Cabernets can be hearty and rich or mellow and mild. Black currant with overtones of blackberry and mint. Takes on vanilla and oaky flavors from aging in oak barrels. Higher quality cabs age well although more slowly, developing more flavors. Aging well and slowly is a good thing.

Cabs go well with roasted beef, lamb and goose prepared with herbs. From pairings with appetizers to desserts, they’re a versatile match for Brie, Cheddar cheeses and, yes, chocolate. A ripe cab pairs nicely with your Thanksgiving turkey.

Hints of raspberries, black currant leaves, and green pepper. Ripe fruit and tobacco often come to mind. If you get on the wrong side of the dollar sign, you might pick up a slightly soapy taste.

It is not often seen: however, the lighter, and thus served cool variety from lesser years, goes well with… asparagus! Also pairs nicely with lighter fishes. The products of the finer years go well with meats cooked in beer – a challenge for most wines. Since it is so often paired with other reds, it is versatile and can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes.

Characteristics vary greatly. A Pinot Noir typically produces rich, velvety, light- to medium-bodied wines with balanced tannins and edgy acidity. Flavors range from subdued fruit, dark cherry and linden to peppermint and leather. Dry, classic Chablis is made from Chardonnay grapes, while the freshness of each year’s new Beaujolais Nouveau is from the more fruity Gamay grape. Sample each to see which pleases your palate.

Pinot Noir varieties go well with roasted meats, poultry and game – and rich fish, like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, especially when accented with fresh herbs and spices. Delicate cheeses too. More fruity Burgundies pair nicely with lighter fish and seafood. For the brave, try a making a cheese soufflé to serve with. 

The very broad ranges of flavors, textures and bouquets make tasting Pinots an exciting mystery. It tends to be of a medium body and can be much lighter both in color and flavor than other red wines. It is less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon. It boasts both fruity and floral aromas with hints of vanilla and even spice.

Perhaps the most reliable red to go with fish and most other games and meats, with the exception of lamb. Try it with grilled salmon topped with a mango salsa or roasted duck with a green apple relish.

Generally light in flavor; may hint of blackberry, other black fruits, wood and other notes. It’s been said a classic Bordeaux has a “cigar box” aroma. Depending on your opinion of cigars, this can be desirable!

Excellent with grilled meats, poultry and game; pairs well with rich foods and sauces, especially those prepared with red wines. Experiment also with Indian and North African dishes. Or perhaps a rich meat cassoulet or – for the extremely adventurous (both in the kitchen and at the table) – try lampreys a la bordelaise (eels stewed with their blood in a red wine sauce). 

Hearty, medium- to full-bodied; medium to high tannic wine. Definitely affected by temperature when growing. Warmer climates bring out mellower flavors, while cooler temps entice the spice. Experience hints of blackberry, violets, herbs, pepper, smoke and leather. Even traces of licorice, bittersweet chocolate and mocha.

Hearty foods are the best pairings here. Like grilled and dark meats, strong game and substantial, rich cheeses. Also try with Indian, Mexican and other bold flavors. It is hard to beat a good Syrah and a nice, rare filet of either beef or bison. For a truly comforting meal on a winter’s night, try pairing with a shepherd’s pie. 

True Chianti produces strong, bold flavors varying in style, primarily determined by aging. Light to full-bodied, Chianti is always dry. Here, taste hints of concentrated fruits, tart cherry and violet.

Perfect with Italian foods and other dishes rich in seasonings. Think red meats and sauces, and pastas like lasagna, spinach and ricotta cannelloni, and our favorite, pizza. (For a win-win combination, try a take-out pizza from Pizza Bella in Lake Oswego – you can pick up a great, reasonably priced Chianti and sample the special pizza-of-the-day while you wait!)

On its own, it tends to be spicy with a smooth texture and medium body. When blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, the “Super Tuscans” are big wines, intense and plumy with some spice.

Try any variety with grilled and roasted meats, rich pastas, sausages. A rich meaty lasagna with garlic bread and a “Super Tuscan” is a pairing that is hard to beat. 

True Spanish Tempranillo produces wines that are medium in body and high in acid. The flavors are generally reminiscent of plum and black currant. Although it can be consumed while young, it is typically best when aged, especially in oak.

While in Spain, try the Catalan dish of rabbit cooked with wine and herbs and ask your servers to recommend their favorite Tempranillo. Typically, it goes well with a variety of foods, but to be on the safe side, error on the side of medium to highly flavorful foods, rather than lighter fare. Even a roasted leg of lamb can pair nicely. 

Produced from one of four varieties of grapes and labeled as such — Sercial: very dry, light color; Verdelho: medium-dry, golden color; Bual: medium-sweet, velvety, dark gold to brown; Malmsey: sweet, chestnut brown (made from the original grape). Often “refreshed,” meaning the next year’s wine includes some of the previous year’s wine to preserve a consistent flavor. (Think sourdough bread.) The grades of Madeira are: Reserve, five years or older; Special Reserve, 10+ years; and Extra Reserve, 15+ years.

