Are you hosting a dinner party, and want to know how to pair wine to the food that you are serving? If so, it will help to follow these tips that will make for the best experience for your guests.
Hors D'oeuvres
Serving hors d'oeuvres before dinner? Consider starting the night off by serving a dry rosé to your guests. You likely have a variety of different foods that are out for people to eat, and you are unsure of what each person will be eating. The dry rosé combines elements of red and white wine, such as the fruityness and crispness of each respective type of wine. Then you don't have to worry about what combination your guests are having.
Salty Foods
Planning to serve foods that are on the salty side? This can be a challenging wine pairing, but consider using a sparkling wine that adds a bit of texture to the meal. This is due to the carbonation that will give your guests a different experience to contrast to the salty foods.
Spicy Foods
Are the dishes you are making a bit on the spicy side? It helps to have a wine that is going to balance out the heat, so give your guest something that is sweet. Riesling wines are going to be slightly sweet and the perfect compliment to a food that is a bit on the hot side of the spice spectrum. A White Zinfandel can also work quite well because of its similar level of sweetness.
Fatty Foods
If your dinner will have foods with a lot of fat, such as a marbled steak or sausages, then you need a wine that has a bit of texture to help balance everything out. Many people love pairing these foods with a red wine that has a bold flavor. They have tannins in the wine that help balance out all of that fat in the foods that you are serving.
Acidic Foods
Are you serving anything that you would squeeze a lemon or lime over, such as chicken piccata? These acidic dishes should be served with a Pinot Grigio to compliment the acidic flavor. You can also use Sauvignon Blanc to provide a similar effect, since it is also an acidic white wine.
Always start by thinking of the type of flavor that dominates the dish that you are serving, and you should have no problem pairing your dinner with a great wine.
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