I’m not a big drinker, so when I have to purchase wine I feel completely lost. What kind of wine do you buy to bring to that dinner party, Christmas party, or even for your own special meals?

The experts will tell you that wine is the beverage of choice to compliment a good meal. If you are a fan of Top Chef you know that many of the challenges the chefs face involve pairing their food with the appropriate wines.

You don’t need to be a top chef to select the perfect wine for your meal. Here are some easy suggestions to follow when selecting wines for your next meal.

A good rule of thumb is to select a light bodied wine with a light meal or course and a full bodied wine with a heartier or more flavorful course. But what kind of wine do you select?

Red wines. Traditionally red wine is served with beef, veal, ham, pasta, pork, lamb, or poultry. A red Zinfandel or Beaujolais nicely compliments ham, pork, veal or poultry, while a cabernet sauvignon or merlot works really well with beef, pasta and lamb.

White wines. If you’re serving pork, poultry, seafood or shellfish then a white chardonnay is a nice accompaniment. White Zinfandel works well with appetizers (like mild cheeses), ham, lamb, seafood, poultry and desserts. Spumante and Champagne (sparkling wines) also work nicely with mild cheeses, appetizer courses and desserts.

Now that you have an idea about the type of wine you want to serve, how do you serve the wine? Red wine is usually served at almost room temperature, so chill it for only 20 to 30 minutes before serving. White wines are served cold, so you want to chill them for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving. While white wines can be refrigerated longer, it is advisable not to store them in the refrigerator. Sparkling wines should be chilled for at least 4 hours before serving. When you pour the wine, don’t fill the glass up all the way. Fill the glass halfway so the wine can “breathe”.

If all else fails you can always ask the clerk at your wine store to give you some advice and guidance on what wines to select. They might not tell you specifically what wine to purchase but they will point you in the right direction in terms of the type of wine to buy.