With wine such a social part of our lives, most of us are thinking hard about what we eat and drink together, however, it’s not always easy to make that choice and sometimes a little help can go a long way to making your overall experience one you enjoy.

Corks Out has won awards for its food and wine matching and offers a menu matching service that helps you to choose the wine that suits your dish, your palate and most of all, your budget.  Therefore, whether you are having chilli for two or a large dinner party for friends why not pop into one of our stores as we can take the stress out of finding the right combination.  If you are ordering online, email your menu, your likes and dislikes in wine and how much you would like to spend per bottle and we will do the rest.

So, what’s it all about?

There is a difference between finding the perfect match for a food or just finding out what you like to eat and drink together, some food and wines make a frightful combination but in general most foods can be matched with several different wine styles giving you the choice to enjoy your favourite dishes with some of your favourite wines.

The most important thing to consider when serving wine with food is the weight and flavour intensity of the dish served.  Foods served with sauces or rich spices can take on a completely different style and flavour.  For example simple poached white fish works well with a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, however, smoked or oily fish such as Salmon or trout topped with a honey and flaked chilli crust deserves a barrel fermented Chardonnay or a lightly chilled Pinot Noir, because if you thought red wine was for red meat and white wine for white meat then think again! The order of your meal is also important, for example, if your main meal requires a big red then your cheese board or dessert should be chosen accordingly to compliment a red or dessert wine.

One last thing not to forget is that food and wine matching should be fun and nobody should ever tell you what you should have to drink with your dish, everyone’s palate is different and although we have suggestions, it’s not a definitive scale.  Therefore, if you really want to each chocolate gateaux with Chablis then go right ahead, it’s about what you enjoy, not what’s expected.

What’s in your dish?
Remember, it’s not just about the main ingredient in your dish; it’s about the accompaniments, such as the sauce, spices and herbs that go in there too.


Acids
Citrus, Lemon or Tomato sauces need acidity in your wine to back up the acidity in the saucesCrisp whites are very good like Sauvignon Blanc, Cool climate un-oaked Chardonnay like a Chablis, a Gavi di Gavi, or good Soave from Italy. With tomato you could choose a very light red that had good acidity like a Valpolicella, a light Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais, this could even be chilled a little.


Sugars, Salts & Vinegars
Look at these ingredients in your food. Salty dishes like a little sweetness in your wine and definitely no tannin. Vinaigrette is better with some oil & bread to soak up some of the vinegar, off dry whites or light reds are best. Savoury dishes like ripe, fruity reds with little or no tannin. Sugar needs a wine that has more sweetness than the dish or dessert


Sauces
Wine based sauce should be matched with the wine in the sauce or heavier. Creamy sauces do not like too much acidity and oaky Chardonnay’s are good, if you really hate Chardonnay then why not try a Viognier or an Albarino. Sweet or Spicy sauces need good acidity and a little sweetness, Riesling, Vouvray, Chenin Blanc or Semillon

Herbs
Basil – Aromatic or acidic whites
Coriander – Riesling, Chenin, Semillon
Dill – Dry acidic whites like Sauv Blanc, no oak
Lemon Grass – Aromatic whites, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer
Cardamon/Cumin – Aromatic or tropical whites like the above, or spicy, fruity reds
Mint – Cabernet Sauvignon if with meat, or Sauv Blanc goes well with mint too
Parsley – Dry but aromatic whites, Rieslings from New World are good
Rosemary – Pinot Noir or other light reds from Gamay grape (Beaujolais)
Sage/Tarragon – Fruity whites, Chardonnay, Semillon or soft reds 
Thyme – Rich reds, Rioja and Bordeaux wines, there are some great Bordeaux blends from the New World that would be perfect here
Texture & Weight
Certain foods coat the palate like eggs, chocolate, rare meat & some cheeses, therefore you need to balance the texture and weight of your wine with the food
Eggs hate red wine, especially tannin, so stick to a white with a bit of sweetness or a Semillon if you are having Omelette tonight
Goats cheese coats the palate and goes well with Sauvignon Blanc due to the acidity
The softness in Merlot can go well with certain Chocolate desserts





Now, onto your dish!

Below are some examples of food, styles of dish and how they can be served.  There is also a quick example of the style of wine that would suit.
Whites are numbered 1-9, 1 being the driest and 9 being very dessert sweet.

Reds are lettered A-E, A being the lightest in style and E being the heaviest.
This is not a definitive style but one that helps you make a quick and simple choice.




Aperitifs, Canapés, Nibbles Whites 1-4 Reds A-B

The perfect excuse for a glass of Champagne or a dry sparkling wine, this gets the appetite going and the mouth watering.  Fino or Manzanilla Sherry perfect with olives and nuts, especially almonds.   Dry whites are also good but depending on the nibble a light red or rose would be ok.




Shellfish & Seafood Dishes White 1-2

Dry whites and acidity are key here and to complement your dish choose a Sancerre, Gavi or a Chablis, New World Sauvignon is OK but can sometimes overpower the delicate flavours in your seafood or shellfish, reds can give a metallic taste in the mouth.  Champagne is wonderful if you can, or a good dry sparkling wine, this is also perfect if you have a glass as your aperitif and then another with your Shellfish.




