Food and Wine Pairing Tool

Suggested Wine Pairings for over 100 foods.

Food & Wine Pairing Recommendations for Hundreds of Dishes

Top Ten Most Difficult Foods To Pair With Wine

CULINARY PROFESSIONALS OFFER SAVVY SOLUTIONS TO WINE-FOOD PAIRING PUZZLES Ever sit around munching on a snack and think to yourself, “Boy, it would be great to be drinking a nice glass of wine with this,” but you haven’t the darnedest idea what would go with it? Or you’re eating a nice steak , and the wine you’re drinking tastes terrific with it, but when you take a bite of the side dish and another sip of wine, something in you goes BOING because something isn’t quite right?

Wine Writer Natalie MacLean Talks About Her Sensual Obsession

Enjoying wine is as much a hands on experience as is anything. The history of the wine –the grapes, the region, the winemaker, the vintage- and the people with whom you drink it are the variables that shape the wine drinking experience from one of simple consumption to something of deeper impact in our daily lives. Award winning writer Natalie MacLean has carved out a career by skipping past the pretensions of wine and food and embracing the personalities, emotions, and simple human curiosity that make wine and food a sensual obsession rather than just basic sustenance. IntoWine recently caught up with Natalie to discuss her new book, Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass , as well as her views on wine.

Chardonnay: The Great Chameleon

I learned to cook from my Mom, cooking programs on PBS, and a wide range of authors whose books perched on the kitchen shelves, patiently waiting for the moment they were needed. We reached for these books frequently, usually three and four at a time, spreading them across the kitchen table to compare ingredients and techniques. We had a rule – always follow the recipe as it was written the first time, then we could improvise. Of course, we broke this rule frequently,

Top Wine & Food Pairing Wineries in Northern California

CHEFS AND OTHER WINE PROFESSIONALS REVEAL THEIR FAVORITE PAIRINGS Locating wineries that offer wine and food pairings, especially in their tasting rooms, is not easy. But when you light on such an establishment, you are in for a treat. My first such discovery was when I was casually wine tasting with a friend a few years ago and stumbled on J Winery.

Sangria Wine: Recipe for Silly Season

It’s the start of the Silly Season, typified by the populace uprooting en masse for vacation haunts, a slowdown of serious news, and the last hurrahs of the lazy days of summer before we all return to the grind of work and school. In my mind, the best drink for the Silly Season is Sangria. I know it’s blasphemy for serious wine lovers, but what’s wrong with taking a break from all that sniffing and swirling and just having some fun?

Halloween Wine Recommendations: What Wine to Serve on Halloween?

Wine doesn't immediately pop to mind when you think of Halloween. IntoWine.com asked a panel of wine experts their thoughts on what wine is a good fit for what is one of the most celebrated holidays: "I can't think of a better Halloween wine than Poizin by Armida Winery . This wine is perfect to serve if you are throwing a Halloween party or to gift as a guest when attending one. The label is etched with a blood red skull and cross-bones while the bottle top is dipped in in a haunting blood-red candle wax. The bottle itself comes delivered in its own miniature bottle-sized wooden coffin (count on the coffin being quickly claimed by the closest youngster as it's ideal for any kid with even the slightest Halloween inspired imagination). The wine itself is a Reserve Zinfandel, at 15% alcohol it's not your everyday drinking wine but it's fruit forward and will surely be a hit with any Halloween party crowd. Downsides to this wine are that Armida only produces a few dozen cases so it may be hard to find and at $25 a bottle it may be pricey for the the average Halloween party budget. If you are going all out for your Halloween party though, this IS the wine to serve." - Brad Prescott , Founder, IntoWine.com

Thanksgiving Dessert Wine: What Pairs with Pumpkin Pie?

Pumpkin pie is a staple of Thanksgiving dinner. Whereas most traditional desserts are derived from either chocolate or fruits, pumpkin pie is different in that it is a vegetable dessert (though botanically it is technically a fruit). As such, pairing a dessert wine with pumpkin pie is a unique challenge. IntoWine.com asked a panel of wine experts their thoughts on what dessert wine to pair with pumpkin pie: "Cream or Oloroso Sherry . My specific bottle recommendation is the Lustau East India Solera Sherry (approx price range $22).

Thanksgiving Dinner Wine Recommendations: What Pairs With Turkey?

Thanksgiving dinner is arguably the biggest feast Americans enjoy in a given year. More time and energy goes into planning and preparing this meal than any other. Choosing a wine to serve that not only pairs well with a dozen side dishes but also appeals to everyone from Aunt Margaret to Cousin Bobby can be a daunting task. In the spirit of Turkey Day, IntoWine.com posed the question to a panel of wine experts: What pairs well with Thanksgiving turkey? " The traditional Thanksgiving meal , to the English, who don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, would be considered almost identical to their Christmas dinner. Turkey with all the trimmings. An English friend recently asked me what I thought of the difference between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The answer quite simply: a tree, gifts and crackers. Crackers are an indispensible accoutrement to the English Christmas dinner table. They look like small wrapped colorful tubes, inside of which are surprises [trinkets, indoor fireworks, paper hats and lame jokes]. These fall out, piñata style, when two people pull at each end, as it suddenly breaks open with a loud crack. Drinking is an all day affair. I’ll be starting my Thanksgiving with Montsarra Cava , which I drink regularly as a perfectly delicious alternative to expensive Champagne. I might opt, instead, for my own Broadbent Vinho Verde , which has lower alcohol and a very subtle spritz. With the turkey, I’ll probably drink a white wine, perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc, my favorite Spy Valley , the most delicious one I’ve found from New Zealand. However, Riesling is also fantastic with Turkey and selections like Guntrum Dry Riesling from the Rheinhessen or Dr. H by Dr. Hermann in the Mosel are not only delicious but also kind to the wallet! For the more adventurous, a Gewurztraminer, such as Aresti Gewurz from Chile offers a little more complexity to the meal. If you insist on a red wine with turkey, no question, my choice would be Chateau Musar , which goes with almost everything! However, they also make a wonderful crowd pleasing rose called Musar Jeune, which would be fun with turkey.

Barbecue Wine: Wine Recommendations for Summer Holiday BBQ's

Summer is barbecue season and -while beer is likely to reign supreme for picnicers on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day- wine is increasingly more popular as a relaxing summertime beverage. With wine's increase in popularity comes the challenge of finding a wine to serve that not only beats the heat, but pairs well with typical barbecue fare. In the spirit of summer, IntoWine.com asked a panel of wine experts their thoughts on what wine to serve at your summer barbecue: The best barbecue wines are fruity , simple but well made, with juiciness and good acidity. Good rosés go well with a lot of lighter barbecued meats, as well as the salads and appetizers typically found at a barbecue. Some of my favorite rosés, year after year, come from François Chidaine, whose Touraine Rosé is a delicate and minerally stunner, and Charles Joguet, whose Chinon Rosé has very appetizing olive and lightly herbaceous flavors. For richer barbecued meat dishes, I find the right fruity, balanced, high acid combination in Pinot Noir, the wine that goes with virtually everything, and cool climate Syrahs. Pinots with the requisite acidity can easily be found, at value prices, from New Zealand (try Pinots from Wither Hills, Mud House, Mt. Difficulty and Nautilus Estate). Cool climate California Syrahs that won’t break the bank include Dierberg Santa Ynez Valley, Saxon-Brown Owl Box Parmelee-Hill (Sonoma), Shane Valenti Ranch (Anderson Valley) and Peay Vineyards Les Titans (Sonoma Coast). Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com.

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