Through the Grapevine

To start off a dinner party while passing around hors d’oeuvres, I will select a fun wine—fresh and fruity. Our Fume Blanc Napa Valley is a perfect match, or try a sparkling wine. During the warmer days of summer, I might select a rosé and during the colder months, our Chardonnay Napa Valley.

During the course of a meal, I always offer two types of wines. The exploration of the senses is the fun part of the party. I start the meal with a sparkling wine or a white, and then move to the heavier entrée with the wine matching the richness of the dish. Often I like to let my guests select their own pleasure by offering our Chardonnay Reserve and our Pinot Noir Reserve for the entrée, two different vintages of the same winery, or two different wineries from the same varieties. If I have to choose one, I choose a medium-body pinot noir, which is adaptable to many different flavors and textures. And if ever in doubt, Champagne goes with everything!

My No. 1 rule of thumb for wine pairing is to keep flavors in balance. I usually select the wines and from that point create a menu. But if you prefer to set your menu first, ask yourself about the overall taste of your recipe. Is it mild or flavorful? Is it fatty or lean? Is it rich or acidic? It is important to match wine with foods of similar richness and texture. Also make sure you balance the acidity of the food to the wine; a bright Sancerre will go well with shrimp with lemon. If you have a very fatty dish, you’ll want to cleanse your palate with a robust, bold, tannic wine. A fruity off-dry wine will do well with spicy food.

For an exotic, evocative flavor trip, I love to match the wines with the country where the recipe is coming from. It works the best and is fun to pair. For example, a Chianti Classico will pair well with a tomato-based pasta with sharp cheese and basil. Dinner is an exploration of different flavors, so it is important that the entire dining experience be an enjoyment of all senses. And remember, pleasure at the table is very subjective!

Cheers,

Genevieve Janssens

Director of Winemaking at Robert Mondavi Winery

Wine Pairing Faux Pas

• A delicate dish needs a delicate wine. A bold, tannic red wine will kill the subtlety of the dish.
• Acidic wines and creamy dishes won’t go well together.
• Tannic wine and tannic food won’t go well together. Artichoke or walnuts are tough for a tannic wine.
• Cloves and cinnamon don’t get well with a cabernet sauvignon.

On the Menu	Pair with…
Red Meat
BBQ steaks	Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Roast beef	Pinot noir, syrah, merlot, zinfandel, Rhone, Chianti, Bordeaux, New World wines… almost any reds work with roast beef!
Braised meat	The wine you use to prepare it. Red Burgundy is a good match for a beef bourguignon.
Seafood
Fish	Whites like sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot grigio, or viognier. Seafood has a broad range of flavor and texture, so fish can be easily paired with many wines. The choice depends on the way the fish is cooked or the texture of the sauce.
Tuna or salmon	Pinot noir
Shellfish	Champagne. The salt from the sea and the minerality and freshness from the bubbles is perfect for the palate.
Sushi	Pinot noir or wines from regions like Chablis, Sancerre, Friuli, and Austria
Poultry
Prepared in a cream sauce, fried, or roasted	Chardonnay
Turkey	Pinot noir or chardonnay
Duck, squab, or quail	Rich merlot, malbec from Argentina, nebbiol, or a wine from Rioja or Piedmont. Game birds have stronger and earthier aromas and flavors than chicken, so they require full-flavored wines
Vegetarian Dishes
Cooked with garlic	Robust reds like syrah or cabernet sauvignon
Tomato Dish	Sangiovese goes with any tomatoes dish because it matches acid with acid.
Ethnic
Mexican or Southwestern dishes	Chablis or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Especially for dishes with corn or green chilies, stay with an acidic wine or fruity wine.
Indian	French rose or Gewürtstraminer
Dessert
Apple or Apricot flavored dessert	Sauternes and like wines. The wine should always be as sweet or even sweeter than the dessert.
Chocolate based dessert	Robert Mondavi Moscato d’Oro, Asti Spumante from Italy, or Banyuls from France