To get you in the mood for a mood-based approach to wine, allow me to cite a few examples:

I’m feeling celebratory, so I’ll have ________. That’s right, you’ve correctly filled the blank instinctively with Champagne or some sort of bubbly wine, fizzy wine, or wine that goes “pop” when opened. But that’s probably more Pavlovian than anything else. You’ve been conditioned by social circumstance and loads of advertising to think this is the correct thing to do.

The fact is you could also choose a number of other wines to celebrate with: an older White Burgundy from a fine producer suits a special occasion superbly, as does a fine German or Alsatian dry wine of the same variety from a special vintage and great maker. Usually a celebration means toasting and drinking socially before a meal, so you’re looking for something lighter, yet interesting on the palate. These wines are perfect for the mood.

In a more romantic frame of mind? Again you’re probably going to default with __________, and this is not necessarily a wrong move. (Okay, so if you didn't get the hint before, the blank is: Champagne.) However, once again, a number of other wines might prove how much more interesting (or
certainly better informed and well-read) you are to your significant or intended other: A chilled Brachetto d’Aqui or a fine Hungarian Tokay (pronounced Toe-KYE—also spelled Tokaj and Tokaji) will do the trick. The former is a slightly sweet sparkling red, the latter a still dessert wine. A lusty Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley of Oregon, Southern California’s Santa Barbara region or Northern California’s Russian River Valley will also tend to curry favor with your partner. Be creative here! There must be a thousand choices.

How about when you’re in a doleful, sour mood, and looking to blow the clouds away with a fine glass of something nice? There’s nothing, especially in the spring, to lift the mood better than pink wine, and no better pink wine than Rose from the South of France (still a bargain even at the current exchange rates). And this fall look for famed Beaujolais Nouveau from the Burgundy region of France. It’s not terribly pricey either, and served chilled is quite lively.

But what about when you’re with old friends, feeling quite jolly already, and warm with the glow of company? Now’s the time to break out the heavy Chardonnays from California to start, and then move on to fine Burgundies or Napa Cabernets. Feeling in the chips? Need to impress? It’s Bordeaux time, for sure.

Once you’ve settled on the wine for you mood, all you need is the ideal food to go with. Consider this: instead of food and wine pairing, it’s wine and food pairing. Cool, huh? If you’re in a restaurant and there’s a sommelier, so much the better. Let the wine pro in on your little game, and you’ll probably make his or her night—and end up with some memorably delicious combinations.

If you find yourself at home, or at an eatery without a highly trained staff member, figuring out the wine-plus-food approach on your own isn’t as scary as it sounds. Here are a few suggestions to steer you clear of the worst of
pairing problems.

After a few tries, you’ll get the hang of ordering wine by mood instead of by rule. I mean, would you ever order a cocktail that way? When I'm on vacation in Florida, and beachside, I almost always reach for Gewurztraminer. But you never know. I’ll just have to see what kind of mood I’m in.