Virgin Wines recommends...
Published : July 2008
How to match wine and food
Partner wines with the weight of the food
A full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon needs a big piece of steak to do it justice, so don’t try to partner it with a light meat or fish such as chicken or cod, as the wine will simply be far too overpowering. Similarly, a zesty Sauvignon Blanc will be overwhelmed if you serve it with roasted lamb. Sample these tried and tested combinations for a perfect match: oaky Chardonnay with chicken, a full and fruity red such as Rioja with lamb, a huge red such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz with beef, and a soft and juicy red such as a
Merlot with pork. If you are serving fish, a Sauvignon Blanc will be a good choice for oily fish and seafood, and a light- to medium-bodied red like a Merlot or Pinot Noir will work a treat with meatier fish like tuna.
Serve one wine per course
Try to ensure that you have a few of the same bottles of wines to hand when serving your dinner. We recommend that you change your wines between courses but if you work your way through a case of mixed wines during one course, you and your guests’ taste buds will be all over the place.
Work up through the sizes
If you are hosting a dinner party with a number of courses, the secret is to work up through the sizes. So, ideally, you want to welcome guests with a bubbly aperitif, move on to an easy-drinking wine such as a Pinot Grigio or Merlot before food or with the starter, save medium- to full-bodied wines for the main course and round off the meal with a sweet dessert wine.
Match food and wine origins
It’s no coincidence that Italian reds go fantastically with the tomato-based dishes that are a key feature of the Italian diet. Similarly, it makes sense that the full fruity reds from Burgundy go so well with meat and poultry dishes like coq au vin. These combinations grew up together and it’s worth bearing this in mind when choosing your wines. A Spanish Tempranillo will work wonders with tapas, as will a French Sauvignon Blanc with sea bass. And while India may not be famous for its wine exports, next time you have a curry why not try a fruity Viognier, Riesling or Gewurztraminer? It will make a pleasant change from a pint of water!
Don’t forget the dessert wine
Get the most from your dessert by serving a dessert wine. It is the only wine that really goes well with cheese and dessert, yet still tastes good after coffees and chocolates.
Five wines to enjoy with food…
Carrizal Rioja Reserva 2003
Carrizal Rioja Reserva is a traditional fruity style Rioja with a smooth finish. And, being a Reserva, it’s made from superior grapes, making it a quality step up from Rioja. This is the perfect wine to partner roast lamb.
Agustinos Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Bio Bio 2007
From the southernmost, coolest and most refined wine area in Chile, this fantastic Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and fruity with a light mineral note. A great wine for food – particularly fish and seafood. And what’s more, you can enjoy every sip of the bottle knowing that you’ll pay a lot more for a lot less quality if you look elsewhere.
Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2006
Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva is a Chilean take on top-flight Bordeaux. It’s a rich and textured
Cabernet at its best, with beautiful sweet oak flavours to complete a quite sensational package. Lavish and decadent, this is also the most highlyrated wine we’ve ever seen. Ideal for BBQ meat, steaks or roast beef.
Millers Grove Private Reserve Chardonnay 2007
Millers Grove Private Reserve Chardonnay is a special, but still affordable, Aussie Chardonnay that brings you the ‘ooh-la-la’ of a private French reserve without the ‘sacrebleu’ of the French price. A refreshing white that will work wonders with your creamy chicken sauce.
Les Arbousiers Coteaux du Languedoc Cinsault Grenache Rosé 2007
This is just about the most refreshing rosé ever made. It will make your mouth water just thinking about
it. This pretty, pale pink, light wine is full of subtle flavours – imagine you are drinking strawberries and redcurrants and you’re there. This is the bottle for the summer and is extremely versatile, working well with white meat, fish, vegetables and salads.
To choose from these wines and a range of other wines perfect for matching with food, visit
www.virginwines.com/boardroomjuly