When it comes to what wine you’re supposed to drink with different types of entrees, people tend to get a bit unnerved.  The fear of serving the wrong wine with the wrong entree is actually pretty prevalent for wine newbies.  I myself am more of a “drink what you like” person unless I’m at a really fantastic restaurant…then I ask the sommelier…that’s what he’s there for!

But if you would like to effectively pair your wines with a meal then let’s walk through what that means.
Now the rules of white wine with chicken and red wine with beef are a bit too loose.  For example, chicken with a marsala wine sauce is actually best served with a red wine (pinot noir or merlot) rather than a white wine.  And if you are having BBQ Beef and want a glass of wine, then a White Zinfandel is your best bet.  To properly pair wine you really have to pay attention to how the entree is seasoned and what the flavors of the sauce are.  Remember, wine and food pairing is about finding flavors that compliment each other.

You will find that spicy foods tend to pair better with white wines.  White wines are served chilled which helps cut the spicyness, but also the fruitful flavors help balance spicy dishes and help your poor tongue taste the flavors and not just that spicy kick!

Dishes with a tomato based sauce tend to naturally have more developed flavors, so you need a wine that can hold its own!  That’s why red wines typically pair best with tomato sauces; red wines have more going on that white wines so the complexity of a red will help balance a rich sauce.

If you’re getting ready for a dinner party and are stuck as to what you should offer, then check out the following website:
E&J Gallo Winery Wine Pairing
It has  a great interactive chart to help you find the best red and best white for whatever you may be serving!