Pairing food with wine seems like a daunting task but the truth is, it’s not. There are no specific rules when matching food and wine because everyone has a different taste. There are, however, standards that foodies follow in order to make pairings acceptable to the general palate.

In the past, many people sought information regarding food and wine pairings via watching chefs on the Food Network or through experimenting themselves. However, thanks to many technological aids, those who want to learn pairing can do so by downloading an app on their smartphone.

The Pair It! app is a comprehensive food and wine guide that helps beginners learn about the basics of food pairing. It includes an impressive array of wines, which were catalogued by some of the most renowned wine pairing experts and chefs the world has to offer, such as Bruce Riezenman from the Sonoma County Wine Country. Riezenman’s extensive knowledge when it comes to pairing has won him many awards from award-giving bodies over the years.

To date, there are about 20,000 food and wine pairings featured on the app.

All the liquor listed on the app has a dedicated section that’s filled with food pairing suggestions. So if, for example, you have a Pinot Noir, all you have to do is click on that and the app will automatically present you with food that goes well with said wine. You can also do a reverse search. Just key in your food item (pizza, salad, etc.) and the app will come up with a list of wines that you can pair it with. The app’s database of food and wine gets updated regularly so you don’t have to worry about the app becoming an obsolete.

Several years ago, apps weren’t particularly viewed as educational materials by the masses. Most people used their devices to play games, and it seems that they have a lot of reasons for doing so, according to a survey by the parent company of gaming outfit Pocket Fruity. It was only a few years back that people saw the potential of apps becoming a necessity to everyday life, and Pair It! is evidence that people can indeed benefit from apps apart from gaming.

This special guest post was written by Harry Green.