California Wine and Food Pairing
There are so many amazing food and wine pairings from California, that it’s hard to know where to start. There are few things in life as pleasurable as sipping a glass of wine while enjoying a delicious meal. But what should you drink with what you’re eating? Fear not, intrepid wine lover, for we’re here to help. In this blog post, we’ll explore some food and wine pairings from our home state of California. So pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of vino, and dig in!
The age-old question that gets asked even more during the holiday entertainment season:
What California wine should I serve with my meal?
Wine pairing can be overwhelming. Here is some help with your California wine and food pairing. This is not a hard and fast rule – you can drink whichever wine you want. Let’s take a look at a few things.
Basic California wine and food pairing
1. What kind of wine do you like? If you don’t like red, or if you don’t like white wine, then it makes no sense to say that is what you need to drink! The basic answer may be as simple as the answer to what do you like? Wine and food pairing doesn’t work if you don’t like it!
2. Now if you like both red and white wine, then ask yourself, what would compliment the meal you are serving? You don’t want to overwhelm your delicious food, you want to compliment it. So if you are serving a lighter meal, a heavy California wine would overwhelm your meal. A lighter red or white California wine might be more appropriate. But you usually don’t want to serve a sweeter wine with a meal. Of course, there are a few exceptions for that too.
3. Now the age-old rule of “you have to serve California white wine with white meat” is not always the case either. Also, consider not only your meat but your sauce. A heavier bolder sauce would pair better with a bolder red wine. A Syrah or Barbera might be a good choice in this case. Serving a steak? Try a peppery Zinfandel or juicy Cabernet. See, wine and food pairings can be fun and delicious!
4. There are many delicious light reds that pair well with seafood, such as Pinot. But this is one that I prefer my Chardonnay or Viognier, especially with a creamy white sauce.
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Now let’s look at recommendations for specific California wines:
Now let’s look at recommendations for specific California wines:Chardonnay wine pairing
– Chardonnay is great with fatty fish or fish in a rich sauce. I also like it with Fettucine Alfredo. Salmon, seafood, chicken, and polenta.
Champagne wine pairing – Champagne is good with anything right? Well, it is recommended especially for anything salty. Nuts, cheese, pasta or risotto, seafood.
Sauvignon Blanc wine pairing – This wine goes well with dishes that have tart dressings and sauces. Tangy foods won’t be overwhelmed by it. I also enjoy it with cheese and crackers. See our article on wine and cheese pairing here.
Pinot Noir wine pairing – Pair Pinot with recipes with earth flavors, such as mushrooms. It also pairs well with salmon, roasted chicken, and pasta.
Cabernet Sauvignon wine pairing – Cabs are great with red meat! I have a hard time sitting down to a steak dinner without a glass of delicious cab. Also great with lamb chops.
Malbec wine pairing – This wine holds up well to sweet/spicy BBQ sauces. Also good with a blue cheese burger-Yum!
Try with roasted lamb or a marinated flank steak.
Syrah wine pairing – Also known as Shiraz, Syrah is great for spicy dishes. Try it with your spicy BBQ, braised beef, and grilled meats.
Zinfandel wine pairing – A good California Zinfandel is good for turkey dinner, stews, meaty pasta sauces.
Port wine pairing – port is really good after dinner or dessert wine. It is also good with dried fruits, berry pies, truffles, and nuts.
California wine and food pairing – for great California wines, click here.
Let’s Look at Specific Types of Foods and What Wine to Pair
What wine to pair with spaghetti and lasagna wine pairing. Both are of course similar with a heavy red sauce, so a good wine that holds up to a hearty red sauce is Zinfandel or Syrah.
Chicken wine pairing – a lighter red such as a Pinot Noir, or a full-bodied white wine such as a Chardonnay.
Sushi wine pairing – a dry Reisling would be a good choice. If you are eating spicy sushi, then an off-dry Riesling will help cut the spice.
Prime rib wine pairing and steak wine pairing- Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or any of your bigger reds.
Pork tenderloin wine pairing – as this meat is relatively mild, choose a wine that will not overwhelm it. A medium-bodied red such as Pinot Noir or a lighter Zin.
Ham wine pairing – Ham can be good with a fruiter wine, such as a Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Rose, or fruiting Zinfandel. Also good would be a Pinot Noir
Seafood wine pairing – A good full-bodied Chardonnay. A lighter red like a Pinot Noir, Merlot or light Zinfandel would be good for your stronger fishes such as salmon and tuna. For shellfish, choose a lighter white wine.
Lamb wine pairing – Medium to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
Duck wine pairing – Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Barbera, or Sangiovese are all good.
California wine and food pairing – for great California wines, click here.
Dessert food and wine pairing
Wine and chocolate pairing can be delicious and fun! Port wine is delicious with chocolate. Take a sip of your port, then a bite of the chocolate, then another sip of your port. It is amazing! Also, try some of these dessert wine pairings:
White Chocolate pairing – try a sweet white, Rose or Muscat.
Milk Chocolate pairing – this pairs well with Merlot, Gewurtztraminer or Pinot Noir
Pair dark chocolate with a powerful red wine that is high in tannins.
California wine and food pairing – for great California wines, click here.
Go ahead and try California Wine and Food Pairing
If you’re looking for the perfect California wine to pair with your next meal, look no further. Try some of these food and wine pairings that will have your taste buds singing. And if you want to get the best deals on California wines, be sure to check out our exclusive California Wine Club. With membership benefits like $1 shipping and discounts and specials, there’s no reason not to join!
Wine/Food pairing is fun to experiment with and find your favorites. Remember, the varietals can vary from winery to winery – even year to year. And don’t stress over it. Don’t make it overly complicated. If you have chosen a decent wine, then it will be enjoyed! Looking for some delicious wine choices to try, then check out the link below to enjoy your own California wine and food pairing.
Order your delicious California Wines and set up our own Wine and Food Pairing
