Meal types |
What the experts say |
Dos |
Don'ts |
Salty
Antipasto platters with olives, cured meats, salty cheeses such as feta and parmesan and pasta sauces
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“Salty foods pair well with wines that have a lot of sweetness or acid to balance the palette,” Rajpreet explains. |
o Dry sparkling wines o High-acidity whites o Reds |
o Oaky whites o Low acid whites o Tannic red o Anything with high-alcohol content |
Tart or acidic foods
Citrus, vinegar, capers pickles or green apples
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“These foods need a wine with a similar pH level or even higher, as acid doesn’t mix well with tannins,” according to Rajpreet. |
o High acidity Riesling o Sauvignon Blanc o Sparkling White |
o Oaky o Low acid reds |
Sweet foods
Berries, caramelised onions, beetroots, carrots, brown sugar, sticky date pudding, chocolate tart and carrot cake.
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Rajpreet says, “sweet dishes should be paired with wines that have a similar – if not a higher - sugar content.” |
o Off-dry whites o Low tannic reds |
o Tannic young reds o High acid whites |
Fatty meats
Scotch fillet, pork belly
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Fat can cause a barrier between taste and flavour, so these foods need a wine with lots of tannins to cut through the fat. Avoid wines that are low in pH and tannin levels. |
o High-tannin reds o Full-bodied bold SA Shiraz o Cabernet Sauvignon o High-acidic reds o Whites |
o Cabernet Sauvignon o Shiraz o Merlot o Malbec o Zinfandels |
Spicy dishes
Curries, Singapore chilli crab, Vindaloo, Laksa, Nasi Goreng, kung pao chicken
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“Sweet wines can do a great job of toning down the intensity of spicy and salty foods, rounding the flavours off and making the dish less overpowering," Rajpreet advises. |
o Zinfandel o Reisling o Off-dry whites o Crisp and light reds |
o Oaky wines o Wines with a high alcohol content |
Creamy dishes
Fettucine Carbonara, Mac ‘n’ Cheese, curries
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Try wines with a lot of fruit as they will counteract the chilli spices and thick creamy textures. |
o High-acidity Chardonnays o Lighter-bodied Chardonnays o Un-oaked Chardonnays o Light-bodied Champagne o Lighter Malbec o Temperanillo o Rioja |
o Full-bodied, cold-climate Shiraz o Cabernet Sauvignon o Sickly-sweet Rieslings |
Mexican
Tacos, quesadillas, tostadas and enchilladas
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Rajpreet says, “flavours in Mexican cuisine varies, though tomatoes are often a base ingredient. For this reason, it’s important to keep the dishes acidity levels in mind when selecting the right wine for your guests. There is also a lot of lime, coriander and jalapenos, so the wine your guests select largely depends on the ingredients.” |
o High-acidic dishes with lime, jalapenos and coriander, go for Reisling, Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot o For meals with smoky and earthy chipotle notes opt for Malbecs or Tempranillos |
o Oaky o Toasty Chardonnays |
Fried foods
Fish and chips, samosas, spring rolls
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“Offer an acidic wine to cut through that fat and salt... you don’t want anything too heavy as the meal itself is already rich,” Rajpreet reveals. |
o Fruity whites o Spicy Sauvignon Blancs o Sparkling reds o Sparkling whites |
o Syrupy Rieslings |
Smoked dishes
Chargrilled meats, hot-smoked salmon/trout, American barbecue
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Smoked dishes have slightly bitter flavours, so you need to ensure that you have a red wine that has a lot of spice and oak in its flavouring to work well with the meal. |
o Syrah and Petite Syrah for heavily smoked dishes. o Northern Spanish Rioja for lightly smoked dishes like chicken breast or turkey. |
o Oaked wines with smoky flavours |