The worst food & wine pairing mistakes (and how to avoid them)

We've all heard the classic rules: "Red wine goes with cheese," "White wine is for fish," "Champagne is perfect with dessert." But some of these so-called pairings are completely wrong and can ruin your experience.

If you don’t want to turn a fine bottle into a flavor disaster, here are the worst food & wine pairing mistakes—and, more importantly, how to avoid them.

📌 1. Red Wine and Cheese: The Classic Mistake

🔥 Why is it a bad match?
✔️ The tannins in red wine clash with the acidity and salt in cheese → The pairing feels unbalanced, even unpleasant.
✔️ Creamy cheeses overpower the wine’s flavors → A Camembert with a Bordeaux? Bad idea.
✔️ Red wine enhances the bitterness of washed-rind and blue cheeses → Try Maroilles with a Médoc and watch your palate suffer.

✅ The perfect pairing?
👉 White wine! Chardonnay, Chenin, Riesling… About 80% of cheeses pair better with a structured, aromatic white.

📌 2. Champagne and Sweet Dessert: A Fake Elegance

🔥 Why is it a disaster?
✔️ The Champagne’s acidity gets drowned out by the sugar → It turns flat and loses its freshness.
✔️ The bubbles create a metallic sensation with some pastries → The result? A bitter aftertaste.

✅ The perfect pairing?
👉 A demi-sec Champagne or a sweet wine (Sauternes, Vouvray, Tokaji).

📌 3. Fish and White Wine: A Rule to Rethink

🔥 Why is this not always true?
✔️ Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel) overpower light whites → A crisp Sauvignon with roasted salmon? Doesn’t work.
✔️ Light reds can be a better match → A Pinot Noir or Gamay with seared tuna? Surprisingly good.

✅ The perfect pairing?
👉 A full-bodied white (Chardonnay, Viognier) or a light red with low tannins.

📌 4. Bold Red Wine and Spicy Food: A Brutal Trap

🔥 Why is this a torture for your palate?
✔️ The alcohol intensifies the burn from spices → A Châteauneuf-du-Pape with Thai curry? Get the fire extinguisher ready.
✔️ The tannins turn bitter and aggressive → It dries out your mouth and throws the whole dish off balance.

✅ The perfect pairing?
👉 An aromatic white (Gewurztraminer, Riesling) or a fruity, light red (Beaujolais, Cinsault).

📌 5. Full-Bodied Red Wine and Dark Chocolate: A False Match

🔥 Why does this go wrong?
✔️ The cocoa highlights the wine’s bitterness → A Pauillac with dark chocolate? Dry, rough, and unpleasant.
✔️ The chocolate’s sweetness overwhelms the wine → It kills the structure and masks the aromas.

✅ The perfect pairing?
👉 A sweet fortified wine (Banyuls, Maury, Vintage Port), which complements the chocolate instead of fighting it.

📌 Conclusion: Forget the Myths and Trust Your Palate

✔ Traditional pairings aren’t always the best.
✔ What looks good on paper can be a disaster in reality.
✔ It’s better to choose a wine that balances the dish rather than follow outdated rules.

👉 Moral of the story? Forget the clichés and experiment. The best pairing is the one that surprises you.