Beef

Steaks and Roast Beef require a dry and tannic red wine. Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots work well. Italian reds like Piemonte (Barolo, Barbaresco) and Tuscany (Chianti, Brunello) also do the job.

Lamb

Roast Lamb is excellent with Red Bordeaux. Lighter dishes like Lamb Chop are better with fruity wines, like New Zealand reds, or Pinot-Noir.

Veal

Young veals will be white, therefore requiring rich White wines, like Chardonnays or German Rieslings. Heavier veal dishes call for Red wines with fruity tones, like Chianti and Pinot Noir.

Chicken

Roast chicken is one meat where the rule of “red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat” need not apply. A wide variety of wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Dolcetto and Zinfandel go well with this meat. Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Riesling are also good choices.

Sometimes, the best-fitting wine depends on the sauces used for the chicken and how it is prepared. Light chicken-breast sautees dishes which use cream sauces may require Whites. Dishes using tomato and cheese, like chicken cacciatore, are better suited to a dry Red. In this case an Italian Red like Chianti provides a good ethnic match.

Turkey

The traditional holiday bird, Turkey has both light and dark meat. It also has an oily quality that may not compliment dry wines. Wines with characteristics resembling cranberry sauce will do well. Good Red choices include Beaujolais or Zinfandel, and Riesling, Gewurztraminer or Chenin Blanc are suitable Whites.

Pasta

For classic Italian tangy red tomato sauce pastas, the obvious choice is Italian Red wine. Chianti, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Salice Salentino and other wines will do.
For cheese sauce pastas like Fettuccine Alfredo, consider Whites like Chardonnay.
For a seafood pasta whose sauce does not use tomatoes, a dry and crisp White is best.  Sauvignon Blanc (Fumé Blanc) is good, or if you prefer a fruity Italian White wine, try Vernaccia, Orvieto, Soave, or Frascati.

Salmon

Pinot noir is the classic choice, but a fine White like Riesling or Condrieu can pair very well with poached salmon or salmon served in a cream sauce. Understated, fine rosés are also good matches, but not with cream sauce salmon.

Caviar

While Caviar is popularly savoured with Vodka, when it comes to wine, the established choice is champagne, the finer the better.

Dessert

A few sweet wines are traditionally served with certain desserts - foie gras with Sauternes, fine blue cheese and walnuts with Port, and creamy (but not-too-sweet) creme brulée with a fine dessert wine.

Banyuls, a strong and sweet Red wine from the French Pyrenees, makes a great partner for dark chocolates. Pedro Ximinez Sherry (or framboise) is commonly served along with ice cream. New World, late-harvest Rieslings are potentially excellent matches for baked apple desserts like apple tart.