Vínbúðin has developed special food icons to help customers matching what wine and food goes well together according to our wine specialist. 

• A

  Aperitif

  Wine that is meant to be enjoyed by itself as an aperitif should ideally be fruity and refreshing. Both sweet and dry wines can work as aperitifs, and acidic wines like Champagne are great for whetting the appetite. See available wine
• B

  Shellfish

  For a wine to work well with shellfish it has to have a certain freshness and a high level of acidity, so as not to eclipse the delicate flavor of the shellfish. See available wine
• C

  Fish

  Fish dishes with cream sauce call for a more flavorful wine than dishes without sauce. A wine with high acidity will cut through the fat in the cream and balance it out. For grilled fish, choose a full-bodied white wine with a hint of oak. Spicy dishes call for fresh and slightly sweet wines like Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer from Germany or Alsace. See available wine
• D

  Poultry

  The best pairing is when the wine compliments and amplifies the qualities of the food. Full-bodied white wines that go with poultry are most commonly found in the Chardonnay family, and then there are the more robust Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner and Gewürztraminer. Among red wines, light Bordeaux and Burgundy wines are a good choice along with lighter Tempranillo wines from Spain and lighter Toscana wines such as Chianti. See available wine
• E

  Beef

  The heavy nature of beef calls for full-bodied wines with robust flavor, such as the stronger wines of classic grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. See available wine
• F

  Lamb

  Icelandic lamb is known for its rich and unique taste, a result of summer foraging in the highlands feeding on grass and heather, and choosing the right wine to go along with it is important. The famous red wines of Bordeaux are ideal, as are Gran Reserva wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero, chosen according to the lamb's cooking method and seasoning. See available wine
• G

  Pork

  For pork, the wine needs to be robust enough to go with lighter meat but does not need to be as full-bodied as when pairing with heavier meat dishes. It's also perfectly acceptable to use white wine with pork and in Central Europe there is a tradition of pairing white wine with a juicy pork roast, both dry and slightly sweet wines. See available wine
• H

  Game birds and venison

  Icelandic venison and game birds like the rock ptarmigan are rich in flavor and best paired with spicy and robust wines. There are good options from a number of different areas such as the northern Rhone, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piemonte, Toscana, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Napa, Sonoma and Washington to name a few. See available wine
• I

  Vegetarian

  Vegetarian dishes tend to be on the lighter side and so it is fitting to choose lighter and fresher wines to go with them. See available wine
• J

  Grilled meat

  Wines with a hint of oak tend to go well with grilled meat, and dishes with BBQ sauce call for sweet or exceptionally fruity wines. See available wine
• K

  East Asian cuisine

  Sweet and sour dishes call for sweet wine, spicy dishes for wine that is sweet and fruity, lighter dishes need a lighter-bodied wine, and sushi calls for yet another kind of wine. See available wine
• L

  Cheese

  For the wide variety of cheeses available you can choose different kinds of white, red or rosé wine, all depending on individual taste. See available wine
• M

  Pasta

  White wine goes well with creamy pasta dishes, but pasta in tomato sauce calls for red wine like a Sangiovese. See available wine
• N

  Dessert wines

  The rule of thumb is to choose a wine that is sweeter than the dessert. Fortified wines like port and sherry are popular, but there are many other good options available, like the famous Tokaji wines from Hungary, named after the region where they are grown. Many are familiar with dessert wines from France, such as wine from Alsace known as Vendanges Tardives and Selection de Grains Nobles, not to forget the much sought-after sweet wines from Sauternes and the South of France. See available wine
• P

  Small courses

  White, red and rosé wines that have sufficient flavor and freshness to compliment lighter dishes. See available wine
• R

  Smoked meats

  Softer wines like Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and light, slightly sweet German Rieslings go particularly well with smoked meat. Traditional Icelandic smoked meat is salty with a strong taste of smoke, requiring a sweet wine like those from the Asti region in Italy. When the meat is served cold, the wine should ideally be chilled. See available wine
• S

  Casseroles

  Casseroles with chicken or other light meat call for a lighter-bodied red wine. For dishes with lamb, beef or venison a more robust wine with strong tannins and high acidity is required, wines that soften up when they come into contact with the food. See available wine
• T

