Wine and Food Pairings - Steak, Seafood, and Chicken

chickenAnthony Doretti
Wine and Food Pairings - Steak, Seafood, and Chicken
0 comments

What is Wine and Food Pairings


Table of Contents

 

If you're going to drink wine with your meal, it's best to get the pairing correct. A good pairing of wine means that both the wine and food will be working in harmony and enhancing the flavors of one another. If the wine pairing is wrong, the food or wine will be overwhelming. We wanted to give you a reference for the perfect wine pairing for your lunch or dinner plans. Using the tips below will help you find the right wine pairing for common food such as steak, seafood, and chicken.

 

Wine Pairings with Steak

There's really nothing better than a juicy, flavorful steak to go along with your favorite red wine. The components of a red wine are going to pair very nicely and complement the choice of steak for dinner. When pairing your food with your wine, it's important to keep in mind that you aren't going to want either to overpower one another so you have to find the perfect balance between the flavors. That's why steak and red wine go so well together; neither will be overpowered by the flavors of one another.

Cabernet Sauvignon

The number one pairing for Steak is a great Cabernet Sauvignon more often than not. Because of the flavors presented by steak, you're going to want a proper full-bodied red wine to pair with the steak. The plum, black cherry, blackberry, and spice flavor profile of a typical Cabernet Sauvignon is going to pair perfectly with a hearty red meat steak. The Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of wine in the United States and a good Cabernet Sauvignon is going to present strong flavors that will pair well with any steak.

 

Zinfandel, Merlot, Malbec

You can also pair a Steak with other Red Wine Varietals such as Zinfandel, Merlot, and Malbec. The Zinfandel varietal is a light-bodied red wine but because of the tannins, alcohol content, and acidity the Zinfandel varietal will taste more like a bold red wine. Much of the same can be said about a Merlot or Malbec where you're most likely going to be getting a medium bodied wine with the flavor profile of black cherry, plum, and tobacco. Regardless of varietal, you're going to want to pair your red meat with big, bold, full-bodied or medium-bodied red wine.

 

 Red Wines We Recommend Pairing with Steak

Cabernet Sauvignon - Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

The wine tastes are rich and intense with a complex character and smooth finish. Luxurious texture with black currants and vanilla. One of the best value wines we have - the boldness of the wine is the perfect pairing for a great steak.

 Zinfandel - 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zinfandel 2016

Bursting with aromatic red fruit scents and complex black fruit flavors. A touch of Petite Sirah and Syrah enhance those flavors even more with bold black and white pepper spices.

 

 

Wine Pairings with Seafood

 Pinot Noir, Syrah

For the wine pairing of Seafood, it really is going to come down to what type of seafood you are having or serving. For Salmon or Ahi Tuna, you're going to want to pair with a Pinot Noir or even a Syrah, depending on the style of Syrah. For other types of seafood such as grilled fish, you're going to want to pair it with a red wine that works well with the smokiness of the grilled fish.

 

Chardonnay, Riesling

For seafood such as shrimp, lobster, sea bass, or trout, you're going to want to pair these with a white wine. Think of pairing these with either a Chardonnay or Riesling, depending on the flavors of the dish and the style of the Riesling (whether it's a sweet riesling or a dry riesling) or Chardonnay. You're going to want the wine flavors to pair well with the flavors of your dish.

 

Red and White Wines We Recommend Pairing With Seafood

Pinot Noir - The Pinot Project Pinot Noir 2017

Pure Pinot aromas and flavors -- black cherries kissed by oak and complimented by just the right amount of Asian spice. Extremely versatile with a host of your favorite dishes.

Buy it Here: The Pinot Project Pinot Noir 2017 - $12.95

Chardonnay - Orin Swift Cellars Mannequin Chardonnay 2016

A massive palate consists of ripe white peach and a bold Werther’s Original entry and a layered mid- palate of nectarines, pineapple and honey. A touch of green apple and wet stone culminate in a concise cre`me brulee finish.

Buy it Here: Orin Swift Cellars Mannequin Chardonnay 2016 - $28.95

Chicken Wine Pairing

 

Wine Pairings with Chicken

 Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

 You can enjoy your chicken with either a red or white wine depending on your preference as well as how you prepared your chicken. If you prepared your chicken in a light, creamy sauce you're going to want to go with a white wine such as a versatile Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, or Pinot Gris.You can also pair these white wines with chicken that is prepared with light seasoning or slightly spicy chicken dishes. If you are going to go with a spicy chicken dish or spicy asian chicken dish, we suggest pairing with a Riesling because of the great fruit-forward flavor.

For chicken that is prepared with a tomato or Pepper-based sauce, we recommend going with a red wine. A good Merlot would work great here but if you prefer a Cabernet Sauvignon we say go for it instead. Also if you're roasting a chicken, you may look to pair it with a red wine such as a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. If you prefer a white wine however, we suggest pairing a roasted chicken with Chardonnay.

Chicken wine pairing is similar to seafood in the way that the perfect pairing really comes down to how the dish is prepared, how much and what seasoning to use, isfthe sauce a light, white sauce or if it is a red sauce, etc.

Red and White Wines We Rcommend Pairing With Chicken

Chardonnay - Stag's Leap Chardonnay 2017

This graceful Chardonnay has a broad, expressive nose with lemon, stone fruit and vanilla aromas. Medium bodied, this wine has a lovely texture and subtle flavors of red apple, light citrus and Asian pear that lead to a long finish with a hint of creamy oak.

Merlot - Oleada Merlot 2016

In this wine, notes of blackberry, red plum, and cedar form a layered palate and a smooth finish.
Tags: Chicken, Food pairing, Seafood, Steak, Wine pairing

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published