Food and wine are just meant to go together! Wine enhances the taste of many foods, and the right food can bring out a wine's subtle nuances. One of the best things about food and wine pairing is finding your own "perfect match" (and there really are few hard and fast rules...) However, here are some food and wine pairing tips to get you started. Some are traditional, some may seem like unlikely matches, but we're sure that they will all inspire you to try your own...

• The tangy quality of goat cheese pairs really well with an herby, tangy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or French Sancerre. The "herby" or "grassy" character of the wine also make it perfect for a mesclun salad with herbed vinaigrette. (Top that salad with herbed goat cheese and you have my absolute favorite food and wine match of all time...)
  
• Buttered popcorn will go really well with a buttery California Chardonnay from California or Australia. (Of course, the wine would also go fabulously well with lobster tail drenched in melted butter.)
  
• Try some Champagne or sparkling wine the next time you go out for sushi. (Champagnes and sparkling wines are underrated food wines...the bubbles and acidity cleanse the palate and go really well with food.)
  
• ...and on that same note, sparkling wine is the perfect foil for cutting the greasiness of fried chicken (or potato chips, for that matter!)
  
• An off-dry Gewurztraminer or Riesling goes great with spicy Indian, Chinese or Thai food. The sugar in the wine will counter the heat and spice of the food.
  
• The ever popular Pinot Noir is a great wine to order when you are out for dinner and everyone is ordering something different. It goes with fish (salmon, especially), chicken, and duck. It could even hold its own against a steak in a pinch (though not as well as something with more tannin like Cabernet Sauvignon).
  
• Zinfandel (red, not white...) pairs fantastically well with Thanksgiving turkey, or with any meat on the grill.
  
• The acidity and low tannins of Chianti are the reason the Italians drink them with pastas with tomato-based sauces. The acid in the tomatoes pairs so well with the wine's acidity.
• Likewise, the acid and light, fruity quality of Pinot Grigio make it a perfect match for pastas with cream-based sauces. The acidity cuts some of the fat and richness of the sauce.
  
• Muscadet from France's Loire Valley is the locals' favorite choice with oysters. The crisp citrus flavor is akin to squirting a lemon wedge on your shellfish, and the hint of minerals in the wine matches the oysters' briny and mineral flavors.
• Pinotage is a less familiar red wine from South Africa that can sometimes have a "gamy" or smoked meat quality to it. If you like to eat any wild game, do like the South Africans do and serve a bottle of Pinotage with the meal.
  
• Love chocolate truffles filled with nuts or caramel? The nuttiness and caramel notes of a Tawny Port make this pairing a dessert lover's dream.

For more information about food and wine pairing, contact us to schedule your own tasting event!