Wine Pairing Tips With James Suckling

James Suckling is a legendary critic in the wine industry. He has tasted more than 200,000 wines in his forty-year career. As a journalist, he served as the former senior editor and European Bureau Chief of Wine Spectator, where he worked for three decades. In 2010, James launched his own wine website featuring comprehensive tasting reports, with wine ratings and tasting notes, of wines from around the world.

Wine pairing involves matching the perfect wine to food. Pairing wine with food can enhance the dining experience and cleanse the palate between courses. It’s also a great way to learn more about the flavor profiles of different wines and provides the opportunity to discover new wines with your dining companions.

There are two main methods for pairing wine with food:

1. 1. Contrasting pairing: This involves juxtaposing a dish against a wine with a very different flavor profile. For example, a sweet wine (like rosé, Riesling, or Moscato) provides a welcome contrast to most spicy foods, like spicy ramen or Korean fried chicken.
2. 2. Congruent pairing: Congruent pairing involves choosing a wine with a similar flavor profile to the food with which you will enjoy it. For example, a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect complement to red meat, like sirloin steak or filet mignon.

The world of food and wine pairing can sometimes border on snobbery. James recommends a different approach. “Just think [outside] the box,” James says. “Don’t get uptight about food and wine pairing. Relax. Enjoy.”

“Sure, I like the classics,” James says, “smoked salmon with Chardonnay, chicken with Pinot Noir, meat with bold Cabernet.“ But for James, wine pairing is less about adhering to stringent guidelines and more about having a unique culinary experience. “I don’t think there are any hard, fast rules about food and wine pairing,” he says.

When entertaining friends and family, James recommends serving several types of wine, placing them on the table, and letting your guests discover the perfect pairing for themselves. “That’s a much more dynamic way of food and wine pairing,” he says. “And I also think it’s a lot more fun, and less stressful.”

Consider these classic wine and food pairings:

1. 1. Chardonnay and salmon: Medium-bodied Chardonnay is the perfect wine for serving alongside a wide variety of fish and seafood, but pairs exceptionally well with salmon.
2. 2. Full-bodied red wine with red meat: Full-bodied Shiraz, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, and Cabernet Sauvignon are all excellent choices for drinking with steak and grilled lamb dishes. The high tannin content helps cut the richness of savory red meat and cleanses the palette between bites.
3. 3. Pinot Grigio with seafood: The light, delicate flavor of Pinot Grigio blends nicely with shrimp, lobster, scallops, and more.
4. 4. Pinot Noir with veggie-centric meals: The bold fruitiness of Pinot Noir provides a pleasant contrast to savory vegetable dishes, like mushroom ragú and grilled zucchini.
5. 5. Rosé with cheesy dishes: Rosé has high acidity and tons of fruit flavor, which goes excellent with cheesy pasta, pizza, and flatbreads.
6. 6. Sauvignon Blanc with goat cheese: If you’re putting together a cheese plate, try Sauvignon Blanc. This acidic wine contrasts nicely with the piquant flavors of goat cheese, brie, and other fromage.
7. 7. Champagne with oysters: Sparkling wines, like Champagne, Prosecco, and Spanish Cava, are great for cutting through the saltiness of oysters and caviar—and are appropriately posh drinks for such decadent fare. Any crisp white wine will also do the trick, like Cava, Chablis, or off-dry Riesling.
8. 8. Zinfandel with buttery pasta: The richness of Zinfandel complements similarly rich dishes, like buttery pasta, pattés, and terrines.
9. 9. Sangiovese with tomato sauce dishes: Also known as Chianti or Chianti Classico, Sangiovese is quintessential Italian wine perfect for pairing with red sauce pasta dishes, pizza, and bolognese.
10. 10. Malbec with BBQ chicken: At your next backyard barbecue, crack open a bottle of bold Malbec. It has strong, peppery notes that cut through the rich sweetness of barbecue sauce.

Here are some tips for finding the best wine for any meal:

1. 1. Get a pairing chart or guide. You can find pairing guides and charts that show which varietals pair best with certain foods. They typically contain other helpful information regarding color, aroma, and mouthfeel.
2. 2. Take notes from the winemaker. Most winemakers have already worked hard to discover what pairs best with their wine. Some producers will print pairing suggestions on the wine label, while others might provide guidance on their website.
3. 3. Keep a light-bodied red blend on hand. If there’s one bottle of wine to keep in your wine collection at all times, it’s a light-bodied red blend. A red blend is an excellent wine with everything from chicken to fish to beef to vegetable dishes. It’s a real workhorse that rarely disappoints.

Want to learn more about the culinary arts? The MasterClass Annual Membership provides exclusive video lessons from the world’s best chefs and wine critics, including James Suckling, Lynnette Marrero, Ryan Chetiyawardana, Gabriela Cámara, Gordon Ramsay, Massimo Bottura, and more.