Taking your own bottle to a dinner party is a tricky business. Dashing to a convenience store for some plonk that's below ¥1,000 might save cash, but it won't save your blushes if the stuff acts like paint-stripper on the palate, ruining the meal and your chances of being invited back. Even if you do splash out, a high-class Bordeaux might stomp all over the subtle flavors of carefully-prepared sushi, like Godzilla blundering into a geisha's tea party.
Never fear, disaster can be avoided: By following a simple guide of wine-matching dos and don'ts (and asking in advance what's on the menu), you can find the perfect complement to your host's meal and their hospitality.
The first rule is one of the fundamentals of wine-matching: Marry white with whites and reds with reds — that is, white meats such as chicken go with light whites, while red meats such as beef go with powerful reds.