By Rebecca Ward
Are you confused about what wine to serve at a special occasion dinner? You are not alone. Working out what wine to serve with what dish sounds complicated, but it shouldn’t be. Don’t be afraid to throw all the guidelines out the window and experiment with what wine and food you think pair well together.
For those of you who are still a little unsure, you can follow these simple tips:
STARTERS
Champagne or Sparkling Wine
Nothing suits celebrations better than a glass of crisp, bubbly Champagne or sparkling wine. They go with almost anything, especially salty foods such as smoked salmon.
Always remember to serve them chilled and don’t be afraid to open a second or third bottle with dinner bypassing other wines.
Sparkling Rosé is also a great choice. Rosé is fun, easy to drink, extremely versatile and is the perfect wine to enjoy with friends and family.
SEAFOOD
The wine choices you have with seafood are endless. You can stick with Champagne and Sparkling wine, or you can consider the following:
Semillon
For Seafood, you can’t go past a beautiful young Semillon, especially from the Hunter Valley. Young Semillon is delicate and crisp with abundant citrus aromas and flavours.
Sauvignon Blanc
Lighter than Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc has a grassy citrus aroma and a clean, crisp taste.
POULTRY, GAME, PORK AND VEAL
Roasted turkey, chicken or pork can work well with a variety of White, Rosé, and Medium-bodied Red wines.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is always a popular choice with poultry and pork as they are usually rich and full of flavour.
Shiraz
A light Shiraz is a great accompaniment with veal or roast duck.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is renowned for its supple silky texture and earthy flavours. It’s perfect with lamb, duck, turkey, game birds and beef.
LAMB AND BEEF
Medium to full-bodied reds go well with most lamb and beef dishes. As well as Pinot Noir and Shiraz, other wines that would go well include:
Merlot
Merlot has a soft texture with a delicious plummy, almost fruitcake-like flavour.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon covers a wide spectrum of aromas and flavours. Try it if you are having a rich beef dish.
DESSERT
What wine to pair with dessert will depend on whether you are having a sweet dessert or something plainer, like a cheese and fruit platter? Either way you have to be careful with dessert wines. A sweet dessert wine may be overwhelmed by a sweeter dessert.
Good options include: Botrytis Semillon, Moscato or a good Tawny Port.
Further reading:
Check out our ‘Wine Lover’s Guide Gift‘ and ‘white wine cheat sheet’ in the Food section.
