What is the best thing to eat while drinking wine?

December 16, 2025 •

4 min read

According to sommeliers and culinary experts, the best food to pair with wine often comes from the same region as the grape itself, an age-old adage known as "what grows together, goes together". This guide explores classic and unconventional pairings, answering the question: what is the best thing to eat while drinking wine?

Quick Summary

This article explores classic and contemporary food and wine pairings. It details how complementary and contrasting flavors can elevate the tasting experience, covering everything from cheese boards and charcuterie to unexpected snacks like popcorn and salty potato chips. Expert tips and a comprehensive pairing table are included.

Key Points

Balance weight: Pair lighter foods like seafood with lighter wines and heavier, richer foods with more full-bodied wines.
Match or contrast flavors: Complementary pairings match similar flavors, while contrasting pairings use opposing flavors to create balance, such as high-acid wine with fatty food.
Consider intensity: The wine and food should have a similar level of flavor intensity so that one does not overpower the other.
When in doubt, grab bubbles: Sparkling wine's high acidity and lively bubbles make it one of the most versatile pairings for a wide variety of foods, from fried chicken to salty chips.
Don't forget dessert: The wine should always be sweeter than the dessert it is paired with to ensure a harmonious combination.
Explore regional pairings: The old adage "what grows together, goes together" is a reliable starting point for finding historically complementary pairings.

Understanding the Art of Food and Wine Pairing

Food and wine pairing is a sensory experience that, when done right, can elevate both the dish and the drink. The core principles revolve around balancing weight, matching intensity, and either complementing or contrasting flavors. A full-bodied wine can stand up to a rich, heavy meal, while a delicate, lighter wine would be overwhelmed by it. Similarly, you can create a harmonious pairing by matching flavors—think earthy mushrooms with an earthy Pinot Noir—or a dynamic one by creating a contrast, like pairing a high-acid wine with a fatty dish to cleanse the palate.

The Classic Pairing: Cheese and Charcuterie

Perhaps the most iconic wine accompaniment, a thoughtfully assembled cheese and charcuterie board offers a world of pairing possibilities. For beginners, a medium-bodied red like a Rioja or Malbec is a versatile choice that pairs well with a variety of cheeses. Sparkling wines, such as Champagne or Prosecco, are incredibly adaptable due to their acidity and bubbles, cutting through the richness of many creamy cheeses.

Best Cheese Pairings

Hard Cheeses: Aged cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmigiano-Reggiano stand up beautifully to robust red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or a Chianti.
Soft Cheeses: Creamy Brie and Camembert find a perfect partner in a light, fruity red like Pinot Noir or a buttery Chardonnay.
Goat Cheese: The tangy, earthy flavor of goat cheese is legendary when paired with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
Blue Cheeses: The intense, salty flavor of blue cheese, like Stilton or Roquefort, is perfectly balanced by a sweet dessert wine, such as Port or Sauternes.

Best Charcuterie Pairings

Prosciutto: The delicate, salty nature of prosciutto is excellent with a dry sparkling wine or a light-bodied Pinot Grigio.
Spicy Salami (like Chorizo): Pair a spicy cured meat with a medium-bodied Spanish red, like a Rioja, or a fruity Malbec to handle the spice.
Smoked Duck Breast: The richness of smoked duck is a natural fit for the earthy notes of a Pinot Noir.

Beyond the Board: Other Delicious Pairings

Lists of perfect pairings don't end with cheese and meat. The possibilities are vast, catering to every palate and occasion.

Seafood: A crisp, high-acid white wine like Sauvignon Blanc is a classic match for delicate white fish and shellfish. For fattier fish like salmon, a light-bodied Pinot Noir or a rosé can work wonderfully.
Poultry: Chicken and turkey are versatile and pair well with a range of wines. A rich white like Chardonnay complements a creamy chicken dish, while a light red like Pinot Noir works well with roasted poultry.
Pasta and Pizza: The pairing depends on the sauce and toppings. Tomato-based dishes often go well with Italian reds like Sangiovese, while a creamy pasta can be matched with a rich Chardonnay.
Desserts: The wine should always be sweeter than the dessert. Dark chocolate can be paired with a rich Cabernet Sauvignon, while a fruity dessert is excellent with a sweet Riesling.

