How to Select a Bottle of Wine for Dinner

Information on how to select the perfect bottle of wine to accompany any dinner.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. CONSIDER WHAT YOU'RE EATING
   
   Seafood and Chicken dishes are often best paired with white wines, and red meats go best with red wines. This is the standard rule of thumb, however, you can mix and match depending on your own taste. Many people throw out this rule when selecting a bottle of wine so I would recommend choosing a wine that best suits your own personal taste.

2. CLASSICS
   
   Classic white wines are Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and sparkling wine: Champaign. Pinot Grigio is a lighter bodied wine that has a lower calorie content and a favorite among many weight-conscious women. There are desert cordial wines that are very sweet and then others like a White Merlot that have very little sugar content.

3. BLUSH WINES
   
   White Zinfandel, Chianti, and Rose are classic blush wines. Blush wines are universally appealing and make great table wines because they go well with a wide variety of foods and even the most inexpensive blush is enjoyable. Blush wines also pair well with fruits and deserts.

4. RED WINES
   
   Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Shiraz are a few deep reds. Shop around and find a red wine that you enjoy and then stick with it. There are numerous varying price ranges and some feel the more you spend on a bottle -the better. However, this is not always the case as you can find moderately priced wines that are of excellent quality.