May's wine list: Five food and wine pairings not to miss

Liven up your meals this month with these perfect food and wine pairings, hand-picked by sommelier Jamie Drummond. From an intense garnacha to a racy gewürztraminer, these are the best wines to pair with this month's dinner recipes.

Castillo de Monséran Garnacha, Spain, $10.

Pair it with: Provençal pan salmon

In the mouth this unoaked old-vine wine exhibits pleasingly soft tannins and ripe fruit. Its intense bouquet of earthy, dark berries, roasted cocoa and Mediterranean herbs is a perfect match for rich, oven-roasted fish.

Caparzo Sangiovese IGT, Italy, $13.

Pair it with: French beef dip with easy green salad

Possibly the best-value Tuscan wine out there, this absolute steal truly shines alongside a hearty beef sandwich. Plump, ripe fruit aromas jump from the glass, along with nuances of roses and spice.

Red Rooster Gewürztraminer, British Columbia, $17.

Pair it with: Indian chickpea pizza with lime raita

Gewürztraminer can tend toward the flat, but this West Coast star quivers with racy acidity. A perfumed nose includes Turkish delight, ginger and clementines, all of which enhance the spices of curried pizza.

Fleur de Coucou Sauvignon, France, $13.

Pair it with: Brussels sprouts caesar with chicken

Several thousand miles removed from the popular sauvignon blancs of New Zealand, this refreshingly green and vegetal example sits especially well with this take on Caesar salad.

Gustav Adolf Schmitt Niersteiner Spätlese Late Harvest, Germany, $14.

Pair it with: Tangy fried rice with pork

German wines can be mystifying, but with a bit of careful pairing even the slightly sweeter examples can find a place at the dinner table. Peach, apple and citrus notes ally with this recipe’s lime and fried pork.