How do I choose wine for my meal?

First, target the main ingredient in your meal

'Body' is how weighty or light a wine feels when you taste

Think about how weighty the flavours in your dish are, then match the two. Delicate foods like chicken or fish need a wine with a light body (often a white) that won’t overpower. But for a robust steak, you might want a full-bodied wine (usually a red) that stands up to it. Always check the label, many wines will suggest dishes that pair well, whether that’s grilled fish or a rich stew.

Secondly, consider how your dish is being cooked

You want to balance the dish with the wine

Rich, creamy sauces go best with creamy wines like oaked Chardonnay. Asian dishes packed with aromatic and tropical ingredients pair well with wines with similar flavours – like a Riesling. For smoky barbecued food, like this charred corn salad, opt for a rich red with dark, complementary flavours.

Third, pair local with local

If in doubt, consider the origins of your dish

A wine from the same region is often a perfect match. Argentina produces some of the best steaks in the world... and makes one of the greatest steak wines: Malbec. Albariño from Rias Baixas, in northwest Spain, goes well with seafood, which is in abundance there.

A splash of red or white adds oomph to gravies, stews and risottos. The aroma, acidity and alcohol, which burns off as you cook, all add flavour. The golden rule? If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it. There’s no need to splurge.

Kevin Meehan, Tesco wine expert

Wine pairing for everyday food

To get you started, here are some classic dinner ideas alongside their perfect wine pairing:

• For our bangers and smashed spring potatoes recipe, shown below, try Tesco Nero d'Avola. The big, bold flavours of this great-value juicy red will stand up to the meaty sausages and flavourful gravy.
• Give the Tesco Finest Torrontes a go with our simple salmon stir-fry recipe.This wine might be from Argentina, but its exotic fruit and spice flavours are a perfect match for Asian-style cooking, especially fish dishes like this.
• This light blueberry, feta and grain salad recipe works well with Tesco Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This delicate, light and crisp white wine from New Zealand will match the subtle flavours of this salad and cut through the tangy feta.