Wine & Food Pairing

Sweetness in food cancels the “fruit” and/or any residual sugar in wines, making them taste drier than they are. Sweet dishes call for wines of at least equal sweetness.

Antigua Crème Brulee and Antigua Dessert Wine

Salty or briny foods also cancel the “fruit” in wines. Salty dishes call for aromatic wines with high acidity, some sweetness, low tannins, and/or intense fruitiness.

Fresh Oysters in Champagne and Sauvignon Blanc or sparkling wine

Tart foods cancel some of a wine’s fruitiness. Serve them with lightly sweet, very fruity, and/or full bodied white wines. In some cases, tart or crisp wines will also work well.

Endive Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette and a crisp Chardonnay

Spicy/hot foods cancel some of a wine’s fruitiness too. Serve them with lightly sweet, very fruity, low tannin, and/or crisp wines. Stay away from higher alcohol, tannic red, and/or oaky wines.

Sea Scallops with Jerk Marinade and Sauvignon Blanc or Gewürztraminer

Rich dishes overpower delicately flavored, lighter bodied wines. Serve with full flavored, full bodied, higher acid wines.

Braised Lamb Shanks and Cabernet Sauvignon

Fish and game overpower mildly flavored, medium bodied, dry wines. Try these with very fruity, full bodied, high acid, and/or medium sweet wines.

Roasted Salmon with Pernod & Baby Spinach with Pinot Noir

Smoked foods overpower all but the fruitiest, richest wines. Low tannin, extremely rich, and/or moderately sweet wines are best here.

Applewood-Smoked Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Tenderloin and Merlot

Cheese and wine make a classic pairing. Match the 'weight' of the cheese to the wine, or vice versa. For a special after dinner treat, try contrasting a rich, salty cheese with a dessert wine.

Bleu Cheese and Antigua Dessert Wine or Port