Good food and good wine go hand in hand.

There is no mystique to the art of matching wine and food and no ironclad rules. There is not one right wine for any particular food. A well made wine, will enhance the appropriate food no matter what its ethnic origin. What the person who enjoys food seeks, is palate enjoyment - a fusion of two different taste experiences that creates a third which is greater than each individual taste.
Sometimes we hear suggestions that certain wines can only be enjoyed with specific dishes. In reality, everyone has their own preferences about which wines and food complement each other and the taste of wine and food pairing usually has more to do with the seasoning of the food than the food itself. Wine is a natural, complex, yet easy-to-appreciate beverage. The primary consideration for a proper marriage is that the character of the wine and that of the food should not overwhelm each other.

The vast majority of wines, are made to be consumed with food. And the food you eat while drinking wine can drastically change - for better or worse - the way the wine tastes. Food pairing "rules" are a thing of the past - the key to successful food and wine pairing is achieving balance and of course your personal tastes. The only "rule" you need is "if it tastes good to YOU then it is good."
But remember :

• Strong Flavours (Steak) will dominate delicate flavours (White Wine),
• Tart (Vinaigrette) and Tart (High Acid Wine - Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir) cancel each other out,
• Tart (High Acid Wine - Sauvignon Blanc) and Salty (Shellfish) complement each other,
• Tart (High Acid Wine - Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir) and Oily (Roast Duck) complement each other,
• Fruity (Fruity red wine - Merlot or Zinfandel) goes with Fruity (Rich Tomato Stew),
• Earthy (Mushroom or Truffles) goes with Earthy (Pinot Noir), and
• Herbal (Vegetables, Herbs or Capers) goes with Herbal (Chardonnay).

When considering wine to enjoy with Grilled Salmon or Swordfish class them as "Red Meat", Veal and Pork as "White Meat", Chicken can become either "Red or White Meat" depending on how it is served. Artichokes will make any wine taste sweeter and weaker so if choosing a Cabernet Sauvignon it will make it "softer". Tannic Red wines will make oily fish taste metallic but will complement hearty beef or lamb stews.

The addition of salt to food especially in sauces and savoury dishes can be useful to tone down the "bitterness" and "astringency" in some wines. Sour food with high acidity will decrease the "sourness" in wine making the wine seem richer and more mellow. Sweetness in food will increase the perception of "sourness", "bitterness" and "astringency' in wine, making the wine seem less "sweet" (drier). Less "fruity" and stronger.   Savoury taste in food will increase the perception of "bitterness" in wine. Spicy seasoning will exaggerate the "tannin" and "bitterness" in wine, but by adding salt or sour to spicy food it will counteract this effect on the wine, for example squeezing lime over hot enchiladas makes for a more wine friendly dish.

Salty taste in food:
Salt, Soya, Fish Sauce, Olives, Feta.   

Sour taste in food:
Vinegar, Lime, Lemon, dry wine reduction.

Salt and sour makes wine milder:
Dry wine tastes sweeter.  Fruity wine tastes fruitier.  Red wine tastes less tannic or bitter.

Sweet and savoury makes wine stronger:
Sweet wine less sweet. Fruity wine less fruitier. Dry wine more acidic. Red wine more bitter and tannic.

Sweet taste in food:
Sugar, Most Fruit & Fruit Juices. Hoisin Sauce, Honey.   

Savoury taste in food:
Tomatoes, Onions, Green Vegetables, Ham, Bacon, Stocks.
 
