wine-pairing

name	wine-pairing
description	Comprehensive beverage pairing guide covering wine varietals and food matching rules, beer style profiles, cocktail basics, non-alcoholic alternatives, cheese pairing principles, dessert pairing, and entertaining beverage planning. Designed for both casual meals and hosted events. Use when the user asks about wine pairing, or needs help with comprehensive beverage pairing guide covering wine varietals and food matching rules, beer style profiles, cocktail basics, non-alcoholic alternatives, cheese pairing principles, dessert pairing, and entertaining beverage planning. Do NOT use when the request requires professional specialized advice or falls outside the scope of wine pairing.
license	Apache-2.0
metadata	{"author":"foundry-skills","version":"1.0.0","tags":"cooking meal-planning guide","category":"home-household","subcategory":"cooking-meals","depends":"","disclaimer":"none","difficulty":"intermediate"}

Wine, Beer & Beverage Pairing

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• User asks about wine pairing
• User needs guidance on wine pairing topics
• User wants a structured approach to wine pairing

Do NOT use when:

• Request requires professional consultation beyond educational guidance
• User needs emergency assistance

Questions to Ask the User First

BEVERAGE PAIRING ASSESSMENT
==============================

1. WHAT DO YOU NEED HELP WITH?
   [ ] Pairing wine with a specific dish
   [ ] Pairing beer with food
   [ ] Choosing beverages for an event/dinner party
   [ ] Non-alcoholic pairing options
   [ ] Cheese and beverage pairing
   [ ] Dessert pairing
   [ ] General wine/beer education
   [ ] Cocktail planning for entertaining

2. CONTEXT:
   - Occasion: [ ] Casual dinner [ ] Dinner party [ ] Holiday meal
     [ ] Date night [ ] Large gathering [ ] Gift selection
   - Number of guests: ___
   - Budget per bottle: $___

3. THE FOOD:
   - Main dish: _______________
   - Cooking method: _______________
   - Dominant flavors: [ ] Rich/heavy [ ] Light/delicate [ ] Spicy
     [ ] Sweet [ ] Acidic [ ] Smoky [ ] Umami/savory

4. PREFERENCES:
   - Preferred wine style: [ ] Red [ ] White [ ] Rose [ ] Sparkling
     [ ] No preference [ ] Don't know yet
   - Sweetness preference: [ ] Dry [ ] Off-dry [ ] Sweet [ ] Varies
   - Known favorites: ___
   - Known dislikes: ___
   - Alcohol considerations:
     [ ] All guests drink alcohol
     [ ] Some non-drinkers present
     [ ] All non-alcoholic needed

5. EXPERIENCE LEVEL:
   [ ] Beginner (overwhelmed by options)
   [ ] Casual (know what I like, want to learn more)
   [ ] Enthusiast (looking for specific pairing guidance)
   [ ] Advanced (looking for adventurous pairings)

Wine Fundamentals

Wine Style Spectrum

DRY                                                    SWEET
|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
Brut      Dry      Off-Dry   Medium   Sweet    Dessert
Champagne Cab Sav  Riesling  Moscato  Port     Ice Wine
Pinot G   Sauv Bl  Gewurz    Lambr    Sautern  Tokaji
Chablis   Merlot                      es

LIGHT-BODIED                              FULL-BODIED
|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
Pinot Gr  Sauv Bl  Pinot N   Merlot   Cab Sav
Riesling  Rose     Tempran   Malbec   Syrah/
                                      Shiraz

Major Red Wine Varietals

Wine	Body	Key Flavors	Pairs With	Serve Temp
Cabernet Sauvignon	Full	Black currant, cedar, tobacco	Grilled steak, lamb, aged cheese	60-65F
Merlot	Medium-Full	Plum, cherry, chocolate	Roast chicken, pork, mushrooms	60-65F
Pinot Noir	Light-Medium	Cherry, raspberry, earth	Salmon, duck, mushrooms, soft cheese	55-60F
Syrah/Shiraz	Full	Blackberry, pepper, smoke	BBQ, game meat, stews, hard cheese	60-65F
Malbec	Medium-Full	Plum, blackberry, cocoa	Grilled meats, empanadas, spiced dishes	60-65F
Zinfandel	Medium-Full	Jammy berry, spice, pepper	BBQ, pizza, spicy food, tomato sauces	60-65F
Tempranillo	Medium	Cherry, leather, vanilla	Spanish food, lamb, roasted vegetables	60-65F
Sangiovese	Medium	Cherry, tomato, herbs	Italian food, tomato sauces, pizza	60-65F

