Haven't had much luck with Google, so I decided to come here and post this question. At a tasting this summer in Sonoma, a sales person explained what to expect from a wine (based on its predominant grape) and how to pair it with food based on the wine's ability to compliment or overwhelm the flavors of a certain food item. In particular, I recall discussion of how more tannin helped with oilier meats, etc. Anyway, I am having a hard time recalling how this spectrum went, and I was wondering whether anyone here can help me reconstruct it. This is what I vaguely recall, from white to red, from softer to stronger:
Pinot Grigio Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay Semillon
Sangiovesse Pinot Noir Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz (or Syrah) Zinfandel
I know this is probably generalization with many exceptions, but as a guiding rule of thumb it would be useful to me--unless someone talks me out of it :).