If you can’t tell your Shiraz from a Merlot but have the daunting task of selecting wine for a dinner party just follow our tips to choose the right bottle every time. Cheers!

Wine and food pairing basics

Wine should complement the dish it’s served with and vice versa — neither should out-do the other. The key is to choose a wine that’s similar to the food. Sometimes it’s the sauce or seasonings that give a dish its defining flavor (such as tomatoes, pepper or lemon), which is what you want to match. So, for example, if you serve lemon chicken, select a wine with a citrus keynote. TIP: Check the label on the back of the bottle as it often describes the notes.

Top Ten

While this list of grape varietals is in no way exhaustive, it’s a great place to start and offers plenty of options for choosing a superb bottle of wine.

Whites

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris

Pinot Grigio’s taste and color are light, delicate and fresh. Pinot Gris is made from the same grape only it’s grown in France instead of Italy and often has a hint of sweetness.

Serve with : Green leafy salads or seafood, such as prawns and oysters. Pinot Gris also complements slightly weightier dishes, such as pan-seared foie gras.

Sauvignon Blanc

Very pale in color with aromas of fresh-cut grass, grapefruit and citrus, Sauvignon Blanc is crisp, clean and refreshing. It also has notes of passion fruit, elderflower and gooseberries.

Serve with : Baked or broiled fish, seafood pastas or mild cheese, such as chevre.

Riesling

This wine is typically a light golden color and features citrus flavors with mineral notes and aromas of fresh-cut flowers and gentle spice. Its natural sweetness is offset by a fresh acidity and it’s the quintessential food wine because it pairs well with many dishes.

Serve with : Roasted chicken or turkey, Asian cuisine (such as stir-fries) or lightly spiced seafood curries.

Gewurztraminer

(pronounced: Ge-vertz-tra-meener) Difficult to say (especially after a glass or two) but wonderful to drink, Gewurzt is one of the most exotic white grapes. Orange blossom, lychee, rose and cinnamon are some of the notes this wine features.

Serve with : Mildly spicy dishes (such as light curries), creamy pastas or tangy salads.

Chardonnay

This golden colored wine varies in flavor, depending on where the grapes are grown. Southern hemisphere Chards (think Australia, South Africa, Chile) tend to taste of peaches and pears or tropical fruit like bananas, pineapple and mango while northern hemisphere (France, U.S.A., Canada) examples exhibit notes of sweet citrus, honey and roasted nuts. Many Chardonnays feature aromas of peaches, pears, citrus and tropical fruits, such as banana or pineapple. And aging it in oak casks imparts spicy, vanilla aromas, making it one of the boldest whites.

Serve with : Rich foods, such as roasted turkey and pork, creamy pastas or salmon.

Reds

Pinot Noir

It’s the lightest of the reds, and has an easy-to-drink reputation. Berries, plums, minerals and light spice round out the flavors while fresh acidity and delicate tannins (the things that shock the side of your jaw) give Pinot a light mouth-feel.

Serve with : Everything from roasted turkey and broiled salmon to mushroom soup.

Gamay Noir

This grape put the Beaujolais region of France on the map. Gamay Noir is very light in color and has low acidity and soft tannins, making it compatible with many dishes.

Serve with : Pate, quiche, light pastas and crudités.

Merlot

This popular, easy-to-drink red has the flavor of ripe, full fruit that feels juicy and slightly sweet on the palate.

Serve with : Veal, blackened chicken, fish or rich pasta dishes, such as lasagna.

Shiraz/Syrah

Pepper, spice and bold hits of raspberry, currants and plums define Shiraz. While they’re from the same grape, Syrah tends to be a tad lighter than Shiraz (due to the wine-making process).

Serve with : Roasted lamb, stews or spicy sausage.

Cabernet Sauvignon

It’s the boldest red, boasting a rich inky color and deep, tannic flavor full of black currant, cherry, wood and leather. Loads of acidity and high tannins mellow over the years if cellared.

Serve with : Pepper steak, brisket or wild meats, such as venison.

did you know?

Champagne or sparkling wine goes with everything from antipasto to banana Fosters. (Champagne is usually a blend of Pinot Noir (skins removed) and Chardonnay.) So serve them when you’re not sure what wine to pick.

sweet surrender

Wines are given a number based on how dry or sweet they are. For both red and white, the rating system starts at zero, which represents the lowest sugar content, and extends into the 20s (ice wines are the sweetest). Wine should always be sweeter than the food it accompanies. For example, sweet chutneys or fruit sauces on roasted meat can handle a wine with a sugar content of one or two. And those with a high rating, such as port, sherry or ice wine, should be served with dessert.

acid test

Wines with high acidity taste tart and feel lighter in your mouth than those with lower acidity. Unfortunately, there isn’t a rating system for acidity, though the back label may mention it with descriptors, such as “crisp,” “tart” or “fresh.”

warm up and cool down

Let white wine stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving because if it’s too cold, all you taste is acidity. Red wine is often poured too warm, creating a heavy feeling in your mouth. Place your bottle of red in a bucket filled with ice water for a couple minutes to cool it down a bit.

air it out

Let red wine “breathe” before serving it to release its aromas and so you can taste its full profile. Simply popping the cork does little to help aerate it as wine benefits from direct exposure to air. For best results, pour your wine into a decanter and let it to sit for five to 10 minutes.

Sniff this

The practice of sniffing the cork is all about show and little about substance. It’s part of the ritual of “tasting” wine (cork sniffing followed by glass swirling then leg watching, bouquet smelling and finally tasting) and though pretentious it is not completely without merit. Placing ones nose to the wine-end of a fresh cork can indicate to the drinker if the wine is “off”—that is, turned to vinegar or displaying other marks of rebellion. However, the drinker won’t know this for sure until she actually tastes the wine, making the sniff just a tad redundant. And anyone who sends back a bottle of wine without tasting it first should be no friend of yours.

First published in glow magazine