Best Wine for Risotto: What to Cook With and What to Drink With Mushroom Risotto

Bowl of mushroom risotto beside a glass of Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir to drink, a cheap dry white to cook with. The best wine for mushroom risotto and every other risotto, what to avoid, and a bottle under eleven dollars.
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Chardonnay Food Pairing: What to Eat With Oaked and Unoaked Chardonnay

Glass of Chardonnay beside a golden roast chicken
Roast chicken, buttery seafood, creamy pasta or a plate of prawns: what to eat with Chardonnay, why oaked and unoaked need different dinners, and what to avoid.
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Popcorn and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

Glass of sparkling wine beside a bowl of popcorn
Sparkling wine wins, and the salt is doing more work than you think. What to pour with salted, buttered and caramel popcorn, and what to leave in the rack.
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Best Wine With Nachos: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

Platter of loaded nachos with a glass of chilled red wine
The best wine with nachos is a chilled, low-tannin red like Grenache or a cold off-dry Riesling. Why salt, fat and jalapeño heat rule out the big reds, and what to pour instead.
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Wine Pairing With Omelette: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

Folded omelette with chives on a plate beside a glass of sparkling wine
Egg yolk coats the palate and mutes wine, so the answer is bubbles or acid, then match the filling. Sparkling first, Chardonnay for cheese, Sauvignon Blanc for herbs.
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Moussaka and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

Greek moussaka in a baking dish beside a glass of red wine on a timber table
Moussaka needs acidity, not muscle. Xinomavro is the best answer, with Sangiovese and Grenache behind it, and the béchamel is the reason your usual big red falls over.
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Best Wine for Mexican Food: Tacos, Chilli and What to Avoid

A glass of red wine and a glass of white beside beef tacos with lime and salsa
Off dry Riesling, dry rose and a light Tempranillo are the best wines for Mexican food. The rule is not red or white, it is alcohol.
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Antipasto and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

Antipasto board with cured meats and olives beside a glass of red wine
Salty meat, briny olives and vinegary vegetables all want different things from a glass. Sangiovese, dry sparkling and dry rose keep the peace.
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Liver and Onions and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

Pan of liver and caramelised onions beside a glass of light red wine
Liver is iron-dense, and iron is what makes wine taste metallic. Gamay, Pinot Noir and Loire Cabernet Franc all work, served cool. Here is why, and what to avoid.
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Best Wine With Chinese Food: Salt, Sugar and Chilli Sorted

Steamer of dumplings beside a glass of white wine
Chinese cooking throws salt, sugar, chilli and fat at your glass all at once. Here is the one bottle that survives a shared table, and why alcohol makes chilli worse.
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