The Golden Rules of Pairing
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Match the weight
Delicate food with light wine, rich food with full-bodied wine. A big Shiraz will flatten a fresh salad.
Match or contrast
Pair similar flavours (earthy mushrooms with earthy Pinot Noir) or opposites (salty chips with sweet-and-zesty bubbly).
Mind the sauce
Pair with the strongest flavour on the plate. Chicken in cream and chicken in tomato need different wines.
💡 Pro tip
If in doubt, a dry rosé or a Cap Classique goes with almost anything. They’re the Swiss Army knives of the wine world.
‘What grows together goes together’ is another handy shortcut. Local food and local wine evolved side by side, so Cape dishes often love Cape wines.
🧠 Quick check: tap to reveal
🤔 Should you pair to the meat or the sauce?
Usually the sauce, because it carries the strongest flavours.
🤔 Name a safe all-rounder wine.
Dry rosé or Cap Classique.
Next up: The flavour forces: acid, salt, fat and sweetness