The main objective of pairing -food and wine is pleasure. We should drink and eat what we like despite what any food or wine expert says is right or wrong. It is best to be open-minded enough to try different wines and foods. It is nice to try different varietals with the same foods. If you open multiple wines, open them at the same time and try each with your dish to see which you think pairs the best.

Using flavor bridges sounds complicated, but it can be as simple as using the same or similar wine in a dish that you plan to serve. For example, use a Chardonnay in your white wine butter sauce and then serve the same Chardonnay with the dish. A medium-bodied to full-bodied, dry and crisp Chardonnay like Sonoma-Cutrer’s Sonoma Coast paired with a grilled sea-bass with a Chardonnay butter sauce creates a bridge and continuity of flavors. Serving wine that has similar flavors as your food dishes will help emphasize those flavors.

Using flavor bridges is just one of the many ways to match food and wine. While there are exceptions to the above general guidelines, it will work more times than not. Remember to pair wine and foods of similar weight for best effect. By implementing a few, simple techniques, you will definitely enjoy a more exceptional experience than the boring red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat. Give it a try and see where it take you!