  Lighter vension

  Is is particularly good to serve mature red wine or the most elegant and and heavy white wines available with lighter venison. See available wine
• V

  Spicy foods

  Few wines can cope with very hot spicy food and sometimes it's better to choose beer instead. The wines best suited to hot spices are ones that are sweet and fruity. See available wine
• W

  Wine on its own

  Some wines are better enjoyed by themselves, either because they are so subtle that food easily overpowers them, or because they are too sweet or too bitter to go well with food. See available wine
• 3

  Pizza

  It's good to choose wine from the same country as the dish it is paired with. From Italy comes a variety of light-bodied red wines that go well with pizza, such as Valpolicella and lighter Chiantis. Lighter varieties of red wine from other parts of the world are certainly an option as well. See available wine
• 1

  Saltfish

  Salt fish can be paired with either red or white wine, depending on the cooking method, side dishes and individual tastes. Dry and acidic white wines work very well. Salt fish has a dense and meat-like consistency that makes red wine also an option, as long as the wine is relatively mild in taste and tannins. See available wine
• 4

  Sushi

  Dry white wine is the usual choice with sushi, although some prefer a hint of sweetness. Sparkling wine is also an excellent choice and even beer. See available wine
• 2

  Sausages

  Red wine, white wine, dessert wine and even fortified wine are all options with this category of foods that includes dry sausages, patés and other processed meat. See available wine

• Sustainable

  Sustainable certification refers to measures taken to promote sustainable development in the production. The icon combines international certificates or countries of origin that rely on the principles of sustainable development in the cultivation of raw materials and production of product. The criteria for certification are different. In the cultivation and production of wine, for example, there are typical sustainable solutions to reduce water and energy consumption and the use of increase the proportion of renewable energy. See available wine

• Natural wine

  Natural wines is a term for wines that are produced in a natural way where technology is used sparingly in the winemaking process, without artificial yeast and with little or no addition of additives such as sulphite. There are no general rules for natural wines and therefore it is the producer who decides to label the wine as natural wine. Natural wines can be cloudy and sometimes slightly frothy. They can be acidic and have pronounced oxidative tones. White wines can be tannic. The above factors, that could be considered defects in ordinary wines, can be the right qualities in many natural wines. See available wine

• Gluten free

  A product that is labeled gluten-free and certified as such is the only product that those who are gluten intolerant can trust to be safe for them to consume. Gluten is a protein that is abundant in wheat, rye flour and barley. These are common ingredients in the processing of beer and spirits. See available wine

• Vegan

  Many winemakers use animal products such as egg whites, milk protein or gelatin to filter the wine before bottling. Vegan wines, on the other hand, are filtered with minerals such as bentonite or kaolin and can, therefore, be consumed by vegetarians who do not consume milk or eggs. See available wine

• Organic

  All organic farming is based on the idea that healthy and nutritious soil produces healthy food. Only organic fertilizers may be used and the use of insecticides and other toxins is prohibited. Organic wines are made from grapes that meet the rules of organic farming. In addition, the rules on winemaking, methods and use of chemicals are stricter for organic wines than for "ordinary wines" and also stricter than for wines made only from organically grown grapes. For example, the limit on the permitted amount of added sulphite is lower than in ordinary wines. See available wine

• Fairtrade, Fair for life

  Fairtrade works in such a way that small farmers in poor countries form a cooperative. The price for their products is predetermined and up to 60% of the estimated harvest is paid in advance. Fairtrade winemakers need to pay workers fair wages and ensure a healthy working environment. See available wine

• Biodynamic

  In organic farming, we go a step further than in organic farming by adding ecological sustainability requirements. The cultivation is based on the teachings of the Austrian Rudolf Steiner, who emphasizes moral and spiritual aspects as well as taking into account the position of the moon and the planet in the cultivation process. See available wine

• No added sulphite

  Sulphite (sulfur dioxide) has been blended into wine for centuries to increase shelf life and preserve its natural taste. Organic wines usually have less sulphite than non-organic wines. In the winemaking process, natural sulphite is also formed when the grapes ferment. Moderate amounts of sulfite are not considered harmful to humans or the environment. See available wine

• Kosher

  In order for wine to be considered kosher, a certified inspector must monitor the entire winemaking process, from the time the berries arrive at the house until the wine is bottled. See available wine