Unexpected Wine-Food Pairings: Excellent Choices

Red wine goes with meat, and white wine goes with chicken or fish - or so the saying goes. But what about everything in between: spicy foods, sweet flavors, creamy cheeses, etc.? In actuality, many wines complement a range of dishes, and knowing what to drink with what food does not require the services of a personal sommelier.

Knowing what wine best brings out the flavor of food is a matter of experience, knowledge, and a little bit of trial and error. As culinary writers Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg write in their new book What to Drink with what You Eat, "food and beverage pairing is all about listening to what your eyes and nose and mouth tell you" and then eating and drinking what you like.

This means trying wines that may not be initially obvious. Here are a few suggestions of unexpectedly good pairings.

Stuffed peppers: Zinfandel
The spicy and fruity body of Zinfandels holds up well against both the bite of the pepper and the flavor of the meat. For many reasons, Zinfandel is an excellent wine for an everyday meals because it has both spicy berry and pepper flavors.

Calamari: Chardonnay or Viognier
A Chardonnay or Viognier is a tasty complement to fried calamari for different reasons. The Chardonnay will draw out the flavor of the squid and its light, buttery flavors will complement the fried dough. Viognier, on the other hand, will contrast the calamari.

Pancakes: Tawny Port
If serving "breakfast for dinner," try a glass of Tawny Port. The nuttiness pairs nicely with the sweet characteristics and almost nutty qualities of the flour in pancakes, particularly the buttermilk kind. And nutty also goes very well with maple syrup. Or you can always have a mimosa!

St. Andre and other creamy cheeses: Cabernet Sauvignon
Like Oreos and milk, creamy cheese calls for a big red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon. This food and wine pairing bring out the complexity of both beverage and food. The full bodied and fruit forward nature of Cabernets make it a perfect match to creamy cheeses.

French Fries & Garlic Aioli: Sparkling Dry Rosé
This pairing seems completely out of place, but the bubbly nature of a sparkling dry rosé is a perfect complement to French Fries because it has both a sweet flavor that stands up to both salty and garlicky. And the bubbles pair well with the fries for the same reason a beer would.

Indian food: Gewurztraminer or Riesling
A sweet wine like Gewurztraminer or Riesling counterbalances spicy food. The high acidity and sweet flavor of the wines balances out and enhances the flavor of the food.

Cheesecake or Fruit Tart: Muscat or Prosecco
For very different reasons these dessert pairings work well. The sweetness of the Muscat is not overly cloying, and matches a tart while contrasts a creamy cheesecake. The sparkling Prosecco has a sweeter flavor that is a decadent match for dessert.

As you can see, many foods have multiple beverages that bring out their best flavors (or at least do not fight with them) and finding a good food and wine pairing does not necessarily demand the services and knowledge of a sommelier. Food and wine pairings do not have hard and fast rules, and the best ones often highlight the personal palate of individual diners.