Dishes that have dominant acidity will make a wine milder or softer. You perceive less acid in the wine which makes it taste milder and sometimes more aromatic or fruitier. But since these foods are also usually low in salt, the wines should not have much oak influence or tannin. For these dishes, crisp, light intensity wines (wines with little or no oak) will pair best because they tend also to be relatively high in acid. Protein dominant foods, low in salt, will also pair well with these styles of wines. Bitter foods, such as endive, arugula or smoked meats, can combine with the bitterness inherent in oak or from tannins, making oak-free, crisp, light intensity wines an ideal match too.

White Wines: Pinot Grigio , Champagne , Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Unoaked Chardonnay
Red Wines: Rose, Beaujolais , Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sangiovese, Dolcetto

Foods:

• Bitter/astringent salad greens: arugula, watercress, spinach, radicchio, etc.
• Oily fish: sardines, herring, anchovies, mackerel, salmon
• Shellfish, lobster, crab, and shrimp with lemon
• Smoked fish: salmon, trout, sturgeon, eel, etc.
• Oysters with vinegar, lemon or cocktail sauce
• Asparagus, artichoke and mushroom preparations
• Japanese sushi with pickled ginger and wasabi
• Prosciutto and melon
• Caviar service, ceviche
• Fresh goat cheeses