What wine to order in a restaurant?

You’re eating with friends - there’s a party of six of you and you all order different dishes off the menu. Whose dish do you match or do you just give up the struggle?

Unless you all order an individual glass of wine to go with what you’re eating (which frankly seems a bit of a performance for an informal get together) the best thing is to order a couple of bottles that will rub along well with most dishes.

Top candidates in my book are neutral whites like Pinot Grigio, Alsace Pinot Blanc, Australian Verdelho and the fashionable Spanish white Albarino or light to medium bodied reds such as a Pinot Noir or a young Cabernet Franc from the Loire region of France such as Chinon, Saumur-Champigny or Bourgeuil that will go with both fish and meat dishes. A good gutsy dry rosé can also come in useful on these occasions.

Slightly fuller-bodied reds that will rub along nicely with a wide range of meat dishes include Cotes du Rhone Villages and other southern French reds such as Costieres de Nimes and Pic St Loup, young (crianza) Rioja or Navarra and young, inexpensive merlot, syrahs and shiraz. (The point about young fruity reds being they can stand up to the bold flavours of contemporary restaurant food)

If it's an ethnic meal check out the recommendations for World Food in Find a Wine

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