Drinks, 6 min read
Wine Pairing for Date Night: A No-Snob Cheat Sheet
Four principles and a simple chart for pairing wine, plus zero-proof alternatives for every dish.
You don't need a sommelier's vocabulary to choose a great bottle. Four principles cover most of what you'll cook, and every pairing below includes a zero-proof option so everyone at the table is included. If you or your guest drinks, please drink responsibly and only if you're of legal drinking age where you live.
The four principles
- Match weight with weight. Light dishes (fish, salads) suit light wines; rich dishes (steak, creamy pasta) suit fuller wines.
- Acid loves fat and acid. A crisp white cuts through butter sauces and stands up to lemony dishes.
- Tannin loves protein and fat. The grippy feel of red wines like Cabernet is softened by a marbled steak.
- Dessert wine must be sweeter than the dessert. Otherwise the wine tastes sour.
The cheat sheet
| Dish | Wine | Zero-proof |
|---|---|---|
| Steak with red wine sauce | Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec | Sparkling tart cherry with rosemary |
| Scallops, shrimp, white fish | Chablis, Albariño, Champagne | Soda water with lemon and thyme |
| Salmon | Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc | Cucumber-mint cooler |
| Mushroom risotto | Pinot Noir, lightly oaked Chardonnay | Chilled Earl Grey with lemon |
| Lemon and butter chicken | Pinot Grigio, Vermentino | Lemon-thyme spritz |
| Spicy Thai curry | Off-dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer | Lemongrass-ginger iced tea |
| Chocolate desserts | Ruby port, Banyuls | Espresso or salted hot chocolate |
| Creamy custards | Sauternes, late-harvest Riesling | Chamomile tea with honey |
When in doubt, bubbles
Dry sparkling wine pairs with almost anything salty, fried or creamy, and it feels celebratory. A good non-alcoholic alternative is a tart sparkling juice like our Pomegranate-Rosemary Spritz.
Serving temperature matters more than price
Most people serve whites too cold and reds too warm. Take whites out of the fridge 15 minutes before pouring, and put reds in the fridge for 15 minutes. A $15 bottle served at the right temperature beats a $40 bottle served wrong.
Try our Drink Pairing Finder for a quick suggestion for any dish.