Home - Tour - Menu - Platters - Packages - Cooking -Recipes - Wine Tips - Contact Us - Directions

---

FOOD AND WINE PAIRING TIPS
Great wine and food combinations come not only from matching flavors, but also in contrasting them.
Wines should follow each other at the table in a progression from driest/lightest to sweetest/most full-bodied.
THE FOLLOWING ARE ONLY SUGGESTIONS - MATCH WHATEVER TASTES GOOD TO YOU

White Wines	Aromas and Flavors	Body	Foods	Serving Temp
Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris)	citrus, apricot, apple, pear, peach, melon, honey, vanilla; mildly perfumed, soft, dry	Light; Crisp	shrimp, white cheeses	45-50 °F
Chenin Blanc (Vouvray)	fruity, apple, peach, pear, melon, honey, quince, nutty, floral, herbal tea, mineral; off-dry finish.	Light to Medium; Crsip	white fishes, salads	45-50 °F
Pinot Blanc	citrus, apple, pear, melon, sweet pea, floral; dry.	Light to Medium; Crisp	pate, pork loin	45-50 °F
Sauvignon Blanc	herbaceous, grassy, hay, citrus, grape-fruity, gooseberry, lemon, melon, green apple; a light, dry, crisp wine.	Light to Medium; Crisp	poultry, white or light fish, clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp, spicy asian cuisine, salads, mild cheese, goat cheese, tomatoes, fruit	45-50 °F
Gewurztraminer	grapefruit, lychee nut, apple, nectarine, nutmeg, ginger, clove, cinnamon, ginger, floral, rose petals, white pepper; Slightly sweet, spicy clean finish.	Light to Medium	meat or poultry dishes with fruit sauces, heavily seasoned dishes, smoked fish, spicy asian cuisine	45-50 °F
Riesling	citrus, apple, pear, lemon, melon, nectarine, apricot, floral, apricot, honey, honeysuckle, tangy/fruity. slight-sweetness balanced by a crisp off-dry finish.	Light to Medium; slightly complex	meat or poultry dishes with fruit sauces, heavily seasoned dishes, pate, duck, sushi	45-50 °F
Fume Blanc	citrus, grapefruit, grassy and melony.	Medium	Clams, mussels, oysters, spicy asian cuisine	45-50 °F
Viognier	floral, peach, apricot, pear, fruity, honeysuckle, spice.	Medium	pate, spicy asian cuisine, turkey	45-50 °F
Chardonnay	pear, apple, citrus, lemon, tropical fruit, fig, honey, melon, butterscotch, hazelnut, popcorn, vanilla, oak, buttery,creamy; richly scented nose; dry, lingering aftertaste, smooth finish.	Medium to Full	beef, lamb, duck, chicken, salmon, shellfish, grilled fish, pasta or anything with a cream sauce, cheese, fruit pies	45-50 °F
Red Wines	Aromas and Flavors	Body	Foods	Serving Temp
Beaujolais	a light-bodied, high-acid, simple wine that is low in alcohol and very fruity, with notes of cherry jam.	Light	more heavily seasoned dishes, turkey, tomatoes, citrus fruits, goat cheese	55-60 °F
Pinot Noir	strawberry, raspberry, cherry, vanilla, chocolate, leather, clove, truffle, smoke, buttery, rich fruit; earthy aromas with a velvety, silky finish; moderate to high acidity and moderate to low tannins.	Light to Medium; complex	light meats, chicken, pink fishes, pizza, smoked meats, turkey, venison, grilled anything, tomatoes, citrus fruits, goat cheese	55-60 °F
Gamay	tangy, fruity, strawberry, cranberry, peach; grapey aromas and flavors; low tannins and high acidity.	Light to Medium	more heavily seasoned dishes, tomatoes, citrus fruits, goat cheese	55-60 °F
Tempranillo	flavors of berry, smoke, and spice, sometimes with an earthy undertone; soft, with low acidity and tannins.	Light to Medium	lamb	55-60 °F
Grenache	black fruit, anise, smoky, herbal, sometimes hints of floral, vanilla, spice, and tea; varies from light and fruity to huge, rich red wine.	Light to Heavy	tomato based pasta, pink fishes	55-65 °F
Cabernet Franc	raspberry, cherry, toffee, vanilla and cedar, herbacious; dry and smoky.	Medium	yellow cheeses	55-65 °F
