What are the rules about pairing food and wine?
The guidelines are less strict than people think. You can’t go too wrong with the adage of red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat and fish, but that doesn’t mean that red wine doesn’t rock with some fish or chicken – pinot noir and salmon is terrific. So is roast chicken and Beaujolais. Think about matching the character of a sauce or the weight and texture of a dish as opposed to specific flavors. Spicy foods and Asian cuisines go well with wines that are slightly sweet like German whites or Riesling, which leaves the impression of sweetness on the palate. Acidic sauces go well with crisp whites like pinot grigio. Fatty foods (steak, lamb) work best with heavier reds like cabernet sauvignon or Bordeaux. Q: What wines are safe bets? A: Wines that go with nearly anything include whites from Alsace and Germany such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer, fruity reds such as pinot noir and Beaujolais and sparkling wine such as champagne. Q: What wines are overrated? A: California c
