The Big Match

It’s all about balancing the weight and power of both food and wine so that one doesn’t overwhelm the other. And it’s crucial to avoid the potentially nasty clashes that crop up from time to time. No one wants to spoil their wonderful cooking with entirely the wrong wine (or vice versa).

Here are those simple and clear guidelines, together with some recommendations for the most food-friendly bottles currently on the shelves. Go down this path and you should discover the best food and wine marriages of all: those that seem to enhance both elements. Good luck!



Pick crisp, dry, unoaked whites with lots of zingy citrus and a mineral edge. These won’t dominate the dish but can act like a squeeze of fresh lemon, adding a zesty lift. So go for refreshing, chilled Muscadet, French Sauvignon Blanc, affordable Bordeaux whites, dry Riesling, Italian Soave or Pinot Grigio, Alsace Pinot Blanc or dry Muscat. Also suitable are Brut sparkling wines and Champagnes; pale, bone-dry fino and manzanilla sherries; and delicate lip-smacking rosés, perhaps from Spain or the Loire.

The quality of Muscadet has improved a lot of late, and there’s plenty of life in this one. It’s all lemons and limes with a dry, zesty finish and not a hint of sourness. Especially good with simple grilled white fish or seafood such as oysters or prawns.


Go for fuller, riper whites such as Chardonnay or Chardonnay-Semillon blends, Viognier and Rhône whites. Oaky styles of white are just made for chicken, salmon and luxury seafood, so consider white Burgundy and oaked white Bordeaux. Fruity South African Chenin Blanc is a more economical option, but for meaty pasta sauces and roast ham you’re better off with a light or medium-bodied red. Juicy Merlot, Pinot Noir and tangy Italian reds such as Dolcetto, Barbera and simpler Chiantis all hit the spot, too.

A medium-bodied red, mainly from the Merlot grape, and an easy-going partner for meaty pasta sauces or herby, grilled chicken. It’s got a cherry-red lift to the finish, but riper redcurrant and chocolate notes, too.

Tread carefully here and put away the big reds – they will stamp on any delicately spiced, perfumed dish. Instead pick exotic, unoaked whites, such as the aromatic Gewurztraminers of Alsace, or clean, pure-tasting Rieslings from Germany or Australia. Austria’s Grüner Veltliner is a rising star in this style group. New Zealand’s exuberant, deeply fruity Sauvignon Blanc is an extremely popular choice here. Pop open a top-quality New World fizz for a refreshing change, but only with lightly spiced fish and seafood.

An unusual, highly perfumed white with fruity notes of melon and lychee and a lovely scent of peach and rosewater. It’s slightly off-dry, which actually helps with curries based on cream or coconut milk.


Bring on a powerhouse here: a full-bodied, no-nonsense, hearty red. You’ll need it to stand up to the strong flavour and texture of the food, not to mention the sprinkling of spice and pepper. Avoid any weedy reds, and all whites and rosés. Head straight for full-on Australian Shiraz, beefy South African reds, South America’s premium labels, Californian Cabernet, serious Bordeaux, hefty Rhône reds such as Côte-Rôtie and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Spanish Garnacha and aged red Rioja.

An exuberant blast of blackcurrant and damson fruit underpinned by spicy vanilla oak. This is impressive stuff, but you do need a flavour-packed meat or cheese to partner it.


Make sure they are sweet, of course, but not too gloopy and cloying. Stick to the sweet froth of Italian bubbly Asti, or a semi-sparkling Moscato. Demi-sec Champagne goes well with fresh fruit. Plump for a golden, honeyed dessert wine such as an Orange Muscat; a crisp, floral German pudding wine; or, for a real treat, a Bordeaux pudding wine like Sauternes or Barsac. Ice wine (Eiswein), made from semi-frozen late-harvest grapes, is a fresh, yet intensely sweet thrill. Chill all these wines well and serve in small white wine glasses.

This fine sweetie wakes up the palate with its pure flavour of sweet grapefruit juice and a lingering, tangy finish. Only 9.5 per cent alcohol, too, so it’s neither cloying nor over-strong. Great with fruit salad.


Asti and other sweet sparklers work well here, cutting through all that indulgent pud, but it’s more impressive to bring on a sticky, toffeed, dark mahogany dessert wine. Tawny port is divine with anything chocolatey or nutty (try it lightly chilled), or go for a Malmsey Madeira or Marsala. Australia’s liqueur Muscats, from Victoria’s Rutherglen region, are hip and heady with the flavours of dates and raisins. For a wonderfully complex elixir of marmalade and honey, try Hungary’s famous Tokaji wine.

An aromatic dessert wine from the island of Madeira with a more-ish, soothing character of figs, sultanas and toffee. There’s a mellow, nutty finish too – try it with sticky toffee pudding.