Pairing Food and Wine

The world of wine is a vast one, and one of my favorite things to do is experiment with different wines. By no means do I claim to be an expert. I have, however, been to quite a few wineries over the past few years, and some of them carry very unique wines that you won't find anywhere else.

My favorite red wines are Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Chianti. So we'll start with Pinotage....this is a very unique wine that has a peppery aftertaste. The grapes used to make Pinotage are grown in South Africa. Pinotage is excellent with chocolate, and surprisingly, one of my favorite foods to enjoy with it is sweet potato pie.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the first red wines I was introduced to. It is a full bodied red wine with a fruity flavor. It has actually become my go-to wine for lamb, pork and beef.

Merlot, which also has a fruity flavor, is not quite as rich. This wine actually pairs better with chicken.

Shiraz is a fabulous wine. Some of the best Shiraz's come from Australia. It goes great with corn beef brisket or roasted duck.

Pinto Noir is a light wine with challenging growing requirements and is, therefore, not as popular as most red wines. If you want to pair a red wine with fish, this is a great choice, particularly with tuna or salmon.

And lastly, Chianti! This is the perfect wine with lasagna and other pasta...especially pasta with tomato sauces. It's also awesome when paired with roast beef.

My favorite whites, in this order, are Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Prosecco. On occasion, I will also buy Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Muscato.

Riesling is my absolute favorite and the white wine that I buy the most. I love, love, love this wine with crabs or shrimp. It also pairs great with chinese or japanese food, as well as curry. Try it with a slice of apple pie. You'll love it!

Sauvignon Blanc is a light, crisp wine that is good with seafood as well....crabs, shrimp, scallops...even lobster.

Prosecco is a unique, sparkling Italian white wine that pairs nicely with many foods..but the top ones are dishes with mushrooms, and spicy foods.

As for the last three...Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Muscato, I rarely buy them, but when I do, I normally just pair them with chicken, fish or seafood.

I want to also mention a great recipe that I came across once at a holiday party...a combination of Reisling, Chardonnay and Muscato, with fruit. I call it my "white Sangria" recipe.

I want to leave you all with one of my favorite wineries that I recommend that you visit if you are ever in the Pennsylvania area. It's called Franklin Hill Vineyards, and it's located in Bangor, PA. They actually make two wines that are to die for. The wines are called "Bliss" and "Fainting Goat." Sometimes I purchase a case of each and give them out as Christmas gives during the holiday season.
I hope this little wine-pairing list is useful to you wine lovers who are looking for suggestions when you visit the wine store.