Oregon Food and Wine Pairing

Appetizers
Soup
Salad 		Beef
Lamb
Veal
 Pork
Game
Poultry		 Fish
Shellfish
Pasta		 Desserts
Cheese
Chinese Food
Appetizers
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Caviar Fresh Dry Champagnes like ultra bruts and blanc de blancs, and top Sparklers The slightly salty delicate flavor of caviar is best with champagne and sparklers. But well chilled vodka is best
Pate n/a White Burgundy, Sauternes, Late Harvest Vidal and Pinot Noir The rich flavor and texture of pate requires whites and reds with firm acidity
Green Olives Marinated Spanish Fino and Manzanilla A match made in heaven
Escargots garlic White Burgundy, Gewurtztraminer, Beaujolais n/a
Roasted red peppers Rich, oky, sweet Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc Pinto Grigio, Beaujolais, Grenache, Dolcetto n/a
Soup  |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Vichyssoise n/a Fino, Manzanilla, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon n/a
Seafood Bisque Pinot Gris, Burgundy and New World Chardonnay, Amontillado, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc A dry white with good body
Bouillabaisse n/a Dry Rose Provencal dry roses are ideal, but others can work well, if not too fruity
Salad   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Green Salad Lettuce, arugula, frisee, radicchio, green herbs, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay Try to avoid having vinegar in your salad dressing since vinegar destroys the flavor of wine. Herbaceous whites with good acidity are best with vinaigrettes; Balsamic are more wine friendly.
Salad Nicoise n/a Dry aromatic white or dry rose or pungent Sauvignon Blanc n/a
Spinach Salad n/a n/a n/a
Beef   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Brisket Barbecue Shiraz, Chianti, Zinfandel, Petit Verdot Make sure they are young and hearty reds that can stand up to your barbecue sauce
Stew Beef Bourguignon Bordeaux blend, Syrah/Shiraz, Malbec, Zinfandel A lusty full flavored red will taste wonderful with beef stews and other braised beef dishes
Steak au poivre Cabernet, Merlot or peppery Zinfandel Full flavored, big textured red is needed here to counter the pepper
T-bone Grilled Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot Bordeaux Full flavored, big textured red
Meat Loaf Veal, Pork, Beef Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel. Medium-bodied reds with some spice would go best
Chili Chile con carne Zinfandel n/a
Lamb   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Leg of Lamb Roast Bordeaux from Pauillac or St. Julien, New World Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Cote Rotie, Shiraz Complex deep red goes here
Chops Grilled with Lemon,-thyme butter, white beans French wines from the South like Bandol, young Bordeaux, Cabernet, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Sangiovese n/a
Stew Tomatoes, onions, potatoes, peas Spanish riojas, earthy New World Pinots n/a
n/a Curry White Rhone, Bandol Rose, German Kabinett, Gewürztraminer Pungent, spicy curry require a high acid white, crisp and young, or a rose.
Souvlaki Grilled Cabernet Francs, Cabernets, Medium-bodied reds with herbal notes
Veal   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Chops Served with wild mushroom (porcini ) sauce Barolo, Brunello, Barbaresco, Tuscan blends, youthful Bordeaux, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, rich Spanish reds from Ribera del Duero or Priorat. Rich full complex reds best here
Scaloppini Served with egg plant and tomatoes Nebbiolo, Chianti; Cotes du Rhone, Spanish Rioja, Red Burgundy n/a
Osso Buco Veal shanks, carrots, celery, rosemary, sage, lemon peel etc. etc. Barbaresco, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, or Taurasi. Herbal white wines also work: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Vernaccia, Greco di Tufo, Amarone Some folks argue that Amarone and Osso Buco are a marriage made in heaven.
Wiener Schnitzel n/a Riesling, Grunerveltliner Light red, dry medium bodied white
*Pork   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Chops Red wine marinade Rhone reds, Chianti, Shiraz, Barbera, Zinfandel, especially, if the marinade is fruity Select a bigger wine to drink than the wine used in the marinade
Roast Loin Tarragon and Mustard Sauce Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume, Grave, Meursault, New World Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc from Virginia and the Loire Valley, herbal Pinot Noirs Whites with high acidity, rich full flavors, and herbal; soft easy drinking reds herbal in character. A classic white Burgundy or similar quality New World Chardonnay
Spareribs oky Barbecued Ribs Zinfandel, Petit Verdot, Primitivo n/a
Ham Baked and honey-glazed Full Flavored Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Dry Rose, Pinot Noir, If oked ham, try German Riesling; Pinot Noir works well with the saltiness of ham
Sausages rich onion gravy, olives, capers, Malbec, red Bordeaux Whites that have spicy, oily character like Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio also work
*Game   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Venison n/a Merlot, Shiraz, Zinfandel Big rich supple fruit forward red is best
Poultry   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Roast Chicken Salt, pepper, garlic, lemon in the cavity Rioja and Ribero del Duero, Barbera, Dolcetto, Grenache, Petite Syrah, Red Burgundy, German Riesling or other similar style delicate Chardonnay Chicken is usually neutral in flavor so pay closer attention to marinades, accompanying vegetables, herbs and spices when pairing with wine.
