The Best Foods To Pair With Red Wine

Whether you go to the shops looking for a wine made in a specific year with a certain grape in mind, or simply pick up the bottle that's in the clearance section, lots of things can make a difference with the way red wine tastes. From the glass you drink it out of to the temperature you drink it at, you may not be getting the full impact of its flavors and aromas. So, what are the best foods to pair with red wine? While a sweet and complex malbec will overpower some dishes, it'll sing when consumed with other foods.

"When looking at successful wine and food pairing, the easiest approach is to look at classic regions of cuisine that have had the food and wine develop in tandem over centuries," sommelier Michael Wray told Love To Know. "Most of these pairings are found in Europe. So, look to the cuisine of France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany."

Food & Wine notes that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to the way you consume wine, but it's always good to know the rules before you decide to break them. So, while the sweet notes in malbec may fit perfectly with BBQ meats, and BBC Good Food would pair a pinot noir with roasted meats or mild, creamy cheeses, here are some foods to consider eating alongside your red wine of choice.

The reality is you can drink wine with just about anything. However, Vine Pair writes that it's always beneficial to focus on the notes and flavors in your chosen bottle.

BBC Good Food explains that for deep and full-bodied wines like cabernet sauvignons you need to find a dish that can match its complex flavors. They recommend a coq au vin or fillet of beef. If you're more of a malbec drinker then Vine Pair writes that you've got loads of crowd-pleasing dishes you can pick from. They argue that a cheeseburger can work perfectly.

The Wine Buying Guide explains that as pinot noirs tend to have a very fruity flavor, they pair perfectly with earthy dishes. If you've got a pinot noir waiting at home, you could make a mushroom risotto or butternut squash ravioli. The hearty flavors of merlot may leave you feeling warm inside, and Jonathan's Ristorante outlines that a glass of the deep red wine pairs perfectly with roasted chicken or turkey.

Choosing a food and wine combination, especially if you're entertaining other people, can feel stressful. However, Food & Wine writes that if you're not entirely sure where to begin, you should look at where your wine is from and consider dishes from the region. As many dishes and wines are developed around one another, it's a really easy way to narrow down your options.