How to: Pair your wine with food!
By: Emily Ludolph, Baxter’s Vineyards

While the flavor of your choice of wine is excellent by itself, make it outstanding by learning how to complement both wine and food by pairing them together.  Wine and food pairings are not just for wine connoisseurs anymore; anyone can take advantage of this and get the most out of their wine by following just a few tips.  The old rule is to pair white wines with chicken and fish and red wines with beef and pasta.  A general guideline is to pair light bodied wines with lighter flavored foods and heavier bodied wines with heavier, more flavorful foods.  Of course, breaking the mold is encouraged; let your taste buds lead you to finding amazing and unusual pairings!

For appetizers, Baxter’s Vineyards Sangria wine (Semi-sweet red with lemon and lime flavors) pairs well with grilled shrimp and guacamole.  Many of our wines also pair excellently with gourmet cheese: blue cheese and our Classic Concord wine (Sweet Red), smoked gouda and our upcoming Norton Reserve wine (Dry Red), and sharp cheese and our Brenda’s Blush wine (Semi-Sweet Blush).

For the main course, it depends how you prepare your meat.  Grilled, smoked meats go well with our rich Riverbend Red (Dry Red Blend), BBQ and spicy flavored food go well with our zesty Classic Catawba wine (Semi-Sweet White), and deluxe foods such as roast prime rib and grilled salmon pair well with our Classic Norton (Dry Red).

For dessert, baked goods such as pies (especially Carol’s!) and tarts pair nicely with Baxter’s Classic Concord wine (Red Sweet).  Cheesecake, fruit, and especially chocolate covered strawberries blend nice with the Classic Niagara wine (White Sweet) and the Nauvoo Red wine (Semi-Dry Red) goes great with chocolate!

Of course everyone has a different taste, but hopefully this will encourage you to find your favorite