A few simple rules to get started pairing food and wine.

Drink what you like!

What you like to drink always takes precedence over any recommendation that I might make. Start by thinking about the dish or meal as a whole. What are its dominant characteristics? Is it mild or flavourful? Is it fatty or lean? Is it rich or acidic?

With these characteristics in mind, select a wine that will:-

Keep flavours in balance. Match mild foods with mild wines. Match big, flavourful foods with big, flavourful wines. 
(For example, pair a bold-flavoured Pepper Steak with a spicy, bold red Shiraz.) Similarly, you generally want to match the richness of the food and the richness of the wine. 
(For example, pair a rich Chicken in Cream Sauce with a rich Chardonnay). Cleanse the palate with tannins or acids. If you are eating a relatively rich, 'fatty' dish and thinking about drinking, a red wine 
(when you eat a beef steak, for example) 
you probably want a wine with some good tannin in it to help cleanse the palate. If you are eating a very rich, 'fatty' dish and thinking about drinking, a white wine
 (when you eat fried chicken, for example)
 you probably want to contrast the meal with a refreshingly crisp acidic wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc. You can ignore this rule for dishes that are just relatively fatty - such as Chicken in Cream Sauce - which will probably do better with a rich Chardonnay that can match their rich flavours.

Match Acids with Acids

If you are eating a dish with a strong acidic content 
(such as Shrimp with Lemon or Pasta with Tomato Sauce) 
pair it with an acidic wine that can keep up with the acids in the food. 

Acidic Wines and Cream Don't Mix Rich cream sauces will usually clash with an acidic wine like a Sauvignon Blanc. 
Think about it this way...If you squeezed lemon juice into a cup of milk, would it taste good? Wine and Strong Spices Strong spices, such as hot chilli peppers in some Chinese or Indian food, can clash and destroy the flavours in a wine. In most cases, wine is not the ideal thing to drink. However, if wine is what you must have, consider something spicy and sweet itself such as an off-dry Gewürztraminer or Riesling.

When In Doubt...

Remember that foods generally go best with the wines they grew up with. So, if you are eating Italian food, think about having an Italian wine. This is not a requirement, but often helps simplify the decision. You can refer to our widget on the home page as a guide to matching.