How to Pair Wine with

How to Pair Wine With VeggieDishes

The connoisseur’s guide to getting the best of both worlds

CAMILLE BERRY

Vegetables and vegetarian food have a rep for being tricky to pair with wine. This is true – to a certain extent. Some veggies are notoriously bitter while others possess a bold character that can clash with many wines. The good news? There are certain tips and tricks when it comes to matching wine with meatless fare that make pairing a breeze. Here’s what to keep in mind when you’re choosing a wine to sip on with your vegetarian meal.

At the most basic, the wines that work best with vegetables are those with a pronounced herbal character. Think along the lines of Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, or certain Pinot Gris. These wines tend to play best with raw veg. Though mushrooms are technically not vegetables, they do go beautifully with Pinot Noir. For cooked vegetables, you’ll want to ask yourself two questions: how are the vegetables prepared, and are they being served with a sauce?

Sauces and condiments open up your options when it comes to even the most difficult to pair greens. Spice, like you might find in a hot mango chutney, means you can serve an off-dry Chenin Blanc or Riesling. Salty, savory dishes also love off-dry wines. A tofu stir-fry often boasts ingredients like ginger, soy sauce, perhaps a dash, or sesame oil. The hint of sweetness in these styles is the perfect palate refresher. And if white wines aren’t really your thing, a semi-sweet, fizzy Lambrusco is a stellar alternative. If your sauce is cream-based, you can try a richer Chardonnay or even a Viognier. A citrusy sauce demands a citrusy wine, so again a Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino would work best here.

Adding cheese to your vegetarian dishes is another clever way to make them easier to pair with wine. High acid white wines love the cheese’s fattiness, so grating a little cheddar or adding a sprinkle of mozzarella or parmesan to broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and so on is a great way to make them more winefriendly. Pinot Gris or a crisp rosé are great matches.

In terms of preparation, grilling or smoking your veg means you can pair them with bolder wines that share that smoky character. Grilled portobello burgers or eggplant. A red Rhone is good in these situations, as is a Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley. Grilling some peppers? Try a cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon. This like-forlike pairing is always a winner.

So what’s the takeaway? There are no such things as impossibleto-pair foods. Naturally, some present a challenge but there’s always a way to get around it. When in doubt, you’ll never go wrong with a vibrant, fresh rosé.

Cheers!