You know how difficult it is to find a good wine and cheese match? Well here are five I’ve recently tasted that hit the spot perfectly. Four were at a tasting at the recent Bristol Wine Fair that was conducted by the food and wine writer Andrea Leeman. The other was a serendipitous one … Continue reading Five Great Cheese And Wine Pairings→

Scallops are some of the most delicious seafood around and some of the most flattering to a serious white wine. There’s one grape variety that will almost always see you right but also some other options Grilled or seared scallops Searing scallops enhances their sweetness and makes them a sure-fire match with chardonnay. Almost any … Continue reading Top Wine Pairings With Scallops→

People occasionally ask me my favourite cheese – an impossible question but Vacherin Mont d’Or is certainly up there in the top 5. It’s made either side of the Franco/Swiss border under slightly different names* between September and March and is a washed rind cheese with a wonderfully fluid texture. It’s always presented in a … Continue reading What Are The Best Wine Pairings For Vacherin Mont D’or/Vacherin Du Haut-Doubs?→

Properly pairing wine with food can truly transform a meal. A simple sea bass paired with a lovely Sauvignon Blanc is delightful, or even better, a beautiful steak paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon. We’ve found throughout our research that chocolate (as well as artichoke, asparagus, Brussel sprouts and green beans), despite what many people think, is difficult … Continue reading Infographic: Guide to Pairing Wine & Food→

Wine and Curry. A combination that could be wonderful or disastrous. Choosing what to drink with your favourite Indian dish is a tricky business and the very best method is by trial and error. There are so many variables when it comes to Indian cooking – what meat is being used, how spicy the dish is and what the main ingredient … Continue reading Pairing Wine and Curry→

Amontillado sherry has richer, nuttier flavours than a classic fino or manzanilla sherry and calls for different food matches. Think more in terms of cured meat, game and cheese than seafood and richer, meatier tapas. Which match works best depends on the level of sweetness. An inexpensive medium-dry amontillado will tend to suggest different pairings … Continue reading The Best Pairings For Amontillado And Palo Cortado Sherry→

As it’s both Bonfire Night and British Sausage Week this week there’s a fair chance that you’ll be eating bangers of some kind, so what’s the best pairing? As always it depends on the sausage but I personally find that beer and cider are just as good partners as wine. Sausage and mash The quintessential … Continue reading Top Wine (And Other) Matches For Sausages→

Even if not well-hung, as it rarely is these days, pheasant has a stronger flavour than other feathered game such as partridge or duck. And older, tougher birds are often braised or pot-roasted which calls for a more robust wine match still. Here are my suggestions: For simply roast pheasant served with its pan juices … Continue reading The Best Wine Pairings For Pheasant→

The food of Piedmont in north-west Italy is as highly regarded as its wines so it makes sense to make the local dishes your first choice if you’re looking for a match for a bottle of Barolo or Barbaresco. I’ve grouped the two wines together because although there are differences between them their similarities are … Continue reading The Best Food Pairings For Barolo And Barbaresco→

Take a peek at these sommelier-approved wine and fried chicken pairings for your next bucket of extra crispy. “Crisp, crunchy, yet succulent… fried chicken pairs ‘awesomely’ with sparkling wine.” –Madeline Puckette Fried Chicken Wine Pairings When it comes to pairing wine with fried chicken, your best bet is sparkling wine. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never … Continue reading Fried Chicken Wine Pairings→