Wine & Food 

• To download a full printable version of Calgary Co-op's Wining and Dining Guide, click here.

In a world of delicious choices, it’s a challenge deciding which wine will accent a meal or enhance an occasion. So here’s a quick and easy guide to help you figure out what’s what, and what works best with which dishes. And remember, the right wine is the one you enjoy the most!

Suggestions for wine and food matching

• Light wines go best with light foods or delicate flavours. Medium and full bodied wines complement heavier foods and heartier flavours.
• Make sure your sauce doesn’t overpower your wine. For example, if you’re serving pasta with a rich tomato and meat sauce, choose a medium bodied wine. Wine should complement the dish not overpower it.
• Red meats are a good match for wines high in tannin, such as Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Salty or spicy foods taste best with a light, slightly sweet wine such as Champagne or Riesling.
• Serving wine with dessert? Choose a wine that’s sweeter than the food, otherwise your wine will taste acidic. 

Recommended serving temperatures 

Cabernet Sauvignon

Flavour - Dry red. Distinct black currant flavour. Hint of mint and cedar.
Characteristics -  Medium to full bodied. Mellow, well rounded, high in tannin. Ages well.
Meal Matches - Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game.
Cheeses - Camembert, sharp cheddar, Danish blue.

Chardonnay

Flavour -  Dry white. Buttery, lemony, sometimes nutty, with a hint of tropical fruit.
Characteristics  - Medium to full bodied. Varies from light unoaked to rich and fruity.
Meal Matches -  Poultry, game, veal pork, rabbit, fish, creamy/buttery pasta dishes.
Cheeses - Bel Paese, Bucheron, Gruyere, Provolone. 

Gewurztraminer

Flavour - Dry to sweet white. Intensely aromatic, bursting with flavours of spice, peaches, lychee and rose petals.
Characteristics -  Medium to full bodied. Style ranges from dry and crisp to sweet dessert wines. Spicy aroma and taste. Less refreshing than other dry whites.
Meal Matches - Spicy hot foods, curries, Chinese food, duck, smoked trout, mackerel, salads, fruit dishes, sweet & sour recipes, dishes flavoured with mint or black pepper.
Cheeses - Mild or medium cheddar, Swiss, Boursin, Chevre, Wensleydale, Caraway, Gouda, Feta, Muenster.

Merlot

Flavour - Dry red. Juicy, fruity, with black currant, black cherry and mint flavours.
Characteristics -  Medium to full bodied. Subtle, soft and velvety. Less tannin, hence less bitter than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Meal Matches - Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, stews, pizza, hearty pastas.
Cheeses - Blue cheeses, Gorganzola, Maytag, soft or semi-hard cheeses, mild cheddar, Fontina, Gouda, Jarslburg, Swiss, Brie, Camembert.

Pinot Noir

Flavour - Dry red. Predominantly raspberry/ strawberry with a hint of game.
Characteristics - Light to medium bodied. Younger wines smell almost sweet; more mature wines have silky fruit textures with undertones of truffles, game and leather.
Meal Matches - Beef, chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant, moussaka, salmon, shark, swordfish, and dishes flavoured with mushrooms, mint, sage or cinnamon.
Cheeses - Camembert, cream cheese, Edam, Gouda, Brie (garlic & herb, smoked, pepper), Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Feta, Roquefort, cheddar (smoked, sharp, extra sharp).

Riesling

Flavour - Dry to sweet white. Hint of green apple, lime, apricot and honey.
Characteristics - Light to medium bodied. Styles range from crisp and delicate to rich and sweet dessert wines.
Meal Matches -  Poultry, pork, prawns, shrimp Newburg, and dishes flavoured with dill, sage, clover or ginger.
Cheeses - Monterey Jack, Gouda, Edam, Gruyere, Colby, Cheshire, Feta, Swiss. 

Sauvignon Blanc

Flavour -  Dry white. Sharp, tangy, gooseberry flavour. Undertones of grasses and flowers.
Characteristics - Light to medium bodied. Natural acidity. Regional distinctions; i.e. New Zealand’s are tangy and sharp, Chile’s are softer.
Meal Matches  - First courses, seafood, ethnic dishes (curries, salsas, spicy sausages), vegetable dishes, salads, olive-oil-based dishes, tomato sauces, goat cheese.
Cheeses - Sharp cheddar, Derby,
Gruyere, Neufchatel.

Shiraz/Syrah

Flavour - Dry red. Intense, complex sweet blackberry/    raspberry flavours, peppery overtone. Syrah tends to earthy tones; Shiraz is more fruity.
Characteristics -  Medium to full bodied. Rich, tannic, velvety. Best are intense, deep-coloured. Softer tannins than Cabernet.
Meal Matches - Beef, pork, veal, duck, turkey, spicy Cajun or Italian dishes, pizza, and dishes flavoured with tarragon, rosemary, juniper or white pepper. Serve sparkling Shiraz with pastries, puddings.
Cheeses - Cheddar (smoked, sharp, extra sharp), Camembert, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, Reggiano, Pecorino.

Viognier

Flavour - Dry white. Apricot, peach and fresh floral flavours; spicy undertones. So aromatic and exotic that they are almost sweet on the palate.
Characteristics - Full bodied, rich, elegant. Soft, luscious style.
Meal Matches -  Spicy Mexican, Asian and Indian dishes, firm-meated fish (tuna, salmon, sword fish), sweet-glazed pork, poultry with fruit salsa, and dishes featuring Cajun spice, mustard or pepper.  
Cheeses - Strong, salty varieties.

Zinfandel

Flavour -  Dry red. Unique raspberry/blackberry  flavour. Intense spicy fruitiness, vibrant colour.
Characteristics - Full bodied with plenty of tannins and spice.
Meal Matches - Steak, poultry, pasta, goulash, pork, spicy sausage, and dishes flavoured with black pepper, tarragon, cloves or oregano.
Cheeses - Blue, Camembert, Chevre, Havarti, Muenster, Mozzarella, cheddar (English, smoked, sharp, extra sharp), Pepper Jack, Brie (garlic, ­herbed), Monterey Jack, Parmesan.