Wine Pairings
We create all our wines with food in mind, thinking about how best to blend different tastes to be pleasing to the palate. To help you choose the right wine to accompany your favorite foods, the pairings we recommend are reflected in the table below.
When pairing food and wine, remember that the goal is synergy and balance. The wine shouldn’t overpower the food, nor should the food overpower the wine.
Think of wine as a condiment; it should complement the food. When you drink wine by itself, it tastes different than it does with food, because wine acts on food similar to the way spices do.
Acids, tannins and sugars in the wine interact with the food to provide different taste sensations.
Memorable food and wine pairings are achieved when you find similarities and/or contrasts of flavor, body, texture, intensity, and taste.
Recommended Wine & Food Pairings
Shellfish, chicken, pork belly, triple cream cheese, fried foods
Bubbly wines are the perfect palate refresher. They’re especially great with hors d’oeuvres like oysters and anything fried.
Bubbly: Champagne, Sparkling, Prosecco
Fish, chicken, shrimp, steamed or grilled vegetables, scallops
Zesty acidity is the common denominator for these crisp wines, with some expressing citrus fruit qualities and others yielding floral or mineral notes. Many are ideal aperitif wines or palate-cleansing companions to food.
Crisp: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
Fish, chicken, pork, olives, stone fruits, rosemary, sage, roasted dishes
Mellow white wine soothes the palate, with flavor profiles that can include fruit, minerals, floral and spice notes. Even with distinctive flavors, these wines will have broad appeal and pair beautifully with a wide range of cuisines.
Mellow: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Rosé
Chicken, pork, cow, roasted root vegetables, spicy foods, cheese
Featuring robust aromas, flavors or textures, tropical wines envelope the palate with their rich profile, with a touch of sweetness.
Tropical: Viognier, Riesling, Gewurztraminer
Grilled fish (ahi, swordfish, salmon), chicken, pork, pizza, tomatoes, pasta, pesto
Light and medium-bodied wines have more delicate aromas and flavors.
Light & Bright: Pino Noir, Grenache, Light Red Blends
Beef, venison, game fowl, braised root vegetables, mushrooms
Mouth-watering low tannic reds feature stone fruit and vanilla notes.
Smooth & Soft: Malbec, Syrah, Sangiovese, Mourvedre, Merlot
Fatty beef, bone marrow, grilled or braised foods, dark chocolate
The biggest red wines have intense aromas and flavors ranging from bramble fruits, chocolate and coffee to smoke, leather and earth.
Big: Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon
Foie gras, hard aged cheese, salty nuts
Sweet: Late Harvest or Noble Rot Muscat or Chardonnay
Recommended Wine & Cheese Pairings
Champagne, Sparkling, Proseco, Cava
- Triple Cream, Parmigiano, young goat, sweet blues, bloomy rinds, robiola
Chardonnay
- Alpines, herbed, brie, gouda, tommes
Gewurtztraminer
- Creamy blue, stinkies, alpines, gorgonzola dolce
Rhiraz, Sirah, Syrah
- Alpines, cheddar, washed rind, salty blue
Pinot Noir, Burgundy, Barbera
- Creamies, robiola, everything
Cabernet, Bordeaux
- Camembert, washed rind, aged/bold, blues, gorgonzola
Chenin Blanc, Vouvray
- Mozzarella, fresh goat, ricotta, semi firm
Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris
- Robiola, creamy brie, gouda, mild cheddar, young
Rosé, Beaujolais
- Buttery, pungents, soft goat, robiola
Malbec, Madiran, Cahors
- Aged sheep, young sheep, herbed, flavored
Chianti, Sangiovese
- Soft ripened, herbed, Parmigiano, aged sheep
Port, Dessert wine, Aged sherry/cream
- Blues, gorgonzola dolce, washed rind, super aged
Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc
- All goats, young gouda, natural rind
Riesling, Viognier
- Washed rind, sheep, ricotta, alpines, everything
Zinfandel, Nebbiolo, Barolo
- Spicy, cheddar, creamy blue, gorgonzola, sheep, washed rind
Merlot, Cotes du Rhone, Chateauneuf
- Smoked, truffled, cheddars, alpines, semi-soft
Rioja, Tempranillo
- Aged sheep, spicy, aged goat