Major White Wine Varietals

Wine	Body	Key Flavors	Pairs With	Serve Temp
Chardonnay (oaked)	Full	Butter, vanilla, apple, toast	Lobster, cream sauces, poultry	50-55F
Chardonnay (unoaked)	Medium	Apple, citrus, mineral	Seafood, salads, light chicken	45-50F
Sauvignon Blanc	Light-Medium	Grapefruit, grass, herbal	Goat cheese, salads, seafood	45-50F
Pinot Grigio/Gris	Light	Citrus, pear, mineral	Light fish, appetizers, light pasta	45-50F
Riesling (dry)	Light-Medium	Lime, peach, mineral	Spicy food, Asian cuisine, pork	45-50F
Riesling (sweet)	Light-Medium	Honey, apricot, peach	Spicy food, blue cheese, desserts	45-50F
Gewurztraminer	Medium	Lychee, rose, ginger	Asian food, curry, Thanksgiving turkey	45-50F
Viognier	Full	Peach, apricot, floral	Rich seafood, curry, roasted chicken	50-55F

Rose and Sparkling

Wine	Style	Pairs With
Dry Rose	Light, refreshing, versatile	Salads, Mediterranean, charcuterie
Champagne/Brut	Crisp, toasty, celebratory	Oysters, sushi, fried food, anything
Prosecco	Light, fruity, bubbly	Appetizers, brunch, light pasta
Cava	Dry, citrusy, affordable	Tapas, seafood, casual entertaining

Wine Pairing Principles

The Core Rules

WINE PAIRING FUNDAMENTALS
============================

RULE 1: MATCH WEIGHT
  Light food -> Light wine
  Heavy food -> Full-bodied wine
  Grilled fish -> Sauvignon Blanc (not Cabernet)
  Braised short ribs -> Cabernet (not Pinot Grigio)

RULE 2: MATCH OR CONTRAST FLAVORS
  Complement: Earthy mushrooms + earthy Pinot Noir
  Contrast: Rich fatty food + acidic wine (cuts richness)

RULE 3: WINE SHOULD BE SWEETER THAN THE FOOD
  If food is sweet and wine is dry, the wine tastes bitter

RULE 4: WINE SHOULD BE MORE ACIDIC THAN THE FOOD
  Tomato sauce (acidic) -> Sangiovese (high-acid red)

RULE 5: TANNINS LOVE FAT AND PROTEIN
  Tannic reds (Cabernet) are softened by fat and protein
  Avoid: Tannic reds + fish (metallic taste)

RULE 6: WHAT GROWS TOGETHER, GOES TOGETHER
  Italian wine + Italian food
  French wine + French food

RULE 7: WHEN IN DOUBT
  Champagne pairs with almost everything
  Pinot Noir is the most food-friendly red
  Riesling is the most food-friendly white

Pairing by Cooking Method

Cooking Method	Wine Style	Why
Grilled/charred	Medium to full red	Smokiness matches bold fruit
Roasted	Medium red or full white	Caramelization matches richness
Fried	Sparkling or high-acid white	Bubbles and acid cut grease
Steamed/poached	Light white	Delicate method, delicate wine
Braised	Full red	Rich method needs rich wine
Raw (sushi, ceviche)	Light crisp white or sparkling	Clean, no tannins
Spicy	Off-dry white	Sweetness tames heat

Quick Pairing Reference

Dish	First Choice	Second Choice
Steak (grilled)	Cabernet Sauvignon	Malbec
Roast chicken	Chardonnay (oaked)	Pinot Noir
Salmon	Pinot Noir	Dry Rose
Pasta (tomato sauce)	Sangiovese (Chianti)	Zinfandel
Pasta (cream sauce)	Oaked Chardonnay	Viognier
Pizza	Sangiovese	Zinfandel
Sushi	Champagne	Dry Riesling
Thai curry	Off-dry Riesling	Gewurztraminer
Indian curry	Gewurztraminer	Off-dry Riesling
Mexican food	Malbec	Dry Rose
Charcuterie	Beaujolais	Dry Rose
Thanksgiving turkey	Pinot Noir	Beaujolais
Burgers	Zinfandel	Merlot
Lamb	Cabernet Sauvignon	Syrah

