Guide to Wine (or Beer) and Food Pairings

By Kyle Martinez

So, you've got the wine chosen but you're really not sure what food to eat with it? Or perhaps, you like a certain kind of food, and your significant other wants you to recommend a good beer to drink with it? Well, here are recommendations that I have found which work excellent together. The wine brings out the taste of the food, the food compliments the beer, and you can impress your significant other with your connoisseur's knowledge of taste and fanciful combinations.

A sweet white wine like Riesling is a very tasty addition to a meat item such as Duck. It is true that both of these items are not savored and enjoyed everyday. Save this combination of German Riesling White Wine and a dish such as Roasted Duck for a special occasion, such as your significant others birthday or perhaps even your anniversary. Both are served in fine dining establishments and both compliment each other. The fine richness of the roasted duck is brought out with the sweet combination of the Riesling. You can choose from a multitude of flavors: peach, apple and pear. A nice Pear Riesling tastes excellent with roasted duck and sweet potatoes. Bon Appetit!

My favorite meal is Cabernet Sauvignon with Filet Mignon. Both the wine and the meat are very well known.
That being said, it comes down to your own personal choice for what kind of Cabernet Sauvignon to choose. A
full bottle of good Cabernet split between a couple can range in price from $25-$200 (and up) in a restaurant. I recommend a bottle of Silver Oak Alexander Valley, which hails from the Sonoma Coast and can be purchased at a store like BevMo for around $49. Bring it with you to your next fancy restaurant outing and the restaurant will un-cork it for you for a small corkage fee. You can order Filet Mignon for the both of you, drink Cabernet Sauvignon, and hatch your plans together on world dominance. However, decadence always comes with a price!

We can't eat fancifully all the time. When you're in the mood to relax with some laid back food, beer and a
good meal go hand in hand. For a first choice of food, how about sushi? Well, most people like sushi (or fib that they do) so let's discuss what kind of beer to drink with your raw fish choices. With the risk of sounding like a magazine ad, why not try Japan's best selling beer with your sushi? Sapporo Japanese Beer tastes so good with sushi, it dominates 70% of the beer market in Japan. You can quote this on your next sushi excursion (see our list for the Best Sushi in the Sacramento Area). For me, there aren't many meals that can beat Sushi and Sapporo Beer! Of course, feel free to add a couple of Sake Bombs into the mix! Just make sure you take a taxi home or have a designated driver. Japanese beer and sake have very high alcohol content!

I've heard it said that everyone has "a little Irish in them." I know I do! For an Irish meal selection, corned beef and cabbage simply cannot be beat! What kind of beer to add to corned beef? This is not a beer, this is Guinness Dry Stout! Yum! Drank nice and warm in Ireland but nice and cold here in America, any way it is served goes really good with Corned Beef. The hearty, somewhat-bitter stout brings out the flavors of the corned beef and cabbage. Together, they are an unbeatable combination of flavors not just isolated to the Emerald Isle!

So, the next time your significant other can't figure out what food to order with that wine, or what beer to accompany a meal, you make a suggestion and become an instant expert on food and drink! Astound your
friends, make new ones, and baffle your parents, and so on and so on.

Interested in getting local beer to pair with your meals? Check out Sacramento's Best Local Breweries. If you'd rather expand your wine horizons, explore Sacramento's Best Wine Bars. Or browse our Directory to find a wine shop near you.