There are four styles of white wine to consider when combining white wine with appropriate foods. White wines can be classified from dry to light to semi-sweet to sweet. Each of these species, however, fits a different type of food. Of course, wines can be classified differently. Here I present to you my classification by type of wine. White wine food pairings let it become your entertainment. So let’s take a look at some of the better-known wines and some of the foods that go best with wines:
White Wine Food Pairings With Bold & Dry Wine Types
Chardonnay, Viognier, Semillon, Marsanne, White Rioja, Roussanne
Food Pairings:
- Nuts: Almonds
- Cheese: Gouda, Havarti, Monterey Jack, quiche
- Meat and fish: Smoked pork, Grilled chicken, Sea bass, Halibut, Trout
- Vegetables: Portabella mushrooms
- Herbs: Rosemary, Basil, Tarragon
- Sauces: pasta with vegetables, Cream sauces
- Spices: Pesto
- Sweets: Vanilla pudding, Banana bread, Apple
White Wine Food Pairings With
Light Wine Type
Unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Trebbiano, Albarino, Gargenega
Food Pairings:
- Nuts: Almonds, Pine nuts, almonds
- Cheese: Mozzarella, Herbed goat cheese, Brie, Havarti
- Meat and fish: Veal, Chicken, Veggie burgers, Antipasto, chicken salad, Salmon, Smoked Trout, Oysters, Mussels, Shrimp, Crab cakes, Sushi
- Vegetables: Asparagus, Mixed greens, Broccoli, Split pea soup
- Herbs: Basil
- Sauces: Butter Vinaigrette, Olive oil, Light cream sauces
- Spices: Sesame, Pesto, Chili, Garlic
- Sweets: Melon, Citrus, Pear tart
White Wine Food Pairings With
Semi-sweet Wine Type
Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Torrontés, Muscat Blanc
Food Pairings:
- Nuts: Spiced pecans, Spicy cashews, Candied walnuts
- Cheese: Gorgonzola, Munster, Swiss
- Meats and fish: Sweet & sour pork, Curried & Asian chicken, Spicy pork ribs, Mexican dishes, seafood curry, pate, chicken salad, Smoked Trout, Mussels, Shrimp, Cajun fish
- Vegetables: Mixed greens, Broccoli, Spicy peppers
- Herbs: Rosemary, Basil
- Sauces: Curry, Spicy BBQ, Spicy Asian, Chutney
- Spices: Ginger, Garlic
- Sweets: Apricot, Flan, Fresh Fruit, Strawberry, Cheesecake, Crème Brulee
White Wine Food Pairings With
Sweet Type of Wine
Muscat, Ice wine, Madeira, White port, Sauternes, Sherry
Food Pairings:
- Nuts: Peanut, Almond, Chickpea
- Cheese: Gorgonzola, Mascarpone, Brie, Crème fraiche, Bleu, RoqueforT, Stilton
Meat and Fish: Salami, Bacon, Prosciutto, Crab, Prawns - Vegetables: Pumpkin, Butternut squash, Roasted vegetables, Onion, Scallion, Shallot, Garlic, Turnip, Tomato, Carrot, Eggplant, Bell pepper, Sweet potato
- Herbs: Garlic
- Sauces: Habanero sauce, Hot sauce, Sichuan oil
- Spices: Fennel, Allspice, Turmeric, Saffron, Mace, Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove
- Sweets: Pudding, Peach, Strawberry, Orange, Apple, Custards, Chocolate
So that’s about it when it comes to combining wine and food. Pairing wine with food is always a complex issue and, in any case, a subjective thing. When someone comes to a restaurant and asks for Indian food or lamb, we will all advise them differently. And this is precisely what makes us happy regarding the wine. Countless combinations are possible, but they are always just trials and mistakes in reality. So have fun with that too. Have fun combining wine and food because that’s the whole point of doing it. And when it comes to various attempts, even if the merger didn’t work out the most, you still have wine and food in front of you. So you can still drink and eat the food you choose.