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This list has definitely helped me out at my dinner parties. With this knowledge I felt like I knew what I was cooking and I could enjoy the full-bodied taste of my wine instead of drowning it out.

Sweet Wine with Salty Food

Lets think about chocolate with popcorn! If you have never had a salty and sweet combo you are missing out! The combination of sweet wine and salty foods makes for a savory experience. Try the Pinot/Moscatto blend called Sweet Wine from Barefoot!

Geography with Geography

This is a really simple combination, if you are preparing a Spanish dish go with a Spanish wine! Wow, I kind of feel shocked that I never thought of this little gem myself! Same goes for Italian food, pair it with a Italian wine! A great Spanish wine is a young tempranillo. A idea for a Italian wine is a Tuscany wine.

Spicy Food with a Sweet Wine

Think logically and this pair totally makes sense! You take a spicy bite of food and cool your mouth with a soft sweet swig!  I remember being a child and eating a pepper that was way to hot, Mom gave me a spoon of sugar, this cooled my mouth down upon contact. A great sweet wine to try would be Riesling.

When you pair an earthy wine with something even more earthy like mushroom stroganoff, then the wine tastes more fruity.

Fatty Foods with a Acidic Wine

I didn't even know there was a wine with high acidity! The idea behind this is that the acidity cuts down on the fatty flavor and cleanses the pallet. This will make every bite seem like the first. A tannin wine is also great for rich foods such as red meats. Give a great red Cabernet a try, it surely won't disappoint!

A wine should have higher acidity than the food it’s matched with otherwise it will taste flabby. For instance, a salad with vinaigrette is better with an extra brut Champagne than a buttery Chardonnay.

Sweet Wine with Dessert

The saying of you can never have too much of a good thing really comes to mind with this pairing. If you are serving a sweet dessert try to find a very sweet wine to pair with, it seems to me that the sweeter the better! If the food is sweeter then the wine it will give the wine a flat taste, so we want to avoid that!

As a general rule, make sure that the wine is sweeter than the food and you will have a successful wine pairing. If the wine is less sweet than the food it’s matched with, it will tend to taste bitter and tart. This is why Port wine is perfect with dessert.

If you are not a wine drinker like myself you are probably now asking how on earth do you know how sweet a wine is or if it is a tannin or acid wine. Don't worry, you can always ask at the store! However, many bottles of wine will actually say what kind of wine they are.

When all else fails do a quick internet search and you will surely find you answer! Another great suggestion is to make sure you know if the wine is to be served chilled or at room temperature.

This easy list of wine pairing should help you shine at your next dinner party! I know it has saved me from looking silly a few times.

This article was adapted from: Wine Folly