Welcome to Drink & Pair where I write articles about food and wine pairings. Most of my content is directed to those new at drinking wine and thus I try to keep my pairings simple, while still going into enough detail as to why that food and wine pairing works.
The beautiful thing about Food and Wine Pairing is that it can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. With Drink & Pair, my goal has always been to keep it simple, while dropping enough hints to allow you to get more in-depth with your pairings if you wish. I do this by writing blogs that explain the more advanced nuances of Food and Wine Pairings, yet I offer tables with Food and Wine scores to keep it easy for those of you in a rush.
My blogs are from a North American view, with my most popular wine pairings being ham, chicken alfredo, filet mignon, turkey and roast beef.
I refuse to embrace Artificial Intelligence, and I assure you, all of my pairings do not use AI like I am seeing many other newer wine pairing websites use. This site and wine pairing database have been around in one form or anther since 2010 and has been built slowly over the years. Pairings have either been tried out by myself, with others in a restaurant/gathering, or heavily researched by consulting other sommeliers. (certain food allergies prevent me from trying every dish)
The food and wine pairing database above is a great tool to find an excellent wine pairing match. A 3.5 star match means the pairing is good, and your guests will enjoy it. Also at a 3.5, either the wine or food will taste better (or taste enhanced) in the company of one another, but not both. For example, at a 3.5 your burger loaded with ketchup and Dijon mustard might taste better with a Rioja Reserva, however, the wine’s flavour will not improve with this pairing.
A rating of 4 means we are starting to see the food and wine influence one another, and you’ll taste notable improvements for both when they are paired together
A 5 star ranking means the pairing is a Holy Grail and you are in for a meal you will never forget.
The matching tool does not specifically use branded wines, so you need to type in the type of wine (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Shiraz, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc). You can also use the filters at the bottom of the tool to narrow down your searches.
Latest Food & Wine Pairings
Beef Shish Kebabs & Wine Pairings
Beef Shish Kebabs pair best with lighter to medium-bodied reds with plenty of acidity, such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais Cru, Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc. Heavier red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux will go [...]
Acai Bowl & Wine Pairings
An Acai Bowl pairs best with Prosecco, an off-dry Riesling or a tart Rosé. Lighter wines, or wines with a touch of sweetness or fizz will keep you refreshed throughout your meal while also [...]
Garbure & Wine Pairings
Garbure is a heart French soup featuring beans, potatoes, turnips, peas, onion, and garlic, as well as one piece of meat, such as duck confit, goose confit, pork confit, ham, or sausage. Sometimes it's [...]
Jurançon Sec (dry) & Food Pairing
Youthful Jurançon Sec pairs best with lighter fish and chicken dishes such as Baked Lemon Chicken, Trout, Tilapia and Halibut. Known for its high acidity, Jurançon Sec boasts bright flavours of lemon, tangerine, ripe [...]
Avocado Toast & Wine Pairings
Avocado toast finds great synergy with a range of white wines, from the crisp minerality of Picpoul de Pinet and Soave Classico to the zesty lift of Verdejo and the textured elegance of Blanc [...]
Popcorn Shrimp & Wine Pairings
The best wines to pair with Popcorn Shrimp are Sauvignon Blanc, Champagne, Chardonnay, and Riesling. Sauvignon Blanc is the number one choice as the wine has lemon and lime flavours that cut through the [...]
Bluefish & Wine Pairing
Bluefish is a meaty fish that pairs best with full-bodied white wines such as Chardonnay, or crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc. Fruity and tannin free reds such as Pinot Noir, Beajolais and Grenache are [...]
Oysters & Wine Pairings
The best wines to pair with Oysters are Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Muscadet, Albariño, Sancerre, and Champagne. Cold, refreshing, and light white wines that highlight the delicate flavours of the oysters, while also helping to [...]
Baked Potato & Wine Pairings
The best wines to pair with Baked Potatoes are acidic and earthy/herbally red wines like Cabernet Franc, Carménère, Carignan and Beaujolais Villages. For Baked Potatoes loaded with cheese or Sour Cream, a full-bodied Chardonnay [...]
Chicken Fricassee & Wine Pairings
The best wines to pair with chicken fricassee are Meursault and Chassagne-Montrachet, both renowned white Burgundies with rich texture, balanced acidity, and subtle oak influence. These wines bring out the creamy sauce and delicate [...]
Cream of Broccoli Soup & Wine Pairings
Pairing wine with cream of broccoli soup calls for options with fresh acidity to balance the richness. Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, and Vermentino all excel here, with their bright citrus and herbal notes cutting [...]
Black Bean Burger & Wine Pairings
The best wines to pair with Black Bean Burgers are fruity reds with smooth tannins and a hint of smoke and spice, such as Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Beaujolais, Zinfandel, and Ribera Del Duero. Black [...]