Sauteed Chicken Tomato-based sauces Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Rioja, Dao n/a
Grilled Chicken Marinades of garlic, saffron, paprika, cilantro, ginger Off-dry whites Rieslings, Hoorays, Sauvignon Blanks, off-dry roses, Cotes-du-Rhone, Gigondas, Minervois Medium-bodied reds with good acidity and spice, off-dry whites and roses; ginger needs sweetness of Vouvrays and off-dry wines; cilantro needs more herbaceous wines like Sauvignon Blanc
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Fish, chicken, vegetables dishes Sparklers, Gewurztraminer, and fruity roses These pairings work unless the food is very spicy.
Duck Breast Grilled Pinot Noir or Beaujolais Meaty and fruity often make good pairs
n/a Roasted with plum sauce Barbera or Syrah or other reds with black plum flavors, Nebbiolo n/a
Quail and Squab Oven roasted Rioja Reserva, Bordeaux, Pinotage n/a
Turkey Plain Roast Light bodied white and red wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Beaujolais, Cabernet Franc n/a
Turkey Thanksgiving meal All the trimmings Gewurtraminer or rich fruity red like Syrah or even Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc Intensely flavored wines needed with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and other dishes
Fish   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Salmon Grilled or seared White Burgundy, Chablis, Viognier, Chardonnay Pinot Gris, and even young Pinot Noir n/a
n/a oked champagnes and sparklers, manzanilla sherry, dry Riesling n/a
Tuna Grilled or seared White Burgundy, Chardonnay-Viognier and Rhone blends, Pinot Noir and Merlot n/a
Sole, Turbot, Halibut Grilled White Burgundy, Chablis, lightly oaked or un-oaked Chardonnays, Pinot Grigio Light-bodied fish like sole work best with a light-bodied white wine like Pinot Grigio
*Shell Fish   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
oysters, clams, mussels. Raw, steamed in wine with garlic and parsley Champagne or Sparkling Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Muscadet Shell fish is almost always best with whites that are crisp and high in acidity
shrimp Fried Muscadet n/a
Oyster stew n/a Chardonnay Richer whites with richer sauces
Seafood salad cold Champagne or Sparkling Wine, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio, n/a
Cioppino Tomato and seafood Zinfandel n/a
Lobster Richly sauced Champagne, Chardonnay, Vigonier n/a
Crab Cold Crab Salad Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier n/a
Crab cake n/a Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay A sweet pepper aioli would call for Chardonnay
Soft shell crab n/a Chardonnay, Riesling n/a
Scallops Sauteed simple Champagne or Sparkling Wine. Sauvignon Blanc Sweet flavor good with crisp wine
n/a Cream sauces Semi-dry Riesling Best with medium-dry whites
n/a Grilled with Peppers Chardonnay n/a
Pasta   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Lasagna Cheese and tomato sauce Chianti, Vino da Tavola, n/a
Ravioli Butter and cream sauce Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay n/a
Tortelloni Stuffed with Gorgonzola Robust Malbec, Chianti n/a
Macaroni and cheese Cheese Sauce Pinot Grigio or Dolcetto, Beaujolais n/a
Pizza Tomato and cheese Chianti, Zinfandel n/a
Spaghetti Meat Sauce Chianti, Barbara, Zinfandel Spaghetti and Zinfandel are favorite American food and wine pairing
Linguini Clam Sauce Arneis, Gavi n/a
n/a Pesto Sauce Vernaccia, Verdicchio, Orvieto n/a
Fettucini Carbonara Amarone n/a
Desserts   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Apple Pie Tart apples, cinnamon Auslese, Late-harvest Riesling, Muscat, Sauterne, Late Harvest Vidal n/a
Cheesecake Plain and with fruit Orange Muscat, French Beaumes-de-Venise, Sauternes, Late Harvest Vidal Sauternes goes well when cheese cake has fruit topping
Tiramisu n/a Vin Santo or cream Sherry n/a
Chocolate Chocolate cake, mousse, souffles Banyuls, Baumes-de-Venise, California Orange Muscat, Muscat Blanc, Vintage Port, Tawny Port, Extra-dry champagne Banyuls from the Cotes de Roussillon district of France make the perfect match; chocolate with cabernets accentuate their tannins and diminish their fruit
Cheese   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Double Cream and Triple Cream Brie, Camembert Sparkling wines, medium-bodied Pinot Noir, Sancerre n/a
Cheddars Mild, sharp, tangy, robust Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Merlot, Syrah, whites with bottle aging n/a
Hard Cheeses Parmesan, Comte, Gruyere Sancerre, Graves and similar style Sauvignon Blancs, Chablis, Gewürztraminers, Riesling or even sweet Sauternes or Mombazillac and Tempranillo n/a
Goat Cheese n/a Riesling, Grunerveltliner, Sauternes, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume A white wine is best here.
Stilton, Roquefort, and other Blue cheeses n/a Port, Amarone, Sauternes, Sparkling wines, Syrah, Zinfandel, Chianti Also try Sauternes with Roquefort since sweet and salty work well together
Chinese Food   |   Back to Top
Type of Dish Preparations-Sauces Wine Options Food and Wine Pairing Notes
n/a n/a Riesling or Gewurztraminer Low alcohol fruity wines go best with spicy food

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