How to Launch the Perfect Food & Wine Pairings at Your Restaurants

No matter if your customers are out at dinner celebrating an anniversary or with friends for a tasting, you want to be prepared to give them the perfect, flavorful wine pairings. We’ve put together a helpful guide to help you learn how to launch the perfect food and wine pairings at your restaurant. Check out our tips below.

Food and Wine Pairing Tips

Besides just following recommended pairings, we want you to have the tips you need to come up with pairings of your own. Whether you’re a sommelier or the restaurant owner, these food and wine pairing tips are sure to help you build an incredible menu.

• Flavor intensity – Foods and wines have their own intensities when it comes to flavor. You’ll want to balance these as much as possible, or one could overpower the taste of the other. That’s why rich foods match rich wines or mild wines with mild foods.


• Acidity – Some foods are more acidic than others. It’s important in that case to have a wine slightly more acidic than the food being served.


• Weight of the food – The weight of the food itself should also be considered when selecting a wine to pair it with. This isn’t in regards to the flavors, though. Things like pasta dishes may have a lighter flavor intensity but are a heavier dish than some seafood options or a salad. Try to match the weights of wine and food.


• Sauce over meat – You don’t necessarily have to match the wine to the meat of the dish. If the meal has a sauce, then you actually will want to pair the wine with that. The sauce will give the food a lot of its flavor and intensity, so you want to focus on that the most to select the perfect bottle.


• Dominant flavors – Always consider the dominant flavors of that dish. If it has just a hint of something, it shouldn’t be the focal point for what you pair the wine to. The strongest flavor is what customers will notice the most, so the wine should match that one.


• Don’t overthink – It’s important to not worry too much about the pairing. While you want the pairing to be great, it isn’t something to lose sleep over. By following the above tips and using some of our great food and wine pairing ideas, you’ll be able to recommend customers the right bottle with ease.

Wine Pairing Menu Ideas

There are quite a few different pairings below that are tried and true. These wine pairing menu ideas are guaranteed to wow guests enough to have them asking for a second or third bottle. Whether you need it for starters or desserts, we have matches that’ll drive wine sales for sure.

Wine and Appetizer Pairings

When it comes to apps, you don’t want to serve anything too heavy. Keep this in mind when selecting the perfect wine and appetizer pairings. Here are a few great ideas to help you get started:

• Sparkling wine – French fries, chips, caviar and other salty snacks


• Cabernet sauvignon – Beef sliders and meatballs


• Chardonnay – Chicken quesadillas and grilled shrimp


• Riesling – Jalapeno peppers and spicy chicken wings


• Sauvignon blanc – Salsa, Guacamole and grilled asparagus


• Syrah – Grilled eggplant, portobello mushroom bites and bacon-wrapped dates


• Sangiovese – Pizza bites, meatballs and grilled chicken skewers

Wine and Cheese Ideas

Who doesn’t love wine and cheese? It’s an iconic pair that makes for a great start to any meal. So whether customers get a charcuterie board or a cheese plate to start off the meal, here are some wine and cheese ideas.

• Moscatos – Gorgonzola, camembert, brie, ricotta, feta and mozzarella


• Champagne or sparkling wine – Parmesan, gruyere, brie and havarti


• Pinot grigio – Asiago, goat cheese, aged cheddars, mozzarella and gouda


• Chardonnay – Goat cheese, gruyere, havarti, brie, parmesan and provolone


• Riesling – Brie, gouda, colby, monterey jack and blue


• Rose – Burrata, havarti, gouda and chevre


• Malbec – Edam, cheddars and colby


• Merlot – Swiss, havarti, cheddars, parmesan and gouda


• Pinot noir – Camembert, blue, gruyere, muenster and swiss


• Sauvignon blanc – Asiago, brie, goat cheese, feta and parmesan


• Cabernet sauvignon – Gorgonzola, blue, cheddar, colby and gouda


• Zinfandel – Gouda, gruyere, asiago, feta and goat cheese


• Port – Romano, gorgonzola, blue, cheddars and gouda

Wine and Dessert Pairings

After a delicious meal, those who’ve saved room will want dessert. Learn how to properly pair wine and dessert for an unforgettable experience. Take a look at these tips to get the perfect pairings every time.

• Chocolates and caramels – Typically, Portuguese port pinot noir and dry red wines like a ruby port are great with chocolatey desserts.


• Vanilla and custards – Desserts like tiramisu and pannacotta are best paired with muscats, sauternes, rieslings and rosés.


• Fruity and spicy desserts – Riesling and Gewürztraminer go well with citrusy, spicy and slightly sweet desserts. For options with berries and fruits, choose a sweet rosé, prosecco, sauternes or a sparkling rosé.

In general, when pairing wine and dessert, you want to make sure that the wine is sweeter than the food.

Once you have the perfect wine and food pairings, check out our other menu recommendations to find the best soups and sandwiches, healthy dessert alternatives and more.