THE AGE OLD QUESTION
What tastes complement different meals? The old adage red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat and fish is partially true, but don’t rule out a wine type simply because of its colour. The challenge is to find the type of wine that complements what you’re eating. Here are a few general guidelines:

RICH RED MEATS
For foods like beef and lamb, look for wines with full rich flavours.

FISH AND SHELLFISH
A delicate white wine matches well with the delicate flavours of fish and shellfish.

A powerful red wine might not be the best choice for two reasons: it completely masks the flavour of the food, and it can create a chemical reaction that leaves a metallic taste in your mouth. The culprit is tannins, so if you do drink red wines with fish, look for low tannin wines like Beaujolais or Valpolicella.

REGIONAL DELICACIES
Most wines complement the foods of similar regions. Barolo and Barbaresco complement spicy Italian food, Beaujolais is perfect for Burgundian farm sausage and Riesling is wonderful with Wienerschnitzel.

SOME SIMPLE GUIDELINES

In a hurry? Follow these guidelines to make your choice:

SOME BASIC GUIDELINES

• White Before Red.
  
• Dry before sweet.
  
• Young before old.
  
• Simple before complex.
  
• Regional wines match regional foods.
  
• Light wine matches light dishes.
  
• Robust wines match robust dishes.
  
• Simple wines match simple foods.

GUIDELINES FOR THE MORE ADVENTUROUS

• Contrast wine and food to offset separate flavours.
• Match wine with the strongest flavouring ingredients in the dish.
  
• Fatty or salty dishes need dry wines with crisp acidity.
  
• Cream or butter sauce based dishes need wines with similar body.
  
• Make sure your dessert wine is sweeter than the dessert.

Tip: There are a few dishes that wine does not complement. If you’re eating artichokes, chocolate, salad or citrus fruits, try a different beverage.

GETTING SPECIFIC