Malbec	ripe fruit, deep color, lush tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component to add complexity to claret blends.	Medium	beef, lamb, duck, chicken, salmon, shellfish, grilled fish	55-65 °F
Merlot	blackberry, black cherry, plum, violet, current, raisin, chocolate, vanilla. A hearty, yet smooth and soft tannic finish.	Medium	pasta, red meat, duck, smoked or grilled foods, hamburgers, hearty stews, lamb	55-65 °F
Meritage	full-bodied with espresso, pomegranate, dark chocolate and black cherry flavors.	Medium to Full	beef, lamb, duck, chicken, salmon, shellfish, grilled fish	55-65 °F
Barbera	fruity, berries, black currant, blackberry, cherry and raspberry, vanilla, herbal, smoke and spice and other complex notes; with some flavor characteristics similar to Cabernet Sauvignon (but higher acid levels and lighter tannins).	Medium to Heavy	tomato based pasta, pizza, smoked meats	55-65 °F
Brunello	a robust, long-lived wine with deep tannins and intense flavors of berry, cedar, plum and tobacco.	Medium to Heavy	tomato based pasta, pizza, smoked meats	55-65 °F
Chianti (Sangiovese)	dark cherry, fruity, tobacco, earthy, almond, herbs, tea, spice; the nose can be floral or berry, with notes of black cherry, grape, plus vanilla from the barrel aging; some chiantis have an earthy quality; high acidity, moderate tannins.	Medium to Heavy	tomato based pasta, pizza, smoked meats	55-65 °F
Syrah (Shiraz)	raspberry, spice, currant, black pepper, jammy, blackberry, plum, cinnamon, anise, tar, and tobacco tones.peppery, spice, blackberry, cinnamon, dark chocolate; lush fruit, dry and richly flavored.	Medium to heavy	red meats, spicy pizzas, herbed sauces on red meat, turkey, blue cheeses, yellow cheeses	55-65 °F
Zinfandel	jammy, cherry, blackberry, raspberry, earthy, black pepper and smoke tones; spicy aromas; dry, spicy finish.	Medium to Heavy	tomato pasta dishes, pizza, pesto, red meats, chicken with heavy sauces, duck, lamb, beef, ribs, cheese	55-65 °F
Cabernet Sauvignon	blueberries, black current, cherry, raspberries, plum, pepper, mint, chocolate, tea, tobacco; notes of cedar, leather, and smoke notes with a full-bodied, long finish; a robust, complex wine generally yielding rich dark fruit; full, dry, and deep, with firm tannins, plus oak and vanilla from the barrels.	Heavy	red meats, especially a juicy barbequed steak, grilled and smoked foods, duck, lamb, beef, cheese, chcocolates	60-65 °F
Petit Syrah	blackberry, lush fruit, jammy, pepper, jammy, spice, wood; hearty and tannic.	Heavy	red meats, hearty stews, chocolates	60-65 °F
Rose Wines	Aromas and Flavors	Body	Foods	Serving Temp
White Zinfandel	slight pink in color, strawberry nose, sweet to off-dry with a fresh, fruity finish.	Light	meat or poultry dishes with fruit sauces)	45-55 °F
Dry Rosé	slight pink in color, off-dry with a crisp, fruity finish.	Light	salads, pasta salads, bbq chicken or pink fishes, light spicy foods, calamari, lobster, white cheeses	45-55 °F
Dessert Wines	Aromas and Flavors	Body	Foods	Serving Temp
Muscat	a sweet wine with a perfumy nose and flavors that can include berry, floral, fruit, lemon, musk and spices; it is typically lower in acid than other sweet wines.	Medium	biscotti, fruit pies	45-55 °F
Sparkling Wine	apple, pear, yeast	Medium	clams, mussels, oysters, caviar, white cakes	40-50 °F
Ice Wines	very sweet, rich	Light to Full		40-50 °F
Port	a rich, sweet, viscous wine for dessert for after-dinner, Port is a blend of several grapes; it is fortified with brandy, giving it the highest alcohol content among wines; common flavor notes are nuts, pepper, fruit, black currant and/or smoke.	Rich	chocolate cakes and puddings	55-70 °F