A word on pairing.
Ladies, don’t get hung up on pairing your food and wine. If you don’t like the style of a wine that is “supposed” to go with your meal, you’re not going to like the wine no matter how perfect the pairing. But for those of you interested in a little experimentation, I’ve included some of my favorite pairings below:

Chardonnay: The most popular white wine in America, Chard grapes generally produce full-bodied wines. California, Burgundy (France) and Australia’s Margaret River all produce world-famous Chardonnays.

  • Foods to pair with Chardonnay: grilled cheese sandwiches, vegetable lasagna, steamed lobster or crab, chicken tamales
  • Names to try: Louis Latour (France), Ruffino Libalo (Italy), J Lohr (USA), Kim Crawford (New Zealand)

Pinot Noir: Pinot Noir grapes produce elegant, food-friendly red wines. The most famous region for Pinot Noir is Burgundy, but Pinots are also produced in abundance throughout the United States, Australia and New Zealand.