Goes wonderfully with savory dishes, poultry, mushrooms and cheeses, like Fontina, and in dessert sauces. This versatile wine may be served before dinner, with the richer Madeiras as an after-dinner beverage, the lighter ones as a dessert wine and the heavier varieties as a dessert cordial. Additional suggestions: With salted almonds before dinner and, at Christmas/holiday time, a perfect pairing for traditional dishes, like plum pudding or mincemeat pie. 

Ummm… Sweet, thick, strong, fruity.

If it is white, you will most likely see it alone or with cheeses before dinner, as an aptertif. The reds are typically served after dinner. Try it with a plate of strong flavored cheeses, such as Sharp Cheddar, Blue and Stilton, or with a bittersweet chocolate cake or a rich chocolate budino. If you’re shying away from desserts, an assortment of high quality nuts pairs nicely with most Ports.

Always structured but varies from light to heavier, full-bodied and from dry to sweet. This is a spicy, peppery wine with hints of fruit: berries, plums, raisins and dark cherries.

Goes well with food considered “American,” like pizza and hearty sandwiches, but is substantial enough to accompany game, spicy dishes, red sauces and Asian cuisine. Plays well with high-acid foods, like tomatoes and citrus.

Chardonnays can be simple to complex, dry to light or semi-sweet, depending on its region of growth and fermentation. If grown in France’s Burgundy region, chards are likely to be complex, long-lived and steely. Outside of France, they tend to be big, creamy and oaky or dry, buttery and fruity, like the California chards. Flavors range from a wide variety of fruits to butterscotch, honey, spice, nuts and, of course, oak. Refer to bottles’ labels as quality can range greatly.

When dry, goes well with poultry, seafood, egg dishes and creamy sauces. Can pair nicely with a light grilled or smoked red meat. The more complex, buttery Chards with a full-mouth feel pair nicely with more hearty dishes, like lobster thermidor, duck a´ la orange, guacamole or a creamy coconut curry. Good cheeses to go with Chards? Gruyere, Provolone and Brie.

Easily recognized by its grassy, gooseberry flavors and its bone-dry style. Can be slightly sweet and tropical and has even had the description of “cat’s pee on a mulberry bush”! [Note: Amazingly, this is desirable.]

Best chilled slightly with fish or cheese, green vegetables, spicy foods, dishes with lemon. And for the parsnip lover, you have found your match!

Fruity with a nice bit of spice. The Condrieu variety yields a wine that is notably full bodied, almost fat, yet still dry and is thought to best exhibit the complete array of blossoms, fruits and musks that make it so desirable. It should be noted that keeping these wines too long may cause them to lose a good deal of their floral aromas, which is what makes this wine particularly unique.

It can be somewhat difficult to match with food, but the richness of both crab and lobster are sure winners. Also, try scallops sautéed with saffron or roasted pork generously spiced with rosemary.

Typically a sweeter, zesty wine, it balances fruit and steely acidity. Varies from dry and crisp to full-bodied sweet. Hints of apple, peach, melon, honeysuckle, floral, honey, musk and light spice. Is definitely affected by growing region: German Rieslings, more tart; Californian, drier and more melon flavor. Cheaper offerings may be harsh; higher quality, more expensive ones more sweet, complex and delicate. Again, it’s what you’re willing to pay.

Considered the most versatile white wine to pair with foods. [Read: plays well with everyone.] Is an excellent aperitif, goes nicely with all cuisines except perhaps the most hearty and is lovely served as a dessert wine. Think stir fry, sushi, your Chinese carry-out, Caesar salad or a variety of fish, particularly those that are smoked.

Can be completely dry to semi-dry. Strong smell of lychees on the bouquet.

Considered to be one of the better wines to go with curries and Asian cuisine, particularly spicy foods. Some might say that it is best with a delicate and rich foie gras. Perhaps Munster cheese and Gewurztraminer on a spring afternoon… 

The varieties differ and can be yellow to copper pink in color, light to full bodied, rich, lean, crisp, acidic, more fruity, less fruity – from bone dry to richly sweet. It is difficult to generalize due to the wide range of locations where it is grown.

Also due to the variety of styles, it pairs well with a variety of foods. Dennis and Donna McFall of West Coast Wine Cellars enjoy Pinot Gris with fresh, grilled northwest Salmon. It also goes well with a cold brunch consisting of fruit salads, green salads, cold spicy sesame noodles and a chilled onion flan. Drier versions are a nice accompaniment to linguine with a creamy parmesan sauce or mushroom-filled ravioli. A sweeter Pinot Grigio will pair better with foie gras.

One of the few wines that makes you think “grapes” when you taste it, whether it is dry, sweet, still, sparkling or fortified. Sometimes has a hint of orange, rose, musk. The fortified versions often taste of raisins.

This versatile, lovely wine is as different as the various areas that produce it. If you are in France, you may wish to drink your fortified Muscat as an aperitif. The darker and sweeter Muscats of the Australian variety can complement the strongest of chocolate desserts and truly go well with ice creams. The fizzy, sweet Italian Muscatos (think Asti) can be very versatile and pair nicely with a fresh fruit salad. The orangey Californian Muscats can be served alone as an after-dinner drink or with a dessert that is not as sweet as the wine.