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
Veal Piccata & Wine Pairing
Veal Piccata pairs best with citrusy or buttery white wines such as Chardonnay, Soave, Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis and Fiano. A lot of wine pairing sites recommend red wine with Veal Piccata. While these pairings will [...]
Nachos & Wine Pairing
The best beverage to pair with Nachos is beer. However, as this is a wine pairing website, and you are not here for the obvious, the best wines to pair with nachos are light and [...]
Chicken Pilaf & Wine Pairings
Light and citrusy wines, with a hint of spice, or almond, such as Gewürztraminer, Soave, Godello, Frascati, and Vermentino pair best with Chicken Pilaf. Chicken Pilaf, with its rich and savoury flavours benefits from [...]
Roast Beef Sandwiches & Wine Pairing
Shiraz, Sirah and Cotes du Rhone are the best red wines to pair with a hot roast beef sandwich. These red wines contain a peppery element, which goes great with the beef, along with [...]
Branzino & Wine Pairing
Roasted Branzino pairs best with citrusy and crisp white wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Chablis, Gavi and Muscadet. Grilled or Pan Seared Branzino calls for Chardonnay, where the vanilla and buttery flavours of [...]
Baba Ghanoush & Wine Pairings
Baba Ghanoush pairs best with crisp white wines, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, as they feature acidity to cut through the creaminess of this dip. Beaujolais Villages and dry Rosé, are also exceptional as [...]
Salted Caramel Brownies & Wine Pairing
Sweet and fortified wines such as Brachetto d'Acqui, Tawny Port, Sherry, Banyuls and Vin Santo pair best with Salted Caramel Brownies. When pairing wines with sweet desserts, you always want the wine to be [...]
Best Wine with Aioli
Aioli, with its rich and garlicky profile, pairs beautifully with crisp white wines such as, Sauvignon Blanc, Soave and Garnacha Blanc. A crisp, zesty Sauvignon Blanc, with its bright acidity, can cut through the [...]
Kung Pao Chicken & Wine Pairings
Kung Pao Chicken pairs best with slightly sweet and clean acidic white wines, such as an Off-Dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer, or Chenin Blanc. A fizzy red wine like Lambrusco or a Beaujolais are also an [...]
Bibimbap & Wine Pairing
Bibimbap pairs best with an off-dry Riesling, Rosé, Lambrusco, and Beaujolais Cru. Bibimbap, a beloved Korean dish, is traditionally served in a heated stone bowl, combining mixed rice with beef slices, sautéed and seasoned [...]
Poutine and Wine Pairing
Earthy red winds with lots of acidity, such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and Baco Noir pair best with Poutine. Meanwhile, refreshing whites, such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Sparkling Wine, are also excellent with Poutine [...]
Tarte Tatin & Wine Pairing
Tarte Tatin pairs best with sweeter dessert style wines, such as, Sauternes, Late Harvest Riesling, and Quarts de Chaume. Tarte Tatin is a classic French dessert that features caramelized apples baked in a buttery, [...]