As you discover which wines you like most you will be able to
make your own decisions about which wines go best with
different types of food.
Before the meal as an 'aperitif'
An aperitif should cleanse the palate and sharpen the taste
buds. Champagne, cool dry white wines and chilled rose
wines all make excellent aperitifs.
Appetizers
Appetizers often include a wide range of strong flavours.
Serve chilled, light, dry white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc
or Blanc de Blanc. Dry rose wines such as Anjou Rose are
also suitable.
Smoked salmon
A Chablis or Chardonnay is best. A fruity medium dry
Reisling or Gewurztraminer from Germany also goes well.
Caviar
Iced vodka is the traditional drink with caviar, but
Champagne is as good if not better.
Avocado with prawns or crab
Try dry to medium white wines such as Graves or
Chardonnay.
Fresh oysters
Dry wines from the Loire such as Muscadet or
Sancerre, Champagne or a full bodied Chablis.
Soup
If the soup course follows the hors d'oeuvres
it is quite normal to continue with the same wine.
Lobster bisque or clam chowder
Dry white wines with plenty of body such as a Pinot
Gris or Chardonnay.
Vegetable cream soups
Young Reisling or dry Graves.
Minestrone
Light red wines such as a Zinfandel or Beaujolais.
Fish
Most people prefer white wine with fish. The general
rule is the lighter the sauce the fish is served in, the
lighter the wine to accompany it.
Shrimps
A Chablis or Chardonnay goes well, even if the shrimps
are in a sauce.
Sushi and Sashimi
Try Reisling, a bottle of Champagne or a Chablis.
Salmon
White Burgundy such as a Puligny Montrachet or
Meursalt.
Tuna
A rose wine or a Cotes du Rhone red is best with
grilled tuna.
Chicken and Turkey
Although white wine is often served with chicken,
light reds also go very well with turkey and chicken
dishes with stronger sauces.
Roast turkey
A chilled bottle of Beaujolais or a light red Burgundy.
Coq au vin (chicken in red wine)
Gevrey Chambertin is best, for a special occasion,
otherwise any medium or light red wine is fine.
Meats
There is a wine for every possible meat dish.
A slightly chilled Beaujolais is excellent with light
roast beef. Roast beef requires a heavier red.
Veal steak
A light red such as a Beaujolais is perfect, served
slightly chilled.
Beef and lamb
Light reds from Bordeaux at room temperature go well
if the meats are roasted.
Sirloin steak
Red wines of nearly any kind go well with steaks,
especially the reds from Burgundy.
Roast lamb
A red from the Bordeaux region.
Roast beef
The full flavour of roast beef requires an equally full
flavoured wine, try a Volnay or Chateauneuf du Pape.
Lamb cutlets
Light reds from Bordeaux are ideal, for example a Merlot
or Cabernet Sauvignon.
