originated there. But spicy Zinfandels, gamy Syrah and others in the category prove that serious structure is compatible with a wide range of flavors.

	Santa Ines Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 1995 Vintage Rated 84 by Wine Spectator
	Santa Ines Legado De Armida Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 Bronze Medal International Wine Challenge, London and IWFS WINPAC Hong Kong, 1999
	Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 Rated 89 by Robert Parker
	Chateau Moulin de Brion 1995, Medoc Cru Bourgeois 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot Fine and fruity. Round and full bodied
	La Cuvee Mythique 1994, VDP d’Oc 30% Mourvedre, 30% Syrah, 15% Grenache, 15% Carignan, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon Rated 88 to 90 by Robert Parker
	La Fiole du Pape, Chateauneuf-du-Pape NV 80% Grenache, 7% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre, 6% Cinsault Complex nose, full bodied, fruity, spicy. Rich mouthfeel. Rated 91 by Wine Enthusiast
	Chateau Puy Castera 1995, Haut-Medoc Cru Bourgeois 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 2% Malbec Gold Medal 1997 Bourg Competition, Bordeaux, French ‘***’ Decanter Buying Guide February 1997
	Chateau du Grand Soussans 1996, Margaux Cru Bourgeois 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot Noir, 2% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot Full bodied, fresh wine, with a very fine bouquet
	Chateau Sainte Anne 1994/1996, Pauillac 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot Tannic, full bodied, fine

Food Categories

Poultry or game birds
Beef
Stews
Roast veal or pork
Bean-based dishes with hearty vegetables
Pasta with hearty sauces
Parmigiano and other hard cheeses

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