My top wine pairings with strawberries

I’m sure you’re enjoying a bowlful or two of strawberries at this time of year. But what to drink with them?

The classic pairing of champagne is to my mind too dry unless the champagne is rosé or demi-sec but there are plenty of other possibilities depending on how you serve your berries.

Unsweetened strawberries or served plain with a little sugar

Perfectly ripe berries, especially wild strawberries can be delicious with an off-dry sparkling wine such as Moscato d’Asti, Asti, Extra Dry prosecco or even a sparkling white zinfandel or Australian sparkling rosé like Jacob’s Creek. You could also serve them the French or Italian way macerated in a light red wine such as Beaujolais with a little sugar - a (reasonably) healthy alternative to cream!

Strawberries and cream

The perfect foil for a classic dessert wine such as Sauternes or (more economically) Muscat-de-Beaumes-de-Venise. Alternatively if you don’t want to serve wine you could choose a contrasting but complementary well-chilled fruit juice such as passionfruit or mango.

Light airy strawberry desserts such as mousses, soufflés or gâteaux

Demi-sec or rosé Champagne or similar sparkling wine.

Strawberry tarts or shortcakes

The additional sweetness you get from the pastry or shortbread means your wine needs to be sweeter. Sauternes or similar wines from the Bordeaux region will probably work but I’d be inclined to go for a luscious new world botrytised or late harvest semillon or sauvignon. Sweet wines from the Loire such as Coteaux du Layon can also work well

Strawberries with meringue such as a pavlova, sundae or Eton Mess

Light and airy but typically sweeter than a gateau. A sweet wine with good acidity such as a late harvest or Beerenauslese riesling can be good or try a strawberry or raspberry liqueur topped up with champagne (like a kir royale or strawberry or raspberry bellini)

Strawberry cheesecake

I really enjoy fruit flavoured beers with the rich but slightly savoury flavour of cheesecake and a strawberry beer such as the Belgian Fruli is quite perfect. It would also be a good choice if you served strawberries with mascarpone. (If you can’t get hold of a strawberry beer try a cherry or raspberry-flavoured one)

Strawberries with dark chocolate

If strawberries are served with or dipped in chocolate the chocolate becomes the key element to match. I would choose a sweet vin doux naturel such as a Maury. (You don’t want quite as intense a red fruit flavour as you would look for with a chocolate and cherry dessert)

Strawberries with orange

Strawberries and orange have a surprising affinity but will tend to strip out the fruit flavours in any accompanying dessert wine. Try a frozen shot of Cointreau or a small glass of Pimms No 1 Cup, made slightly stronger than usual.

Strawberry ice creams and sorbets

Matching wine to ice cream can be tricky unless there are other elements to the dessert and you are simply serving a scoop in place of cream. I quite like to serve a chilled liqueur that will pick out the fruit flavours such as a delicate, strawberry-flavoured ratafia di fragola (Carluccio’s used to do a delicious one - I’m not sure if they still do)

Since I first wrote this article a couple of years ago there's a new generation of pink moscatos and other sparkling reds and rosés which would work really well too. See these suggestions in my Guardian column

Image by HomeMaker on Pixabay

Wine (and other) pairings for peaches and nectarines

Being surrounded by peaches and nectarines at the moment has reminded me what a brilliant match they are for a glass of dessert wine. And, surprisingly, even for a red!

Peaches in red wine is a popular Italian dessert that’s easy to replicate with any light fruity red as I pointed out in this match of the week.

With other peach or nectarine puddings your wine choice depends on how sweet your dessert is, whether it’s served hot or cold and what it’s served with (a good dollop of cream always helps). A warm peach pie or a peach cobbler, for instance, needs a sweeter wine than a classic French peach or nectarine tart served at room temperature. But in truth with peaches and nectarines you can’t go far wrong.

Fresh or simply poached peaches or nectarines

Great with a light Moscato d’Asti or a still muscat like a Muscat de Frontignan. Other off-dry sparkling wines such as demi-sec champagne work well too, especially with white peaches

Peach sabayon

Can be served warm or cold and may include some kind of booze which could provide a steer (or do away with the need for an accompanying wine altogether) but Sauternes or other late harvest Sauvignon Blanc is a reasonably safe bet

French style peach or nectarine tart

Frankly any light dessert wine you enjoy - Sauternes, other late harvest sauvignons and semillons, Coteaux du Layon and other Loire dessert wines, late harvest Chenin, South African straw wine, late harvest riesling . . .

Grilled peaches or nectarines

As in this recipe with Greek yoghurt and honey. I’d go for Moscato or muscat again. Possibly even a rosé one.

Peach melba

The raspberry sauce muddles the situation here. You want a sweet wine with a high level of acidity like a late harvest riesling

Peach sorbet

Super-cold, near-frozen peach liqueurs, if anything

Hot peach or nectarine desserts like peach pie, peach cobbler, upside-down cakes or crumbles

Intense late harvest sauvignons like those from New Zealand ought to cope as should a late harvest chardonnay but I’d also consider a chilled peach-flavoured liqueur like Archers or Southern Comfort which tend to handle warm and hot desserts better than wine.

Peaches and nectarines can, of course also be used in savoury dishes, particularly salads, with rich cheeses such as burrata and with ham, pork and duck. With salads I’d be inclined to go for a lush white with some tropical fruit flavours - a Viognier or a Colombard, maybe. With ham and peaches I’d probably drink a rich beer like a saison and with duck and peaches an off-dry pinot gris.

The best pairings for apple desserts

Apple tarts are one of the most flattering desserts to match with sweet wines but what do you drink with other apple-based desserts?

Crumbles are another hugely popular pud but are they as easy a proposition (especially if they’re served with custard).

Are there some sweet wines that are better with apple-based desserts than others - and what about sweet ciders?

Read on to find out

Light apple-flavoured mousses, parfaits and sorbets 
Try an off-dry Prosecco, Moscato d’Asti or a German spätlese Riesling

Traditional apple pies and crumbles
Generally served hot or warm which can complicate the pairing. A Gewürztraminer is the best pairing I’ve found, especially if the dessert includes a little cinnamon. An orangey Moscatel such as inexpensive Moscatel de Valencia can also work well or you could try a sweet cider as in this former Match of the Week.

French-style apple tarts
A classic partner for fine dessert wines such as Sauternes or similar sweet wines from Bordeaux and south-west France - in fact almost any late-harvest Sauvignon Blanc or Semillon. Chenin-based dessert wines from the Loire such as Coteaux du Layon and Vouvray or Montlouis moelleux are also delicious as is a late harvest Riesling 

Tarte Tatin
Tarte Tatin is richer and more caramelly - a Muscat - or even liqueur Muscat from Australia would work better

Baked apples
Best with a vintage or festive ale or a barley wine.

See Sybil Kapoor’s lovely recipe for apple and blackberry meringue