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
What is the best wine for cooking?
The best white wine for cooking is Pinot Grigio, and the best red wine for cooking is Chianti. Pinot Grigio is a dry white wine with mild flavours of lemon, lime, apple, pear and minerals. It's [...]
Petite Filet & Wine Pairing
Petite Filet pairs up with mature red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bordeaux, Côtes du Rhône, Merlot, and Rioja Reserva. Lighter reds with a touch of earthiness such as Pinot Noir and Chianti Classico [...]
Enchiladas & Wine Pairing
Enchiladas pair best with medium-bodied white wines such as Vermentino, Riesling, Viognier and Gewürztraminer, as their citrusy flavours can hold up to the Enchilada's layers of flavour. Stuffed with rice, grilled veggies, meat, cheese, [...]
Tuna Casserole & Wine Pairing
Tuna Casserole pairs best with light and fruity reds like Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, or Pinot Noir. If red wine is not your style, a Rosé or crisp, unoaked whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, [...]
Grilled Cheese & Wine Pairing
For the classic pan-fried Grilled cheese sandwich, an oaked Chardonnay will go well with the buttered up toast and melted cheese. Riesling or a sparkling wine like Prosecco are also excellent matches with a [...]
Reuben Sandwich & Wine Pairing
A Reuben sandwich pairs best with crisp white wines with a hint of sweetness, such as a Gewürztraminer, Riesling, or a sparkling wine. Light and fruity reds with tons of acidity and served chilled, like [...]
Fried Chicken & Wine Pairing
Fried Chicken pairs best with fruity and lively wines such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Sparkling Wine. Acidity is a must with Southern Fried Chicken, as this classic dish is greasy and [...]
Shepherd’s Pie & Wine Pairing
Shepherd's Pie pairs best with earthy, spicy, and acidic red wines such as Pinot Noir, Chianti, and Côtes-du-Rhône. A buttery Chardonnay also pairs well with Shepherd's pie as it complements the outer pie crust [...]
Hamburgers & Wine Pairing
Hamburgers pair best with full-bodied red wines with plenty of tannin, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz. The grippy tannin in a rich red wine is softened by a grilled hamburger's heavy protein [...]
Cornbread & Wine Pairing
Full-bodied whites like a buttery Chardonnay or an oaked Chenin Blanc along with tropical fruit and peachy whites like Viognier pair best with Cornbread. Meanwhile, jammy reds like Shiraz, or a fruity Pinot Noir, [...]
Chenin Blanc & Food Pairing
Dry and Off-Dry Chenin Blanc pairs best with salads and lighter meat-based dishes, including Ham, Roast Pork, Chicken Kiev, Grouper, Fish & Chips and Shrimp Scampi. For spicier dishes like Kung Pao Chicken, spicy [...]
Greek Salad & Wine Pairing
Greek Salad pairs best with crisp white wines with lots of acidity such as Sauvignon Blanc, Rueda, Pinot Grigio, Assyrtiko and Prosecco. Red wine with Greek Salad is a terrible idea as the high [...]