David Lawler

I like to think there is a wine for everyone, and a dish for every wine. I am inclined to place greater importance on making sure the wine matches the guest before contemplating the dish; there are very few immovable rules when it comes to matching wine and food, so you should really drink what you enjoy.

There are, however, some things worth considering; think about matching the body and weight of the wine and dish; lighter, subtle dishes like fragrant salads or delicate shellfish go well with crisp Riesling, Albariño, or dry sherry. Full, rich dishes with powerful flavours like smoked meats, seafood, barbecued pork or roast duck go well with whites of the Rhone Valley, ripe Grüner Veltliner, Shiraz or Tempranillo. Looking to match the weight of the food and wine provides you with many more options.