Wine and food go hand in hand. The trouble is figuring out which wines go best with the food we establish on the table. Red wine is generally a more robust and heavier wine than white wines. Red wine is also more likely to be more of a fruity taste. Depending on if your wine fermented in oak barrels or steel drums will also determine the taste.
Several things need to be certain before we prefer a food to go with red wine. Is the wine fruity? How heavy does the wine feel? Does the wine have a interesting tone to it? Will the wine be served with dinner or dessert? Does the wine have an acid taste?
Not all dinners go with certain tastes in your drink. You probably don't want to have spicy cayenne pepper encrusted beef and have a spicy tasting wine to go along with it. Your wines should complement the meal and not overwhelm it.
In general, the rule of thumb is red wine with red meat. If you've having a vegetable dish, go with the subtleties of the dish as to what wine will go with it. Both food and wine have complex flavors and finding the factual match may reveal piquant.
My suggestion is that if you're throwing a party or just having a large time enjoying food, do some of your best dishes and taste some of your best wines in one night. Make it a wine and food party like your local fundraisers every year. That map you'll know for future reference what tastes good with particular food and wine before you have dinner guests. Two tips: only pour a little bit of each wine to taste and don't drink all the wine unless you want to get tipsy before you're done. Have a grand bowl to spit the wine in so you don't drink all of it.
My favorite pairing is with the grill and from a local Missouri winery. I make huge hamburgers during the summer and they go great with cheese and tomatoes from our garden. For a wine selection, my wife and I chose St. James Friendship School Red, a full-bodied wine with slight fruitiness and bold finish. Typical of most Missouri wines, St. James wines have several fruity varieties.
Whatever you decide, great wine and great food together make for a dining experience that is extraordinary and delicate.
http://www.novusvinum.com/pairings/redwine.html
