Pairing wine with food can sound intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. Everyone can do it! There’s no need to memorize a bunch of complicated rules; instead, here are three simple guidelines to make your food and wine pairings stress-free and successful.

λ Never drink something you don’t like just because it technically “pairs well” with whatever you’re eating. Instead, find a wine you enjoy drinking on its own and begin to see how it can be best matched to your favorite foods.

λ Look for balance rather than specific varietals or vintages. If you want to enjoy a robust red wine, then you’ll probably want some hearty food to match. Conversely, if a crisp white wine is what you fancy, consider a delicate dish instead. More often than not, it’s best if food and wine are equal partners.

λ Know that wine pairing is not black (or in this case red) and white. While white wine goes well with fish and red wine goes well with meat, the reality is that there’s too much variety in red and white wines to make universally broad statements like that. Sometimes a light red wine is a better match with fish, just like a big, buttery chardonnay can definitely stand up to a steak.

Food and wine pairing isn’t rocket science. And a flavor combination that works for one person may not be ideal for someone else’s palate. Have fun with experimenting, try different food and wine combinations, and trust your taste buds.