Food Pairing and Red Wine

When the match is made between the two complementary flavors of food and Red Wine, the experience becomes infinitely greater than either the wine or the food could have provided on their own.

As an example, a powerful Red Wine such as Italian Barolo is often paired with meat dishes. The tannins in Barolo Red Wine will bind to the proteins in the meat and come across as softer. Whereas, in the absence of protein from food, such as with some vegetarian dishes, the tannins will react with the proteins on the tongue and sides of the mouth which accentuates the bitterness and has a drying effect on the palate.

The flavor and aroma of Red Wine enhance the taste of food enormously. The combination brings on a sense of well-being and stimulates the imagination, which makes for good conversation at the dinner table.

Usually you can look at the regional cuisine of a particular area and the Red Wines they produce will fit the food well. The following list is a general guideline for pairing Red Wine and Food:

Fish: Light Red Wines based on the Pinot Noir grape like French Burgundy or Pinot Noir Red Wines from California.

Beef and Steak:  Italian Barolo, California Cabernet Sauvignon or French Bordeaux work great.  California Merlot and Australian Shiraz are excellent choices as well.

Lamb: French Bordeaux and Spanish Rioja are great choices.

Casseroles and Stews: Robust reds are usually best like Cotes-du-Rhone, Australian Shiraz and Californian Zinfandel are all good.

Pork and Veal:  Aim for lighter reds like Pinot Noir or Chianti, or softer reds like Merlot.

Poultry:  A wide variety of wines work with poultry, particularly Burgundy or California Pinot Noir. Strongly flavored poultry and game birds can easily handle Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pizza: Chianti, Valpolicella or those made from the Sangiovese grape are particularly good, but so is California Zinfandel.

Pasta with Red sauces, meat sauces and lasagna: Any Italian Red Wine will do as will Zinfandel or Shiraz.

Vegetarian Food: Such a huge category that it depends on the preparation and spices.  If it's an earthy, nutty dish, Burgundy or Pinot Noir could be great.