Fish without a Sauce White 1-2 Red A-B

Plainly cooked fish like poached salmon should not be overpowered with heavy flavours in your wine.  French Sauvignon or Chardonnay’s are good as they are lighter, for something different try a Albarino from Spain, a good Chenin Blanc from Loire or South Africa or Gavi di Gavi from Italy.




Fish with Sauces or Toppings White 2-4 Reds A-B

Match your wine to the sauce or the topping on your fish not the fish. With creamy sauces choose a fuller wine, Chardonnay, Viognier or Pinot Grigio, If your topping is spicy or full flavoured then choose a slightly medium aromatic wine, Vouvray, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, chilled light reds can be good here too.




Salads Whites & Rose 1-5 Reds A-B

Green, seafood & cheese salads are best with dry, medium whites or rose’s and it’s about what you prefer in wine here more than the salad as most things go. Spanish, Italian and French white and rose are good. If your salad has meat with it then a lightly chilled, Italian red, Beaujolais or Grenache.




Pasta Dishes Whites 1-4 Reds A-C

It’s the sauce and what’s in it that’s important here.  Creamy or cheesy pasta dishes are good with Chardonnay, Viognier, Alsace and Loire wines.  Meaty pasta likes light Italian reds, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.  If your pasta is Spicy try Syrah, Aussie Shiraz, Rioja or Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.




Pates & Terrines Whites 1-4 Reds A-C

Smooth pate – off dry to medium whites or light reds, aromatic Alsace wines, Pinot Grigio or Muscat or Gewurztraminer, German Riesling good too.
Rough pate and terrines – fruity reds and rose wines, Beaujolais Crus & Merlot.
Vegetable pate – light reds and full bodied whites work well.
Fish pate – Sauvignon Blanc, Fume Blanc, Pinot Blanc and Albarino.
Fois Gras – dessert wine is a must here, Sauternes, German or Alsace dessert wines.





Poultry, Pork, Game & Ham Whites 1-4 Reds A-C

Remember it’s the sauce!
Roast turkey, goose, pheasant or duck – light to med bodied reds, full bodied white, Rioja, Merlot and Pinot Noir, Riesling and Pinot Gris.
Ham or Gammon – Alsace & German wines or light to medium reds, which can be chilled.





Beef & Lamb Reds B-E

How your meat is cooked and what is with it is important!
Lamb, which is a fatty meat adores velvety Merlot’s or Zinfandel, Rioja is good too.
For Steaks don’t use something too tannic especially if your meat is rare, a good Burgundy or a mature claret.  Casseroles and stews, lighter reds are best unless highly flavoured.





Vegetarian Dishes Whites 1-5 Reds A-D

Mushroom dishes – soft, fruity & low tannin wines are best, Rioja’s, Merlot, New World Pinot’s or white Burgundy’s. 
Peppers – low tannin wines for example Beaujolais, Gewurztraminer & Sauvignon Blanc.
Cheese – aromatic dry whites and new world Chardonnay & Viognier, nothing too acidic like Sauvignon Blanc.



Cheeses Whites 1-9 Red A-E Port, Madeira, Sherry


Choose your cheese board carefully as there are so many choices of wine here.
Cheeses with fruit – white Burgundy, Gewurztraminer or Riesling, wines that are a little medium to sweet in character, but not too sweet that they overpower the cheese.
Hard cheeses – fuller reds, Italian, Spanish, New World Merlot’s & Zinfandels.
Goat’s cheese – Sauvignon’s are best or un-oaked French & Italian whites.
Soft cheese – high acidic whites with no oak, Chablis or Sauvignon Blancs.
Blue cheese – this deserves a sweet or medium sweet white wine or a sweet white port or madeira.




Desserts White 4-9 Red Merlot, Ports & Liqueurs

Chocolate – Muscats and Moscatel dessert wines or even a Merlot if it’s a chocolate mousse. 
Ice Cream – sweet, low acid fortified, Malmsey, Madeira, PX, Recioto or Muscat.Crème Brulee – sweet, low acid whites, late harvest wines from Germany & Alsace or even Chile and Australia are producing some good late harvest wines.Fruit flans or fruit salads – medium whites with gentle but not overpowering acidity.Lemon or citrus tarts – lighter more acidic sweet wines, German Riesling, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc or sweeter Rieslings.

Chocolate – Muscats and Moscatel dessert wines or even a Merlot if it’s a chocolate mousse. 

Ice Cream – sweet, low acid fortified, Malmsey, Madeira, PX, Recioto or Muscat.

Crème Brulee – sweet, low acid whites, late harvest wines from Germany & Alsace or even Chile and Australia are producing some good late harvest wines.

Fruit flans or fruit salads – medium whites with gentle but not overpowering acidity.

Lemon or citrus tarts – lighter more acidic sweet wines, German Riesling, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc or sweeter Rieslings.