Beer Style Guide and Pairing

Beer Styles Overview

Style	Flavor Profile	ABV	Pairs With
Pilsner/Lager	Clean, crisp, light	4-5%	Salads, seafood, chicken, Mexican
Wheat Beer	Citrusy, light, refreshing	4-5.5%	Salads, light fish, brunch
Pale Ale	Hoppy, balanced, citrus	4.5-6%	Burgers, grilled chicken, nachos
IPA	Very hoppy, bitter, tropical	6-7.5%	Spicy food, BBQ, strong cheese, fried food
Amber/Red Ale	Malty, caramel, moderate	4.5-6%	Pizza, roast pork, sausages
Brown Ale	Nutty, chocolate, mild	4-6%	Stews, mushrooms, grilled sausage
Porter	Roasted, chocolate, coffee	4.5-6%	Smoked meats, chocolate, BBQ
Stout	Coffee, dark chocolate, rich	4-8%	Oysters, chocolate, braised meat
Belgian Wit	Spice, citrus, coriander	4.5-5.5%	Mussels, salads, light seafood
Saison	Peppery, fruity, dry	5-7%	Chicken, pork, cheese, shellfish
Sour/Gose	Tart, fruity, refreshing	3-5%	Seafood, salads, fruit desserts

Beer Pairing Principles

BEER PAIRING RULES
=====================
1. COMPLEMENT: Match intensities
   Light food -> Light beer; Rich food -> Rich beer

2. CONTRAST: Use opposites
   Rich/fatty food -> Crisp, bitter beer (IPA, pilsner)

3. CLEANSE: Carbonation cuts richness
   Fried food -> Any well-carbonated beer

4. BRIDGE: Find shared flavors
   Grilled meat -> Smoky porter
   Citrus chicken -> Wheat beer with citrus notes

Non-Alcoholic Alternatives

Non-Alcoholic Pairing Options

Meal Type	NA Pairing	Why It Works
Steak/red meat	Tart cherry juice + sparkling water	Tannin-like, full body
Seafood	Sparkling water + lemon	Clean, crisp, refreshing
Asian food	Ginger beer (NA) or jasmine tea	Complementary spice/floral
Italian food	San Pellegrino + basil	Herbal, Mediterranean
Spicy food	Mango lassi or coconut water	Cooling, sweet contrast
Cheese course	Sparkling grape juice	Fruit, acidity, bubbles
Chocolate	Coffee or espresso	Complementary roasted flavors
Brunch	Kombucha or shrub sodas	Acidity, complexity, bubbles

Non-Alcoholic Beverage Menu Template

NA BEVERAGE BAR
=================
SPARKLING: Sparkling water, NA sparkling wine, kombucha, ginger beer
CRAFTED: Shrubs, herb-infused syrups + sparkling water, fresh mocktails
WARM: Herbal teas, spiced apple cider, hot chocolate

Cheese Pairing Guide

Cheese Type	Best Wine	Best Beer	Why
Fresh (mozzarella, goat)	Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio	Wheat beer	Light with light
Soft-ripened (Brie, Camembert)	Champagne, Chardonnay	Belgian Wit	Bubbles cut richness
Semi-hard (Gouda, Gruyere)	Pinot Noir, Merlot	Amber ale	Medium body matches
Hard (Parmesan, aged Cheddar)	Cabernet, Barolo	IPA, Stout	Bold with bold
Blue (Roquefort, Stilton)	Port, Sauternes	Imperial Stout	Sweet contrasts salty
Washed-rind (Epoisses)	Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir	Belgian Tripel	Aromatic match

Building a Cheese Board

CHEESE BOARD TEMPLATE (serve 3-5 cheeses for variety)
======================================================
1. FRESH/SOFT: _______________  Paired: _______________
2. SEMI-HARD:  _______________  Paired: _______________
3. HARD/AGED:  _______________  Paired: _______________
4. BLUE (opt): _______________  Paired: _______________

ACCOMPANIMENTS:
  [ ] Crackers and bread (variety)
  [ ] Fresh fruit (grapes, figs, apple slices)
  [ ] Dried fruit (apricots, dates, cranberries)
  [ ] Nuts (almonds, walnuts, marcona)
  [ ] Honey or fig jam
  [ ] Olives
  [ ] Cured meats
  [ ] Cornichons

