What Wine With What Food

[RLMF]

I am new to all of this and I am a big beer drinker. (Guinness and such...not Bud) So obviously I need help. I am taking my girlfriend (a wine drinker) to the Four Seasons in Manhattan for dinner, and I don't want to seem like an idiot. We have been together for three years and I want to learn for her....so what goes with what and is ther a website that contains all of this?

[Randy Caparoso]

The old "rule" -- white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat -- will only take you so far, but it does work a good 60%, 70% of the time.

But contemporary restaurant cooking being what it is these days -- especially with seafood being served in rather rich settings so that they are actually better with light red wines, plus the fact that couples often end up ordering a mix of dishes -- I think it's smarter to go with the following route.

First, start with glasses of Champagne, which is a good thing to break the ice plus which can usually carry you through the amuse bouche (the freebie appetizer formal restaurants like to send out) and even the appetizer/first course that you order yourself.

Second, you'll need to decide on a bottle (bottles are definitely more debonair than wines by the glass) that may have to go with your salad and entree. Sorting out food/wine affinities can indeed be complicated, but there is a pretty much full-proof, simple solution:

1. If your lady friend prefers a light, slightly sweet (as opposed to dry) wine, order a German Riesling. Ask your server, or sommelier, to point out a Kabinett and/or Halbtrocken style, which are fruity but have a lively, fresh natural acidity which will allow the wine to go with an amazing variety of dishes. Trust me -- this style of wine is extremely food-flexible.

2. If your friend professes a preference for a dry wine, order a lighter, silkier style of Pinot Noir from Oregon, California, Germany (often sold under the German name for Pinot Noir, Spatburgunder), or France (listed under red Burgundy). Consult your server or sommelier. Good bottlings in a restaurant like Four Seasons go for $40 to $90 (you chose the place, not me). Great bottlings go for $100+ easily, but are not totally necessary for your purposes. The idea is that a light, smooth red wine like Pinot Noir is the single most versatile food wine you get drink -- it's fresh and easy enough to go with most seafoods, firm enough to go with red meats (and certainly most "other" white meats), and even zesty enough to go with salads. The other big advantage is the fact that nothing pleases a woman wine lover like a decent bottle of silken textured red wine -- not something I made up, but what's been told to me over and over again by those who should know.

Thirdly, for some advice that will make you really look smart: If your friend admits to having a weakness for chocolate, order a small glass of Tawny Port or Banyuls to go with it. She'll flip over this combination of sweet fortified red wine with bittersweet chocolate. If she doesn't have chocolate for dessert, you're on your own.

Anyhow, that's my solution. If you're still interested in learning specifics about food and wine matching, you might want to check out The Wine Lover's Page at www.wine-lovers-page.com, which has a very extensive food-by-food section with good, thoughtful recommendations.

Lovers -- a good way to describe things involving wine, food and relationships.