In my previous post I described the wine styles of the 10 wines you should have at hand to help you with your food and wine pairings.

In this post I will address the specifics of what and why and make specific recommendations that are easy to find at your local grocery store. First, lets recap the 3 simple rules when making your selections.

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.

One more thing. When looking at the options pick the ones that best suit your food preferences. Take a look for instance at the first white wine. Although the grapes share a similar broad range within the fresh, dry, acidic style, the wines listed do not have exactly the same aroma/flavor profile. So, if you tend to cook or like Italian food, it makes more sense to select a Pinot Grigio, over a Verdejo which will complement Spanish food better.

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

 Marques de Riscal Rueda Verdejo, Spain $10

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 with Lemon, Garlic Shrimp.

2. Citrusy, Herbal. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc

    Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand $15

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

 A to Z Oregon Chardonnay, USA $15

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

4. Rich, Oaky. California Chardonnay

Alamos Chardonnay, Argentina  $10

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

   Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling, USA $11

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

REDS:
6. Light, acidic. Chianti, Côtes du Rhône

   Banfi Chianti Classico $15

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

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

 Sterling Vintner’s Collection Pinot Noir $14

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

 Campo Viejo Crianza $12

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

Tahuan Siesta Malbec $15

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.

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz $13

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.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.