The Unexpected and Fun Pairings

Some of the most delightful pairings are those you might not expect. These combinations highlight how contrasting textures and flavors can create a surprisingly harmonious experience.

Potato Chips: Salty and greasy potato chips are a fantastic match for sparkling wine. The wine's bubbles and acidity cut through the fat, and the salt enhances the wine's fruit flavors.
Popcorn: A buttery bowl of popcorn is excellent with a Chardonnay. For a caramelized popcorn, try an oak-aged Chardonnay to match its toasted notes.
Fried Chicken: The salt and crispiness of fried chicken are a delicious counterpoint to the acidity and fruit notes of a rosé.

Wine and Food Pairing Comparison Table


Food Type	Example Dish	Complementary Wine	Contrasting Flavor/Effect	Why It Works
Red Meat	Steak, Beef Stew	Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot	Tannins cut through fat	Wine's tannins bind with fat, cleansing the palate and softening the wine.
White Meat	Roasted Chicken, Turkey	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir	Matches flavor intensity	The richness of the wine balances the flavor of the poultry.
Fish	Salmon, Tuna	Pinot Noir, Rosé	Balances oily richness	The wine's bright fruit flavors and acidity cut through the fattiness of the fish.
Spicy Food	Thai Curry, Spicy Indian Dish	Gewürztraminer, Riesling	Sweetness tempers spice	The wine's sweetness and low alcohol neutralize the heat from the spices.
Cheese	Aged Cheddar, Parmigiano	Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti	Tannins balance fat	The boldness of the cheese stands up to the wine's tannins.
Dessert	Chocolate Cake, Berries	Port, Sauternes, Sweet Riesling	Sweetness balances sweetness	The wine must be sweeter than the dessert to prevent it from tasting flat.

Conclusion: Personal Preference is Key

While rules and guidelines provide a useful starting point, the ultimate truth is that personal preference is the most important factor in finding the best thing to eat while drinking wine. Experimentation is encouraged, as your own taste buds are the best guide. Don't be afraid to break the rules and discover new and exciting flavor combinations. Whether you stick with a classic cheese board or venture into pairing sparkling wine with potato chips, the best pairing is the one you enjoy most. For more in-depth exploration, websites like Firstleaf offer detailed guides on flavor interactions and regional pairings.

Ultimately, the goal is to enhance your enjoyment, not to follow a rigid set of instructions. So pour a glass, grab your favorite bite, and savor the experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

For bold, full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, aged hard cheeses such as mature cheddar or aged gouda are an excellent match. For lighter reds like Pinot Noir, soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert work well.

In addition to classic cheese and charcuterie, you can pair wine with snacks like salty potato chips and popcorn, which go surprisingly well with sparkling wine or Chardonnay, respectively.

For spicy food, the best wines are low-alcohol, slightly sweet whites like an off-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer. The sweetness helps to balance the heat, while low tannins prevent the spice from being intensified.

No, this is a common myth. While big reds work well with beef, lighter-bodied reds like Pinot Noir or Rosé can be excellent with poultry, pork, and even oily fish like salmon.

The most important rule for dessert pairings is that the wine must be sweeter than the dessert. If the dessert is sweeter, the wine can taste flat and bitter.

This pairing principle suggests that wines and foods that originated in the same region or country tend to pair well together. For example, a Tuscan Sangiovese with a hearty Italian ragu, or a Spanish Rioja with Manchego cheese.

Tannins are compounds found in red wine that can create a drying sensation. When paired with fatty, rich foods like steak, tannins bind to the fat, which softens their effect and cleanses the palate. With low-fat foods, tannins can taste bitter.