Club Vino Food pairings

Wines that match with crisp fresh salads.

Summertime is great for fresh dinner salads and a cool glass of wine sat out in the garden. We suggest matching the wine with the dressing. So for a fresh green salad with a vinaigrette such as a salad Niçoise.

Pair with a dry French Rosé, if your salad has a creamy coleslaw dressing pair with some thing like a Portuguese Vinho Verde or an Australian Resiling. Salads with slices of grilled duck or succulent steak pair well with an ever so versatile Pinot Noir.

Wines that match with fish dishes

Pairing wine with fish depends on the density of the fish. For a light fish dish such as cod or halibut try pairing with a crisp Gavi from Norther Italy, or if it is a more meatier fish such as tuna or monkfish try with a red Italian Barbera, low in tannin with great acidity.

Wines that match with beef dishes

When eating beef dishes, let the cut of meat guide your choice in wine.

A rich fattier cut of meat needs a strong robust wine such as an Argentinian Malbec or a full bodied Spanish Rioja. The rarer the beef the more it will lessen the sensation of tannin, so choose a younger fresher red such as a Côtes du Rhone or a vintage Pinot Noir.

Wines that match with chicken

Good news! The best wine with chicken can be either red or white – it depends on your own personal taste and the way it’s cooked.

Simple Roast chicken pairs well with an oaky French Chardonnay or a fruity South African Chenin Blanc. Curries and spicy dishes pair well with aromatic white wines such as Australian Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. Chicken dishes with a tomato or pepper based sauce will need the kick of a fruity red so try with a Portuguese Alentejo or a young Rioja.

Wines that match with cheese

With so many different styles of cheese it can be tricky to find the perfect pair. Hard cheeses including, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Cheddar, and Manchego pair perfectly with a sparkling wines such as Prosecco that cut through the nuttiness and saltiness.  Blue cheeses like Stilton, Gorgonzola and Roquefort tend to be pair well with sweeter wines, for example Sauternes and vintage Port.

Creamy soft cheeses pair well with barrel-aged Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay. while a fruity Sauvignon Blanc is delicious with goat’s cheese.

Wines to go with lamb

Great news! Lamb is one of the most wine-friendly of meats and as with beef, to find the perfect pairing it all depends on how you cook it. Pair a slow-cooked shoulder of lamb with a fruity Spanish red such as a Rioja Reserva. Roast lamb served medium-rare with a younger Bordeaux red, a Burgundy Pinot Noir or a Chianti Classico.

A pink lamb chop or steak works amazingly with an aged Burgundy Pinot Noir or a fruity red and complex Châteauneuf du Pape.

Wines that match with spicy dishes

With spicy dishes such as Thai or Indian it’s important to find a wine that is able to cope and mitigate the spicy notes and complex flavours. Riesling does this Perfectly. Try a fruity , medium dry Riesling from Alsace of you want to cool your palate from the super hot dish, a mineral and flowery one from Eden Valley in Australia and you will never be disappointed.

A younger Bordeaux red, a Burgundy Pinot Noir or a Chianti Classico. A pink lamb chop or steak works amazingly with an aged Burgundy Pinot Noir or a fruity red and complex Châteauneuf du Pape.