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, hard cheeses and dark chocolate are a good match for red wines higher in tannins (the mouth drying sensation in red wines), such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Bordeaux style red blends.

Salty or spicy foods taste best with a light, slightly sweet wine. Be aware that spicy dishes when paired with wines of higher alcohol levels will enhance the perception of the spice and make things taste spicier.

Serving wine with dessert? Look to pair a wine with an equal level of sweetness so that both will compliment the other. If one is sweeter than the other you will risk cancelling the less sweet item out in the pairing.