AMOUNT: 2-3 oz per person (course) or 4-6 oz (main feature)
TEMP: Remove from fridge 30-60 min before serving

Dessert Pairing

Core Rule: Wine Must Be Sweeter Than the Dessert

Dessert	Wine Pairing	Beer Pairing
Chocolate cake	Port, Banyuls	Chocolate stout
Fruit tart	Late-harvest Riesling	Fruit lambic
Creme brulee	Sauternes, Tokaji	Belgian Tripel
Cheesecake	Late-harvest Riesling	Fruit sour
Apple pie	Ice wine, Gewurztraminer	Hard cider
Tiramisu	Vin Santo, Marsala	Coffee stout
Lemon desserts	Moscato, Prosecco	Gose
Pecan pie	Tawny Port, PX Sherry	Barleywine

Entertaining Beverage Planning

How Much to Buy

BEVERAGE QUANTITY CALCULATOR
===============================
Guests: ___    Duration: ___ hours

WINE:
  Glasses/person/hour: ~1.25
  Glasses/bottle: 5
  Bottles = guests x hours x 1.25 / 5 = ___
  Split: ~40-50% white, ~40-50% red, + sparkling for arrival

BEER:
  Beers/person/hour: ~1.25
  Total beers = guests x hours x 1.25 = ___

NON-ALCOHOLIC:
  Always provide options: at least 1 per 2 guests

Better to overbuy - most stores accept returns of unopened bottles.

Dinner Party Wine Flow

MULTI-COURSE WINE SERVICE
============================
ARRIVAL:      Champagne or sparkling
APPETIZER:    Light white or dry rose
FIRST COURSE: White matched to the dish
MAIN COURSE:  Red or full white matched to the dish
CHEESE:       Continue red, or switch to Port
DESSERT:      Dessert wine (sweeter than the food)
AFTER DINNER: Port, Sherry, or digestif

Cocktail Basics for Entertaining

Classic Cocktail Template

2 oz spirit + 3/4 oz sweet + 3/4 oz sour

Essential Cocktails

Cocktail	Recipe	Glass
Margarita	2 oz tequila + 1 oz lime + 3/4 oz triple sec	Salt-rimmed rocks
Old Fashioned	2 oz bourbon + sugar cube + 2 dashes bitters + orange peel	Rocks glass
Negroni	1 oz gin + 1 oz sweet vermouth + 1 oz Campari	Rocks glass
Moscow Mule	2 oz vodka + 4 oz ginger beer + 1/2 oz lime	Copper mug
Gin and Tonic	2 oz gin + 4 oz tonic + lime	Highball

Home Bar Essentials

BASIC HOME BAR
================
Spirits (pick 3-4): Vodka, Gin, Bourbon, Tequila, Rum
Mixers: Tonic, soda water, ginger beer, simple syrup, fresh citrus
Extras: Bitters (Angostura), vermouth, triple sec
Tools: Shaker, jigger, strainer, ice

Wine Serving Quick Reference

SERVING TEMPERATURES
======================
Sparkling:     38-45F  (well chilled, 2+ hrs in fridge)
Light white:   45-50F  (chilled, 1.5 hrs in fridge)
Full white:    50-55F  (lightly chilled, 1 hr in fridge)
Rose:          45-55F  (chilled)
Light red:     55-60F  (slightly cool, 30 min in fridge)
Full red:      60-65F  (cool room temp, NOT warm)

DECANTING:
  Young bold reds: 30-60 min before serving
  Older reds (10+ years): 15-30 min carefully
  Most whites: No decanting needed

Output Format

WINE PAIRING OUTPUT
===================

Section 1: Assessment / Analysis
- Key findings
- Recommendations

Section 2: Action Plan
- Step-by-step guidance
- Timeline if applicable

Section 3: Resources
- Relevant references
- Next steps

Example

Input: "Help me get started with wine pairing"

Output: A structured wine pairing plan tailored to the user's specific situation, following the process outlined above.

Edge Cases

• Incomplete information: Ask clarifying questions before proceeding. Do not assume details the user has not provided.
• Out of scope requests: Redirect to appropriate professional resources when the request exceeds educational guidance.
• Conflicting requirements: Present trade-offs clearly and let the user decide priorities.