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
Chicken Shawarma & Wine Pairing
Crisp wines such as Sparkling Wine, Rosé, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc pair best with Chicken Shawarma spread on top of rice or stuffed into a pita. If the Chicken Shawarma is heavy on the [...]
Pumpkin Pie & Wine Pairing
Pumpkin Pie pairs best with a variety of wines, including a late harvest Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Sherry, Vin Santo or a Tawny Port. The spicy nutmeg flavours and creamy texture of Pumpkin Pie gives you [...]
Scalloped Potatoes & Wine Pairing
Creamy scalloped potatoes require acidic white wines, such as, Chardonnay, Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc to cut through the starchy and rich flavours. These crisp white wines also add their refreshing citrus, tropical fruit, and [...]
Bruschetta & Wine Pairing
Acidic and smoky red wines like Chianti Classico, Barbera, Dolcetto or Zinfandel pair best with Bruschetta, as the balanced tannin of these wines won't clash with the acidic tomatoes on your Bruschetta. For white [...]
Biscotti & Wine Pairings
Biscotti pairs best with Vin Santo, Sherry, Late Harvest Wines, Ice Wines, Espresso, Coffee and Tawny Port. The hard-like cookie softens when paired with a beverage, allowing the nutty flavours to tickle your taste [...]
Turkey & Wine Pairing
Expressive white wines like Chardonnay, Riesling or Gewürztraminer go best with Turkey as they match the weight of Turkey while imparting refreshing fruity flavours. For red wine, light and fruity wines low in tannin [...]
Gewürztraminer & Food Pairings
Pair Gewürztraminer with rich-fowl dishes like turkey, duck, or Foie Gras, along with egg dishes like quiche and omelets. You'll also find that Gewurztraminer goes well with German dishes like pork chops, roasted ham, [...]
Pork Schnitzel & Wine Pairing
Classic German and Austrian white wines like Grüner Veltliner, Riesling and Gewürztraminer are our top picks for Pork Schnitzel. Meanwhile, for red wines, a fruity Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais Villages are delicious with [...]
Riesling & Food Pairings
Riesling is the perfect wine to bring to a Holiday dinner party, as Riesling pairs virtually with everything. Riesling is also amazing with smoked sausage, Hawaiian Pizza, spicy Indian food, breaded shellfish and pork [...]
Cedar Plank Salmon & Wine Pairing
Oaked and creamy white wines like Chardonnay and Viognier pair best with Cedar Planked Salmon as the wines complement the Salmon's wood-smoked infused flavours. Meanwhile, a light and fruity Pinot Noir pairs best with [...]
Pinot Blanc & Food Pairings
Full-bodied Pinot Blanc that has seen some oak has a rich and creamy texture and pairs best with turkey, Quiche Lorraine, gooey cheese omelets, pork tenderloin, onion tarts, escargot, and a shrimp cocktail. Lighter [...]
Pork Tenderloin & Wine Pairing
White wines with a touch of juiciness, such as Riesling, Chardonnay, or Pinot Blanc, pair best with Pork Tenderloin. With red wines, you want lighter-bodied but juicy red wines to accompany your Pork Tenderloin, [...]