What to Drink?

They say guidelines are flexible! You will be aware of the saying "white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat." Of course you can drink what you prefer, but here are a few ideas.

For a special occasion serve champagne all through the meal. Choose a light well-balanced meal to offfset the acidic effect of the champange.A rose champagne as an aperitif will get the taste buds going. Follow this with a dry (brut) champagne with the starter and with the main serve the finest vintage champagne!

Wine with First Course

To stimulate the appetite the wine should be an aromatic dry white wine - but not be too strong.

• French Sauvignon like Sancerre
• Alsation Gewurztraminer

Californian Fume Blanc - good with smoked fish and pate's

With salad as a starter a light dry wine goes well

• Chardonnays
• Vinho Verde
• Muscadets
• White Rioja

Wine with Fish Course

It's traditional to serve white wine with fish. Rose's and a light well-chilled Beaujolais or a young red Bordeaux goes particularly well with salmon or trout.

• Tavel Rose'
• Coteaux d'Ancenis

You can try something fruitier

• Alsace Riesling
• Californian Riesling
• Cote de Beaune
• South African Nederburg Fonternel goes well with a fish mousse

If serving your fish in a sauce choose a fuller wine like

• White Burgundy Macon - Prisse'
• Macon - Villages

Wines with Main Course                                                                                                                                  If serving a simple but elegant fish or white meat?serve a full-bodied white wine like an Australian Semillions or a young claret.

Beef:

• Australian Shiraz
• Italian Chianti Classico
• Burgundy - Cote d'Or
• Cote Chardonnay
• Burgundy or Bordeaux
• Spanish Rioja - Marques de Riscal or Marques de Murieta
• South African Pinotage

Poultry & Lamb:

Claret goes well with the not so heavy meats.

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• St. Emilion
• Pomerol
• Gran Reserva Rioja

Pork:

If a delciate pork dish serve a delicate Pouilly-Fuisse'

If the pork is in a rich sauce then choose a powerful wine -

• Hermitage
• Cote Rotie

Game:

Serve a full and heavy Burgundy with game.

• Chateauneuf-du-Pape
• Nuits St. Georges
• Cotes de Beaune

Wine with Cheese and Desserts

Dessert wine is becoming more and more popular. With fruity and light creamy puddings serve

• Sauternes - Chateau d'Yquem
• Barsac - Chateau Cliniens
• Muscat-de-Beaumes-de-Venise is I think the best dessert wine!
• South African Edelkeur
• Sweet Asti Spumante, Madeira or a cream sherry can also be served...

If having a cheese board serve a good red wine. Leave your cheese wrapped on a board to warm up to room temperature, until ready to serve.