Frustrated by not having the right wine to pair with your dinner every night?
You don’t need to spend a fortune, or an unlimited number of wines for a great pairing.
Starting with just 10 bottles and following 3 simple rules you will have a very good pairing most of the time.

Rule#1: 5 reds and 5 whites
Rule#2: Each wine must have a wide range of affinity with everyday foods.
Rule#3: Each wine, red or white, should be different enough from the other four to maximize range of pairing.

WHITES:
1. Fresh, dry, acidic. Verdejo, Colombard, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio

Salads with Mustard or Vinegar Dressing, Fried Chicken, Chicken Francese or Lemon Butter, Salad Nicoise, Sushi, Ceviche, Tuna Casserole, Fried Calamari with Aioli, Fish Soup, Garlic Shrimp.

2. Citrusy, herbal. New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc

Chicken with Herbs and Dumplings, Quiche with Leeks and Goat Cheese, Pizza with Veggies, Green Vegetables such as Asparagus and Zucchini.

3. Unoaked, Complex. Light unoaked Chardonnay

Chicken Pot Pie, Pan Roasted Fish, Pizza Margherita, Mushroom Risotto, Macaroni and Mild Cheese.

4. Rich, Oaky. California Chardonnay

Roast Chicken, Grilled Chicken, Chicken with Mushrooms and Cream Sauce, Pasta Carbonara, Pork with Mustard-Cream Sauce, Grilled Burgers with Cheese.

5. Balanced sweet and acidity. Dry Riesling

Fish with Moroccan Spices, Pork or Bratwurst and Sauerkraut, Apple Stuffed Pork Chops.

 

REDS:

6. Light, acidic. Chianti, Côtes du Rhône

Fried Calamari with Tomato Sauce, All Meat Pizza, Chicken Cacciatore, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Parmigiana.

7. Medium body, fruity. New Zealand or California Pinot Noir

Grilled Chicken or Steak Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing, Pizza with Tomato and Cheese, Roasted Salmon.

8. Medium Body Old World Red. Burgundy, Bordeaux, Tempranillo

Chorizo Omelette, Beef Goulash, Pasta with Beans, Pasta with Sunday Gravy, Beef Bourguignon.

9. New World Full Body Red with ripe fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec

Wood Grilled Burgers with Blue Cheese, Grilled Steaks, Pan Roasted Tenderloin with Pan Sauce.

10.  Full Body Red with Earthy undertones. Barolo, Old World Syrah, Australian Shiraz, Petite Sirah.

Wood Grilled Burgers with Smoked Bacon and BBQ Sauce, Smoked BBQ Meats, Braised Beef with Olives and Capers, Pasta Bolognese, Pork with Sausage and Beans.

In the next post, I will give you the specifics of what and why.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.