Wine Simple Perfect Pairings: An Ingenious Guide to Enjoying Wine with Food

For a limited time we have copies signed by Aldo Sohm.

In this follow-up to Wine Simple, Aldo Sohm, the wine director of Le Bernardin, returns to the question he's been asked more than any other: what wine goes with what food? Wine Simple: Perfect Pairings is a confident, accessible guide for readers ready to move beyond general advice and toward a more intuitive, informed approach to pairing.

Rather than offer a long list of do’s and don’ts, Sohm walks readers through the principles that guide great matches. He explores what happens when flavor, acidity, body, sugar, and tannins meet different ingredients and preparations, showing how to make choices based not on rules, but on real tasting experience.

Along the way, he contrasts three classic pairings (Bordeaux with steak, champagne with oysters, dry riesling with Thai papaya salad) with three notoriously awful ones (red wine with blue cheese or Thai curry, champagne with chocolate cake) to explain why some pairings sing and others fall flat.

The book introduces concepts like "wine weight," shows how to assess both wine and food in practical terms, and offers examples to build confidence—such as pairing oaked sauvignon blanc with pan-seared pork chops and Brussels sprouts. This is a book for readers who want to think like a sommelier and make thoughtful, sometimes surprising choices at home or in a restaurant.

Hardcover. Line illustrations.