A White Wine Food Pairing Guide To Make Every Meal Exceptional

A meal is only complete once you have the ultimate wine pairing to go with it. Red wine is excellent alongside grilled steak and an assortment of different dishes, but don't rule out a glass of white wine with dinner just yet. A white wine pairing works just as well as your Cabernet Sauvignon.

Let's dive into the art of pairing white wine with your meal and see what dishes pair the best!

The Art of Pairing Wine With Your Meal

Pairing food with your wine is an art.

Certain factors of white wine matter most when it comes to pairing your wine with a meal. The weight, acidity, and sweetness are vital components when wine pairing.

When it comes to pairing wine, weight matters. Your ideal dish will change depending on whether you're enjoying a full-bodied or light-bodied wine. Full-bodied whites go well with creamy dishes like pasta, and light-bodied whites go well with more delicate dishes like seafood.

Acidity comes into play when you're enjoying richer foods with deeper flavors. White wines with higher acidity pair well with rich dishes because the acidity works well when cutting to the flavor and enhancing the dining experience.

In terms of sweet wines, they pair well with spicier foods or even sweet and sour dishes. Sweet and spicy balance each other harmoniously.

White Wine & The Best Pairings

Let's dive right into some of the most popular white wines and the best dishes to pair them with. The white wines we'll be pairing are:

• Chardonnay
• Pinot Grigio
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Moscato
• Riesling
• Sparkling wines

But we won't stop there. There's more white wine where that came from. We'll guide you through pairing the perfect wine with your charcuterie board and even give you the 411 when it comes to cooking with white wine.

Let's dive into the world of white wine.

Chardonnay Pairings

Let's start with Chardonnay, the king of white wine. If white wine enters the conversation, Chardonnay is only sure to follow.

Chardonnay is incredibly versatile and adaptable when paired with a dish; however, many factors come into play when it comes to Chardonnay.

If your Chardonnay is creamy, the best pairing will be a nice fish or seafood dish. Now, that's a food and wine pairing you need to try.

If you prefer something else to seafood, try pairing your creamy Chardonnay with grilled chicken loaded with butter and creamy sauces.

If your Chardonnay is on the crisp side, pair it with a bright dish with delicious fresh flavors. Lean towards vegetables and fruits for the best complementary pairing. Don't be shy when it comes to citrus like lemon. Lemon and a crisp Chardonnay go very well together.

Pinot Grigio Pairings

Pinot Grigio is for the light, refreshing dishes that leave you feeling revitalized instead of stuffed.

Enjoying some salad? Pair it with a Pinot Grigio.

Enjoying a delicious roast chicken marinated with lemon and crisp flavors? Pair it with a Pinot Grigio.

Or maybe you're enjoying some light seafood or pasta dishes? Pop open a Pinot Grigio because it's the perfect pairing to all your light dishes.

Sauvignon Blanc Pairings

Next, we have Sauvignon Blanc, an excellent white wine that pairs well with several different dishes.

Sauvignon Blanc tends to be young, crisp, and light in body. It's typically dry with notes of fresh herbs and citrus.

If seafood, like scallops or shrimp, is on the menu for the evening, a nice, chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc is a great option to pair with dinner. It's even better when your seafood comes in a pasta dish!

However, Sauvignon Blanc is versatile. So, if you're having spicy food, like Indian curries, it will also pair incredibly well.

Moscato Pairings

If you're having dessert or any sweet treat, you absolutely have to pop open a bottle of Moscato.

Because Moscato tends to be sweet, it won't pair very well with a dinner or actual meal. Instead, the sweetness of a Moscato will pair exceptionally well with dessert.

Sponge cakes and pastries are great for pairing, but you can also go the fruity route and pair your Moscato with a fruit tart.

Moscatos are often fruit-forward with flavors of peaches and oranges, so get your fruit platters ready and enjoy your Moscato with sweet citrus fruits along with pears and peaches.

Moscato is not the only white wine that will pair well with fruit. Gewürztraminer is excellent if you're enjoying fruit or fruit pastries!

Riesling Pairings

Riesling is often a sweet white wine that's fruit-forward with the right amount of acidity to give you the perfect crisp, tart profile.

Given these Riesling characteristics, the best food pairings will typically be sweet and sour dishes. Riesling also complements spicy dishes very well. So, if you're having Chinese takeout for the night, a Riesling will be the perfect pairing.

If your Riesling is sweeter, pair it with some decadent dessert. Sweet wines are excellent dessert pairings.

Sparkling Wine Pairings

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the sparkling wine lovers.

Sparkling wines make an excellent pairing. Sparkling wine is for snacks; the saltier, the better! Bust out the potato chips and salted nuts!

But sparkling wine is versatile. Depending on the sparkling wine you're sipping, it can pair very well with shellfish, cheeses, and fruit.

And since we're here, if you love a good Rosé, pair it with a delicious grilled seafood dish. Or, if you prefer a good snack, go salty or fruity. Either way, you can't go wrong.

The Best White Wines To Pair With Your Charcuterie Board

We all know that charcuterie boards are all the rage. They're the perfect addition to the evening when you stay with friends. Now, let's pair your charcuterie board with the perfect white wine.

Specific white wines pair best with cheeses and cured meats, but you'll be surprised that almost any dry, crisp, medium-bodied white will pair exceptionally well with your charcuterie board.

Suppose you're having crisp Chardonnay; lean towards goudas, goat cheeses, and delicious berries. If your Chardonnay is more creamy than crisp, get your creamy, rich cheeses out.

You really can't go wrong when it comes to white wine and a delicious cheese board.

Cooking With White Wine

Now that we all know how to better pair white wine with our meals, here are some tips for cooking with white wine.

First, you will want to use a dry, crisp white wine. Using white wine when cooking will bring out the flavors in the dish and enhance your dining experience. Whether you're using a Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, you will want to make sure the wine isn't overly sweet. It should be dry and crisp.

When should I use white wine when cooking? You want to use white wine when you're cooking with seafood or anything that's heavily creamy. The white wine will make things more flavorful and pronounced. If you happen to be making a stew, add a cup or so of dry white wine to enhance the flavors.

Overall, white wine is the perfect addition to brighten the flavors in your dish.

FAQs About White Wine Pairings

Where can I find good white wine?

You can find a wide selection of wine, beer, and spirits at NapaCabs.com.

Browse through our selection and get your favorites shipped right to your door. Contact us if you have any questions.

What food goes with white wine?

Depending on what kind of white wine you're having, almost any food can go with white wine. However, typically, white wine goes best with different seafood dishes and leaner meats like roasted or grilled chicken. Red meat tends to pair better with red wines.

What wines pair best with what foods?

To make things simple, here's a breakdown of what wines go best with what dishes.

• White wines - Seafood, pasta, and lean meat
• Red wines - Red meat and decadent desserts
• Rosé - Seafood
• Sparkling wines - Cheeses, fruits, shellfish

What should I consider when pairing white wine?

When pairing any wine, you should always consider the weight. If your wine is light-bodied, lighter foods will pair best. If your wine is full-bodied in weight, then consider pairing your wine with heavier meals. It's the same with flavor. If your wine is intense with flavor, flavorful meals will pair best.

Your wine and your meal want to be similar, not different.

Does white wine pair well with everything?

Yes, depending on the weight, flavor, and style, you will find a white wine that will pair well with your meal! Pay attention to the body and sweetness before pairing your white wine with your meal. You don't want to pair an overly sweet wine with dinner. Instead, pair your sweet wine with dessert.

While some whites may pair better with seafood and others with dessert, you'll find a white wine to pair with your meal regardless of what you're having.