Wine type

Food type

Chardonnay (Arrowood Grand Archer, $13)
Medium to full-bodied, dry.

Poultry and game birds, veal and pork, rabbit fish and pasta preparations which feature cream and/or butter, mushrooms.

Sauvignon Blanc (Charles Wiffen, $14)
Light-medium bodied, dry.

First courses, seafood, ethnic dishes—pastas, curries, salsas, spicy sausages, vegetable dishes, luncheon salads, olive-oil based dishes, tomato sauces, goat cheese.

Chenin Blanc (Denis Marchais Vouvray, $9)
Light to medium-bodied, normally off-dry to semi-sweet.

Braised Chicken, sushi and other Oriental dishes, poultry, pork.

Riesling (Schmitt Sohne Kabinett Riesling, $9)
Light to medium bodied, semi-sweet to off-dry.

Crabmeat, appetizers and finger foods, pork, salads.

Cabernet Sauvignon (Penfolds Thomas Hyland, $14)
Medium to full-bodied, tannic and dry.

Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses.

Merlot, (Calina Reserve, $9)
Medium to full-bodied, less tannic than Cabernet, dry.

Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses, stews, pizza, heart pastas.

Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Spires, $11)
Medium to full bodied

Beef fillet with tomato based sauce. Rich spicy meals. Veal, kangaroo, roast duck. Sparkling shiraz goes well with pastries and puddings.

Grenache (Borsao, Spain, $8)
Medium to full bodied dry red

Fillet steak with tomato based sauce, sweet seafood, chicken and red meats

Pinot Noir (Sebastiani Carnernos, $12)
Medium to light-bodied, dry, little tannin leaves silky texture.

Lamb, duck, turkey, game birds, beef, rabbit, semi-soft cheeses.

Rosé (Belle Provencale, $8)
Vary greatly in the level of residual sugar (sweetness).

Best with smoked foods, quiche, pork and ham, Mexican and Thai food. Can be served with all food.

Brut, (Zardetto Prosecco, $14)
Dry

Aperitifs and first courses, fruits and nuts. Fuller bodied variations go well with any fish and chicken

Blanc de Noir (Cristolino Rose’, $10)
Dry but more fruity than Brut. Made from Red grapes only.

Aperitif, with lunch, desserts

Blanc de Blancs (Vernay, $8)
Delicate dry wine made from white grapes only.

Caviar. Anytime

Food type

Wine type

Chinese

Choose slightly sweet or off-dry wines. Frontignac, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Rosés and Traminers are the best. With roasted birds like Peking duck Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir and light Californian Zinfandel.

Japanese

Choose very cold, off-dry, fruity white wines. Any red or white sparkling wine in general. Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc go well with Sushi or Sashimi.

Mexican

Very cold, fruity, full-bodied Sauvignon Blancs and Rosés. Chilli heat will overpower the aromatic nature of Rieslings and Traminers. Pinot Noirs is a good choice and light Merlot. Cabernet is too tannic and robust.

Indian

Choose full-bodied sparking wines and fruit driven reds such as Merlot for sweet curries. Hot and spicy styles match well to slightly sweet and cold Riesling and Gewürztraminer.

Middle Eastern

Fruity wines, both red and white, work well. Choose the drier Rosés and Rieslings.

Barbecue

Wines need to be both fruity and rich for the general foods. Rosé and light style grenache make good choices. Sauvignon Blancs with seafood. More powerful cuts of meat (sirloin) and richly flavoured may be accompanied by fuller style wines of Grenache and Shiraz.

Fried Foods

Sparkling wines with a firm acid finish are terrific. Any crisp, dry, fruity wine, white or red. The acid needs to be high to cut through the fats.

Soup

Heavier style soups will suit a wine more. Fino or Amontillado sherry

Salad

Avoid wine with a salad that has been dressed with a vinegar base. For other salads Champagne would be the safest choice.

Vegetarian

Vegetarian such as bean dishes, enchiladas suit light to medium red, Merlot and light style whites, Chardonnays and dry Riesling for meals base on green vegetables.

Pates

Semillon, Fumé Blanc for general pate and Chardonnay with a fish pate or Sauvignon Blanc for oily types.

Prawns

Any crisp dry white styles, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, dry Riesling, Semillon

Pasta

Barbera and Sangiovese are Italian varieties and supply varietal fruits, crisp acid finish, deep colour and low tannin

Oysters

Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and fine Champagne

Scallops

Chardonnay and medium-dry Riesling (delicate varietal style from a long ripening region)

Lobster

Chenin Blanc and dry Riesling for a cold salad with dressing. For a hot dish Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Marsanne.

Mussels

Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged Semillon

White Fish

Smokey and oaked flavours will complement, Fumé Blanc and Oaked Chardonnay. Alsace Pinot Gris or Italian Pinot Grigio. Full-bodied reds should be avoided such as Cabernet Sauvignon that can present an unpleasant metallic tangy taste. Fish in tomato or herb based sauces will accompany a medium weighted red (shiraz).

Salmon Tuna

Delicate Chardonnay and dry Riesling. Pinot Noir will also suit. Tuna will also sit well with medium bodied Merlot and Shiraz.

Chicken

For roast chicken Pinot Noir or Merlot.

Turkey

Roasted or cold sliced turkey is a great companion for Cabernet blends with Shiraz and Merlot. Medium to full bodied Shiraz will also suit or Riesling, Gewürztraminer or Chenin Blanc for white wine lovers.

Pork

A versatile food that will work with bold full-bodied Shiraz or a crisp acidic Chardonnay.

Lamb

Medium to full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Roast lamb Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and medium to full bodied Shiraz. Tuscan reds and Italy Chianti.

Beef

Full bodied Shiraz for sirloin. Fillet steak and medium weighted Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc or blends of these. Spicy garnished meats such as pepper or mustard deserve spicy style wines like Grenache and Peppery Shiraz. Roast beef Cabernet Sauvignon (Bordeaux), Pinot Noir (Burgundy) and the Syrah-based red Rhone wines. Big style reds from Tuscany and the Piemonte in Italy -- Barolo, Brunello, and Chianti.

Veal

Most Chardonnays and Pinot Blanc or even with a light red like Beaujolais from France or Dolcetto from Italy.

Duck

Mid weight Shiraz or Merlot with firm acid structure.

Venison

Big meaty styles of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel with a warm to hot alcohol finish.

Cheeses

Cheddars – Cabernet Sauvignon and fuller style Merlots, barrel fermented Chardonnay and Semillon.
Swiss,Gruyere – Pinot Noir.
Blue cheese – Sauterne, Tawny Port and Dessert wines are traditional but will also work with very dry (Fino) Sherries.
Creamy cheeses, Camembert and Brie – Very dry Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Malolactic Chardonnay for those developed buttery notes. Champagne also works well.

Dessert

Good dessert wines such a Botrytis wines are best sipped and should be served by themselves as a dessert. Mouses and crème brûlée are well matched to Sauterne. Muscat and sweet Riesling for fruit tarts, fruit cakes and nut based pies like pecan. Blue cheese and nuts (walnuts) with Tawny Port.

Fruit

Aromatic wines for those strong fruit flavours Riesling, Traminer, Frontignac