Pair Wine to Food
Search for a food and discover which wines pair best with it.
How Wine-Food Pairing Works
The Radar Chart
Each axis represents a taste dimension scored from 1 (low) to 4 (very high). The food profile is always shown; click a wine to overlay its profile and visually compare where they align or differ.
Taste Dimensions
- Sweetness
- Perceived sugar level — mapped from the wine's residual sweetness.
- Acidity
- Tartness or sourness — key for balancing rich or fatty dishes.
- Saltiness
- Mineral or saline character — derived from the wine's intensity.
- Spiciness
- Piquant or peppery heat — approximated by the wine's fizziness.
- Fattiness
- Richness and mouthfeel — linked to the wine's body.
- Bitterness
- Astringent or tannic bite — mapped from tannin levels.
Pairing Rules
Wines are filtered through a series of sommelier-inspired rules:
- Weight matching — the wine's body should match the food's weight, so a heavy dish gets a full-bodied wine.
- Acidity ≥ food — the wine should be at least as acidic as the food, otherwise it tastes flat.
- Sweetness ≥ food — the wine should be at least as sweet as the food to avoid tasting sour.
- Bitter avoidance — very bitter foods clash with bitter (tannic) wines.
- Tannin + fat — high-fat foods love tannic wines — the fat softens the tannins.
- Tannin vs. spice/salt — tannins amplify heat and salt, so spicy or salty dishes get low-tannin wines.
- Acid vs. bitter/spice — high acidity and bitterness or spiciness don't mix well.
Rules are applied progressively: if a rule would eliminate too many candidates, it is relaxed to keep at least a minimum number of wines.
Congruent vs. Contrasting
A congruent pairing shares dominant tastes (e.g. sweet wine with sweet food). A contrasting pairing balances opposites (e.g. acidic wine with fatty food). Both can be excellent — the chart helps you see which style each wine offers.