Ferrari-Carano Food & Wine Pairing Guide

This Food & Wine Pairing Guide suggests flavor profiles to assist you when planning your menu. Rhonda's Recipes offer Ferrari Carano wines paired seasonally with a variety of dishes for your entertaining enjoyment. The best rule of thumb is to drink what you like. There are no steadfast rules anymore, but understanding different flavors and textures will help you choose the perfect wine and food pairing. Let your taste be your guide and, most of all, make it fun! A good wine makes good food taste even better.

Pinot Grigio
Light-bodied white wine, gently aromatic with palate-cleansing fruit acid. Great as a sipping wine, brunch or first-courses.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Poached chicken, white-fleshed fish, summer stone fruits, melons, citrus sauces, snow peas, fava beans, baby lettuces, goat cheese, feta cheese, ginger, chives, fruit chutneys, walnuts.
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Fumé Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc
Light-bodied, dry white wine, with hints of citrus, melon and herbal/grassy notes, slight oak character giving the wine richness with a delicate creaminess.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Chicken, turkey, white-fleshed fish, scallops, oysters, mussels, vegetable-based appetizers, goat cheese, feta cheese, light salads, soups or pasta, Asian food, slightly piquant sauces, asparagus, peas, bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, lemon and orange zest, chives, cilantro, chervil, dill, ginger, parsley.
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Chardonnay, Reserve Chardonnay, Russian River Valley Chardonnays
Medium-bodied, rich white wine with toasty, vanilla, caramel, clove, apple, pear flavors. Our Russian River Valley Chardonnays are lighter and lean with delicate richness and citrus overtones.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Seafood, such as halibut, shrimp, crab, lobster with rich creamy sauces, seafood salads, veal, chicken and pork entrees, creamy soups and pastas, pesto, buttery sauces, almonds, potato, apple, apricot, peach, pear, mango, lemon accents, tarragon, basil.
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Siena, Sangiovese
Medium-bodied red wine, with luscious fruit berry flavors. Ferrari-Carano's mountain grown Sangiovese has a deep richness and earthiness that is complemented by full-bodied foods with moderately robust flavors.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Duck, pork, lamb, beef, turkey, roast chicken, grilled tuna, salmon, mushroom, pepper, tomato-based pasta sauces, dark berry fruits, fig, cinnamon, clove, walnut, chestnut, thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, aged cheeses.
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Pinot Noir
Medium-bodied, velvety texture, dazzling complexity, bright acidity, a naturally balanced wine.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Veal, chicken, turkey, rabbit, any game bird, filets of beef or pork, duck, smoked, wood-roasted, braised or sausage meats; earthly flavors such as truffles, wild mushrooms, mustards, peppercorns, coriander, horseradish; resiny or scented green herbs like rosemary, thyme, tarragon, oregano, summer and winter savory, chervil, mints and basils; aromatic sweet spices like clove, cinnamon, mace, allspice and nutmeg; sweet vegetables such as tomatoes, beets, carrots, caramelized onions and bell peppers; autumnal fruits like figs, plums, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, currants, black and dried cherries; mild or creamy cheeses like Brie, Camembert, herbed cremes, Cheddar, Havarti and jack.
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Merlot
Medium-bodied, mellow red wine with a natural softness and full-flavored. Food & Flavor Profile:
Duck, pork, lamb, beef, turkey, roast chicken, roast pork, French onion soup, caramelized onions, tomato, cherry, plum, fig, balsamic vinegar, mint, rosemary, thyme, rosemary, orange zest, Roquefort and cheddar cheeses, hazelnuts, walnuts.
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Syrah
Full-bodied with rich and complex flavors. Exhibits aromas of black fruit, spice and earth with nice balance. Food & Flavor Profile:
Roast game, beef, salmon, barbecue entrees, stewed tomatoes, currants, chutneys, coconut, cumin, curry, oregano, sage, sharp-aged cheeses, hazelnuts.
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Zinfandel
Full-bodied, rich and deep with spicy intense berry flavors.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Grilled red meats, cioppino, blackened fish with Cajun flavorings, ribs, grilled sausages, hearty winter dishes, stews, meat braises, heavy pasta dishes with stewed tomatoes and/or meat, eggplant, cassoulets, barbecue sauces, pepper, nutmeg, oregano, sage, bay leaf.
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Cabernet Sauvignon, Tresor, PreVail Back Forty, PreVail West Face
Full-bodied red wine with rich austere fruit with an elegant refined taste.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Roast beef, rack of lamb, grilled red meats, venison, game meats, grilled tuna or salmon, root vegetables, red wine sauces, aged cheeses, chestnut, bay leaf, rosemary, sage, garlic.
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Eldorado Gold
Sweet, sauterne-style dessert wine.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Light fruit desserts, apricot, apple, pear, most fruit tarts, lemon desserts, hazelnut, almond, dense apple cake, buttery pound cakes, summer berries, creme brulee, caramel sauce, aged cheeses.
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Eldorado Noir
Late-harvest black muscat dessert wine. Port-like in style.
Food & Flavor Profile:
Anything chocolate, dense fruit cakes, fondue, dark chocolate and cherries, dark summer berries, aged cheeses.
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