A good bottle of wine has the ability to affect numerous senses. Because texture and taste can range from smooth and dry to oaky and fruity, some wines pair better with certain foods than others. Whether sipping during a quiet meal at home or serving a bottle at a dinner party, build your menu around the following popular varietals.

A Guide To Wines & Food To Pair With Each

1. Chardonnay

Crisp chardonnay with a dry texture and fruity, medium body, can give off hints of fruit like pear, green apple, and citrus peel. Wine aged in oak barrels tend to have a buttery, creamy texture and earthy taste, with notes of vanilla and toasted coconut.

The light, fruity flavor of unoaked chardonnay pairs well with most mild, semi-soft cheeses. An oaky chardonnay can balance the more pungent flavors of blue cheese, havarti, and asiago. Chardonnays also pair well with white meat like chicken or pork dishes, and seafoods such as shrimp, crab, lobster, and other white fish.

2. Cabernet Sauvignon

Most cabernet sauvignons are popular for their full-body and bold taste. With each sip, you’ll taste rich notes of black currant, black cherry, spice, and cedar. The bitter tannins complement the meatier flavors of venison and rib-eye steak. The semisweet notes also bring out the cocoa flavors in chocolate desserts.

3. Champagne 

Champagne–a sparkling white wine–is produced in the Champagne region of France. Champange can be made with both white or red grapes, some of the most popular being pinot noir, chardonnay or pinot meunier. After undergoing the Méthode Champenoise fermentation process, the end result is light and refreshing, with slight hints of lemon and sugar. Champagne is often used to cut the saltiness of mixed nuts, potato chips, and caviar.

To shop a wide selection of wine, beer, and spirits to pair with your favorite foods, visit Beverage World Package Store in Doraville, GA. For over 30 years, customers throughout the Atlanta area have been shopping the selection of popular and hard-to-find labels. To ask about a specific product, call (770) 441-0001. Visit the wine store online for special offers and become a Facebook follower for merchandise alerts and cocktail ideas.