Stop Serving The Wrong Wine

Wine has been a popular drink to serve with meals for centuries but many people get confused as to which wine goes best with what type of meal. To make matters worse, there's more to wine than just red and white, there are many different varieties of wine to choose from as well. Here's a guide to some of the most widely available wines, their flavor and what types of meals they go best with. Sauvignon Blanc This popular white wine has an herbal, sometimes peppery aroma. When compared to Chardonnay you might find this to be a bit more acidic. It goes great with any type of seafood dish.

Semillon This wine has a rich golden color and gives off an aroma of lemons and figs. Due to it's low level of acidity, it is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. While most white wines do not age gracefully, Semillon is one of the few that ages rather well.

Semillon is a perfect match for cheese and should be added to the list for your next any wine and cheese party. Riesling Another wine that has low acidity it can be paired with a variety of foods. It has the aroma of mineral stone, tropical fruits and flowers and makes a good match with white fish and pork as well as Chinese cuisine. Chardonnay This is the king of white wines and a popular dinner beverage.

With it's smoky or vanilla aroma it goes well with both white meat and fish. Pouilly-Fuissé This French white wine is a medium full bodied wine. It is a dry wine with a pale golden color and a fruity or floral aroma that hints at hazelnuts and honey. If you plan to serve Pouilly-Fuissé, make sure you serve it at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and pair it with turkey, pork, poultry, fish in a sauce, smoked fish or creamy cheese. Frascati This wine is said to have been favored by the ancient Romans and according to rumor was the favorite wine of Pope Gregorio XVI.

This pale yellow wine is crisp, dry and fresh. Best served cold it goes well with light dishes including seafood and poultry as well as soups. Silvaner This wine which originates in Austria has a very slight fruity taste and low acidity. It goes best with mild non-spicy dishes.

Pedro Ximénez This syrupy desert wine hails from Spain and has a very strong taste reminiscent of molasses and raisins. This wine goes good with coffee and is often used poured right over vanilla ice cream. Cabernet Sauvignon This is one of the most popular red wines and goes great with fish such as salmon and trout as well as sauce free meats. Merlot Another popular red wine, Merlot has a high alcohol content and full body. It can have 3 flavors - an herbish plumb flavor, a currant and cherry flavor and a chocolate and cherry flavor. This dark colored wine goes great with game meats, pate and even casseroles.

Pinot Noir Pinot Noir is an exceptionally flavored wine with a high alcohol content and medium to high acidity. It has the aroma of wilted roses with a hint of cola. It is a challenging wine to make and may cost a bit more but the flavor is worth the expense. Pinot Noir goes well with rabbit, chicken, ham, steak, boeuf bourguignon, and coq au vin.

Zinfandel Has a fruity taste and lush texture that makes it popular among many Americans. It tastes of red berries and bramble and goes well with pizza and burgers or any meals with a red sauce such as pasta. For best taste, serve Zinfandel at 65 degrees. Chianti This Italian red wine has a bold taste that goes with almost any dish especially tomato rich dishes like braised rabbit as well as nature cheeses.

Chianti has a bright red color and the aroma of violets. So there you have it - a list of common wines and their best pairings. The next time you serve an important dinner, you'll be sure to have the right wine for the meal.

Lee Dobbins writes for Online Gourmet Foods where you can read more about gourmet foods and wine.