Comments or additions welcome.
As you can see, haven't finished these sections, nor gotten to cheese
or sides at all yet.
I tried not to make this my opinions (though I certainly included
some), but various opinons offered on AFW in the past.



There are no hard or fast rules for wine and food matching. No match
will be successful if you don't like the wine. This section, however,
is intended as a guide to some generally accepted principles, with
pointers to matches both good and bad (to most people's taste).

There are some matches that are considered classic:
Beef and Cabernet
Oysters and Muscadet or Chablis

There are some matches that very few people would find successful:
sole or other delicate fish with a big red
red meat with a light white (basic Muscadet, Vinho Verde, or Sauvignon
Blanc)
spicy dishes with a big Cabernet

However, the vast majority of dishes and possible wine matches are
in-between. There's no way to cover every eventuality here- we can say
beef and Cabernet is a good match, but a sauce, prep technique, or side
dish might conflict. So please be aware these are very general
guidelines, and feel free to ask specific questions on AFW .

Suggestions:
Meats
Poultry
Seafood
Vegetables/Sides
Cheeses
Desserts
Non-European Cuisines

Meats
Beef is a classic accompaniment for bigger reds wines. With steaks,
especially if rare, one might stick to bigger more tannic reds- young
California Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux, Australian Shiraz, or young
Northern Rhones. Roasts and braised meat might be more appropriate for
mature Cabernet or Merlot based wines (whether Bordeaux, New World, or
elsewhere), mature Nebbiolo, or other elegant reds

Lamb is often associated with Pauillac, but is a fine match for any
Bordeaux or Bordeaux-blend ("Meritage") wine. If heavy on the herbs and
garlic you might consider a Rhone (or a wine from Rhone varietals such
as Grenache, Mouvedre, Syrah, etc. from California, Spain, Australia,
or elsewhere). Rioja also is a historic match.

Pork is generally lighter, and does well with lighter reds (Pinot Noirs
that are less heavy, most Sangiovese except Brunello, etc.). Roses
also work well. But many people think that pork is best with whites.
Try a Gruner Veltliner or a dry to off-dry Riesling.

Ham- roses are often recommended. Cured raw hams (proscuitto for
example) do well with whites or sparkling wines.

Veal -recommendations similar to pork

Game- generally look to powerful wines, Syrah (Rhone or New World) in
particular is a good match

Individual dishes:
Choucroute - Alsace Riesling is traditional
Steak tartare- crisp whites
Beef Bourguignon - um, Burgundy!


Poultry:
Chicken- simple roast chicken is a fine backdrop for fine mature reds,
yet can also do well with whites. Coq au vin is typically served with a
wine similar to the cooking wine (though one might use a simple
Bourgogne for cooking and a fine Chambolle 1er with dinner- or a
California appelation Pinot Noir for cooking and the single vineyard
version for the table).

Duck- Pinot Noir is excellent, but this goes well with mature Nebbiolo,
Syrah, or Bordeaux as well. A vocal minority support Amarone.

Goose- mature Bordeaux or softer New World Merlots or Cabernets

Foie Gras- Sauternes or other sweet botrytized wines are traditional
and fine, but arguments can be made for Chablis Grand Cru, too!

Turkey- pretty controversial. Advocates for Zinfandel, roses, Riesling
Kabinetts, and more

Game birds: bigger richer ones do well with classic red wines; smaller
delicate birds might be better served with a rich white.

Seafood:
White fleshed fish (flounder, sole, etc) : Soave, Chablis, unoaked
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc. If there's a richer sauce then oaked
Chardonnay or bigger white Burgundy

Salmon: many prefer big Chardonnays, but there is a long tradition of
reds, especially Pinot Noir.

Tuna steaks- soft Merlot or other round reds.

Lobster- big oaked Chardonnay (buttery California or a white Burgundy
like a Meursault) is the traditional accompaniment, but unoaked
Chardonnay (Chablis 1er Crus maybe) have their adherents. Try Gruner
Veltliner as a dark horse.

Scallops: Chablis, Gruner Veltliner, lighter Chardonnays
Oysters, clams, mussels: Muscadet or Chablis
Caviar: Champagne or Cremant de Bourgogne
Bouillabaisse- White Rhone or Southern French Rose

Non-European Ethnic Foods:
This section will be the most controversial. Unlike European cuisines
that developed alongside wine, there are few "classic" matches. So take
each of these suggestions with a grain of salt.

Chinese: Saying what red wine matches with Chinese food is impossible.
It's like saying which wine pairs with European food. The problem of
course is that "Chinese
food" is not even one cuisine, but a group of regional cuisines. The
wine for a
Cantonese dish is not neccesarily going to be great for Szechuan,
Shanghai,
Fukien, Peking/Northern dishes. And the same wine is probably not best
choice
for chicken, beef, pork, and seafood dishes. Robert Parker I believe is
on record commenting on the affinity of Nebbiolo and dim sum dumplings
with a soy/shoyu dipping sauce. Beef with broccoli can pretty good
with a simpler Bordeaux or
CalCab. Fiery Szechuan fare is probably best with water or beer, but if
you need wine try sparkling or off-dry Riesling. Cab Franc has its
fans, too.

Japanese: With sushi, sparkling wines or Sauvignon Blanc tend to get
the most votes. Of course, it you're ordering mostly grilled eel you
might prefer a lighter red. With cooked dishes, many find that Nebbiolo
and Pinot Noir do well with the umami flavors prevalent in some dishes.


Thai: Many people like Gewurztraminer. Others prefer Riesling or Chenin
Blanc. Rhone white varietals (Marsanne and Roussane) have their
proponents, too. A touch of sweetness helps if there's a lot of spice.

Mexican- like Chinese, really not one cuisine but a collection of
regional cuisines. Mole sauce might call for a Zinfandel or Sangiovese,
while huachinango Veracruz(red snapper w/green olives) might call for a
flavorful white. The usual Tex-Mex we often encounter in US defies wine
-beer is the usual answer. . If you absolutely must have wine, then go
with Sangria or maybe sparkling or crisp offdry white.

Middle Eastern: a little easier. Does well with Rhone whites or spicier
ripe reds- Rhones, Zinfandel, etc. There are some Morrocan and Algerian
wines available, as well as the famous Ch. Musar from Lebanon, if you
wish to stay on theme.