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
Baklava & Wine Pairing
Baklava is a sweet dessert that has layers of filo pastry, chopped nuts, spices and a syrup or honey glaze. The best wines to pair with Baklava are sweet wines with a fruitiness or nuttiness, [...]
Mushroom Risotto & Wine Pairing
Earthy medium-bodied red wines, such as Pinot Noir, Barbera, Ripasso Valpolicella, and Barbaresco, pair best with Mushroom Risotto due to their rustic and complementary flavours. Meanwhile, full-bodied whites like Chardonnay complement the creamy texture [...]
Fish & Chips and Wine Pairing
Crisp wines with citrus flavours, such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Unoaked Chardonnay and Riesling, are excellent with Fish and Chips. In addition, Sparkling Wine and Dry Rosé are lovely with Fish and Chips as [...]
Chimichanga and Wine Pairing
The best wines to pair with Chimichangas are fresh and fruity red wines such as Rioja, Chianti, and Beaujolais. For white wine, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer pair best with a Chimichanga. Rosé, a [...]
Crab Cakes & Wine Pairing
The best wine to pair with Crab Cakes are Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, Vermentino, Viognier and Prosecco. Crab Cakes require crisp and acidic white wines to cut through the delicious fried breading so you can [...]
Petite Sirah & Food Pairings
Petite Sirah pairs best with heavy and fatty meat-based dishes like Barbecue Ribs, Ribeye Steak, Prime Rib, Venison Stew, and Veal Chops. Petite Sirah is a full-bodied red wine featuring chewy flavours of blackberry, [...]
Vouvray & Food Pairing
Vouvray pairs best with Pork Tenderloin, Salmon, Lobster, Spicy Chicken, Sushi, Trout and Veal. Vouvray is a French white wine made with the Chenin Blanc grape and has a wide variety of styles, including sweet, [...]
Foie Gras & Wine Pairing
Foie Gras pairs best with sweeter wines like Sauternes and Vouvray Moelleux and regular white wines like Gewurztraminer, Burgundy, Champagne and Pinot Gris. Foie gras is a luxurious dish made from the liver of [...]
Hawaiian Pizza & Wine Pairing
Crisp white wines with a citrusy tang like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or Vouvray pair best with Hawaiian Pizza. Hawaiian Pizza is all about the balance of sweet and salty. Thus, you'll want a white wine [...]
Madeira & Food Pairing
Madeira is a Portuguese fortified wine that ranges from sweet to dry. Dry Madeira pairs best with almonds, shellfish, seafood, mushroom and soup. Meanwhile, sweet Madeira pairs best with Foie Gras, Crème Brûlée, Brownies, Dark [...]
Quarts de Chaume & Food Pairing
Quarts de Chaume pairs best with Apple Pie, Foie Gras, Roquefort Cheese, Roast Chicken, Lobster, and Cheesecake. Not everyone loves sweet wine with desserts, as the sugar overload nukes their taste buds. However, Quarts [...]
Pot Roast & Wine Pairing
Beef Pot Roast pairs best with dry red wines such as Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Bordeaux. If the red wine is dry, fruity, and a touch peppery, it will make an excellent [...]