A champion for wine democracy

If you find yourself stumped on what wine goes with what, or what bottle to bring to dinner, the answer might lie in the Nat Decants Food & Drink Matcher, a new downloadable program for the iPhone and Blackberry by the appealing wine writer Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White, and Drunk All Over and maven of natdecants.com.

The matcher includes a $2.99 fee, but you then have access to thousands of combinations of wine with foods of all sorts, and you can pair by starting with a category of wine, or with food. MacLean’s Web site includes helpful, easy-to-use info that is decidedly straightforward and accessible. (In fact, MacLean, known for her Everyman schtick, calls herself a champion for wine democracy).

A wine glossary and solid recipes are among the winning features on the website, along with fast-moving articles and information on wine in general. The newsletter is fee-based, but you can find out plenty without it. As for the Matcher, even if you pair successfully on your own, it’s fun to lean on when you find yourself with your handheld, but without a fresh idea on what to buy.

Note: With the volume of info listed within, it’s more helpful to surf before you’re standing in front of an aisle feeling rushed. It also shouldn’t supersede developing a relationship with your friendly neighborhood wine purveyor, and locally, we’ve got some good ones.