 
Suggestions on wine and food pairing (type of food and suggested wines):

Starters and Pates:

• Avocado and Durbanville Hills Chardonnay
• Mushrooms and Nederburg Duet
• Salads and Graça / Nederburg Lyric
• Seafood Cocktail and JC le Roux Sauvignon Blanc
• Fish or Vegetable Pate and Nederburg Rhine Riesling
• Chicken Liver pate and Grünberger Stein
      

Soups:

• Beef and Chateau Libertas
• Tomato and  Neethlingshof Noble Late Harvest
• Mushroom and  Zonnebloem Fine Art Pinot Noir
• Gazpacho and  Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Merlot
• Seafood and  Le Bonheur Sauvignon Blanc

Light meals:

• Smorgasbord and  Nederburg Lyric
• Egg Dishes eg Quiche  and Nederburg Prelude
• Savoury Tarts and  JC Le Roux Le Domaine
• Tuna Salad and  Tukulu Chenin Blanc

Cheeses:

• Havarti and  Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest
• Mature Cheddar and  Zonnebloem Shiraz
• Blue / Roquefort and  Neethlingshof Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest
• Goats Milk and  Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc
• Cottage Cheese and  Nederburg Paarl Chenin Blanc
• Feta and  Tukulu Chenin Blanc

Vegetables:

• Tinned Asparagus and  Uitkyk Chardonnay
• Fresh Asparagus and  Plaisir de Merle Sauvignon Blanc
• Vegetarian Dishes and  Graça Rose
• Nuts and  Monis Full Cream Sherry
• Mushrooms and  Zonnebloem Fine Art Pinot Noir

Fish and shellfish:

• Oysters / Mussels and  Pongracz Methode Cap Classique
• Fresh Line Fish and  Uitkyk Sauvignon Blanc
• Paella and  Theuniskraal Riesling
• Fish Terrine and  Fleur du Cap Natural Light
• Smoorsnoek and  Nederburg Paarl Riesling
• Salmon  and Le Bonheur Chardonnay
• Perlemoen and  Zonnebloem Chardonnay
• Prawns and  Neethlingshof Sauvignon Blanc
• Crayfish and  Graça
• Calamari and  Hill & Dale Sauvignon Blanc

Pastas:

• Macaroni & Cheese  and Nederburg Baronne
• Spaghetti Bolognaise and  Durbanville Hills Merlot
• Ravioli and  Allesverloren Shiraz
• Pizzas and  Chateau Libertas

Chicken and poultry:

• Roast Chicken and Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Chardonnay
• Coq au vin  and Alto Cabernet Sauvignon
• Stuffed Duck / Goose and Stellenzicht Syrah
• Roast Duck and Le Bonheur Prima
• Duck with Orange and Fleur du Cap Shiraz
• Roast Turkey and Uitkyk Riesling

Veal:

• Casserole and Neethlingshof Pinotage
• Schnitzel and Plaisir de Merle Sauvignon Blanc
• Osso Bucco and Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Pinotage

Pork:

• Kassler Ribs and Grunberger Rosenlese
• Roast Pork / Eisbein and Neethlingshof Weisser Riesling
• Stuffed with dried fruit and Drostdy-Hof Adelpracht
• Chinese Pork dishes and Nederburg Stein
• Goulash and Fleur du Cap Merlot

Lamb:

• Roast and Allesverloren Tinta Barocca
• Moussaka and Uitkyk Cabernet
• Casseroles and Fleur du Cap Merlot

Beef:

• Beef Wellington and Plaisir de Merle Cabernet Sauvignon
• Roast Beef  and Drostdy-Hof Merlot
• Beef Stroganoff and Zonnebloem Laureat
• Steaks and Chateau Libertas
• Bobotie / curry and Allesverloren Shiraz

Venison:

• Pies and Nederburg Pinotage
• Ostrich Stew and Jacobsdal Pinotage
• Partridge/Guinea Fowl and Uitkyk Carlonet Cabernet Sauvignon
• Roast Venison and Tukulu Pinotage

Offal:

• Oxtail and Zonnebloem Fine Art Merlot
• Liver and Kidneys and Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Merlot

Fruit and desserts:

• Fresh Fruit Salad and Nederburg Noble Late Harvest
• Steamed Puddings and Monis Vintage Muscadel
• Cakes & Pastries and Neethlingshof Noble Late Harvest
• Strawberries & Cream and JC le Roux La Chanson
• Chocolate Cake and Alto / Allesverloren Port