Top pairings
Vegan Food and Wine Pairing: How to Pair Wine with Vegan Food
With media interest in vegan food and vegan-friendly wine at an unprecedented high, you might wonder what sort of wines pair with vegan food best. Is it even OK to drink wine with vegan food? How do I know if my wine is vegan? And how do I craft plant-based wine pairings as good as their carnivorous counterparts? So here’s the lowdown.
What makes vegan wine vegan?
Vegans are only slightly more restricted than vegetarians when it comes to wine drinking. The issue is in the fining process which removes any solid particles from the wine. Some wines are fined with animal products like gelatin and isinglass (fish bladder) which rules them out for both vegetarians and vegans. Other producers, particularly of fine wines, use egg whites which would obviously be unacceptable to vegans. Some wines, however, are unfined for extra flavour and texture so those wouldn’t cause any problems.
How do I know if wine is vegan?
Fortunately most supermarket own label wines specify whether they’re suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Many online retailers give this information on branded wines too though in the absence of this it makes sense to check with the producer for reassurance. Retailers are also increasingly making it easy to find vegan wines online.
Vegan wine beyond just the drinking
That said veganism carries with it a whole approach to food which may affect your attitude to wine. You may well want to avoid wines made from vines that are treated with pesticides or to which products like enzymes are added. Organic and biodynamic wines are likely to appeal.
You may also be attracted by wines that are made from indigenous or wild yeasts or which use a minimum of or no added sulphur in which case you should look out for so-called ‘natural’ wines, a somewhat controversial description which basically refers to wines that are made with what is referred to as ‘minimal intervention’.
Vegan Wine Pairing Fundamentals
The style of food you’re eating will always have implications for the type of wine you drink. If your diet is largely plant-based you may find white wines are a better match though pulses like lentils and beans and richly flavoured ingredients such as aubergines (eggplant) and mushrooms can easily handle the tannins of a medium to full-bodied red. Raw dishes like salads tend to work well with crisp whites and rosés.
But as with meat, fish and dairy it’s more about the way you cook a dish than the base ingredient. Tofu, for example, has no significant flavour of its own - it depends what you put with it.
Five-spiced tofu nuggets by Elly Curshen; the pairing is more about the sauce than the tofu!
Spicy foods pair with wines with a touch of sweetness like a pinot gris or riesling while umami-rich Japanese dishes generally go with wines that are aged on their lees like white burgundy, muscadet and champagne, as well, of course, as sake.
Read on for more wine pairing ideas for various types of vegan cuisines and vegetables.
Vegan Wine with Vegan Food: The Plant-Based Pairings are Endless
Pairing wine with vegan food follows the same fundamentals as any dish; it’s all about pairing complimentary flavors and textures to create a harmonious balance that elevates both the food and the wine. To find the perfect vegan wine for your meal, start with the ingredients. To give you a head start, here are my wine pairing suggestions for popular vegan ingredients (and the dishes that are made from them):
Mushroom Wine Pairings - the king of umami, with wine pairing options as diverse as Champagne, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, depending on the dish.
Cauliflower Wine Pairings - Especially grilled or roasted cauliflower, in which case go for a white Rhône or similar blend or an oaked white rioja.
Eggplant/Aubergine Wine Pairings - Usually a hearty dry red! But for cold eggplant dishes, go for a dry rosé.
Zucchini / Courgette Wine Pairings - It’s more about the flavours you put with them than the ingredient itself, but typically we’re talking a crisp unoaked white wine more than a red.
Red and Green Pepper Wine Pairings - Again, it all depends on how they are cooked. Red pepper soup pairs well with a dry white like a picpoul or albarino, while rich and sweet grilled peppers goes better with a young rioja. You’ll find more wine suggestions for specific pepper dishes in the post.
Squash and Pumpkin Wine Pairings - An autumn favourite. Roast squash tends to favour rich white wines like oak-aged chardonnay whereas pumpkin or butternut squash soup would generally work better with an unoaked one. Similarly for squash salads.
Kale Wine Pairings - A slightly bitter vegetable which can make wines taste sweeter so you may want to choose a slightly drier fresher style
Brussels Sprouts Wine Pairings - Yes, sprouts! Particularly vegan recipes for sprouts that include citrus, where a white wine with tropical fruit goes well (think a sauvignon-semillon blend or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc)
Vegan Wine and Popular Cuisines
Veganism is not limited to any particular cuisine, and neither should be the wines that accompany plant-based dishes. That said, there are several cuisines from around the world that lend themselves particularly well to vegan dining, and thus should influence your wine match:
1. Asian Cuisine: and I don’t just mean stir-fry. The flavors of Asian cuisine can vary greatly depending on the part of the continent you’re in. For aromatic vegan Thai or Vietnamese dishes, think aromatic or fruity whites like Gewurztraminer or Alsace Pinot Gris (see more wine pairings for Thai food). As for Chinese food, be guided by the most intensely flavoured dish - see my extensive list of Chinese wine pairings to guide you.
2. Middle Eastern Cuisine: a classic vegan option with its myriad fresh ingredients and vibrant flavors. Where a classic mezze involves such dishes from falafel to fattoush to vine leaves to hummus, my friend Sally Prosser suggests reaching for rosé (see more about what to drink with Middle Eastern food).
3. Mexican Cuisine: Mexican cuisine is full of bold flavors and vibrant spices. Of course, you could be tempted by a margarita or even a beer - both superb vegan drink options that go with Mexican food. But wine can work, too, particularly sauvignon blanc or a dry rosé. See my wine, beer and other pairings for Mexican food and six of the best drinks to pair with tacos.
4. Indian Cuisine: India has a long-standing tradition of vegetarianism with a cuisine rich in plant-based ingredients including pulses, grains, vegetables, and spice. It’s also one of the more challenging cuisines to pair as the dishes vary so wildly in both flavour, texture, and of course heat. Read my guide on what to pair with curry for some ideas.
Vegan recipes with wine pairings
Here’s a round-up of favourite vegan recipes I’ve collected which are really so good they deserve a suitable wine pairing. Click through the links for the recipe and wine pairing suggestions to match.
Roast Pumpkin with Savoury Sage & Pumpkin Seed Granola from Daniel Acevedo
Baingan Bharta - Indian Roasted Smoky Eggplant from Romy Gill
Parsnip, Miso, Oat and Shallot Boulangere from Gizzi Erskine
Burmese Mango Salad with Peanut and Lime from Meera Sodha
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More vegan food and wine inspiration:
See all of my posts on wine pairings for vegetable and salad dishes
Which wines to pick with vegetarian food
6 vegan recipes that meat eaters will love
Top image ©shellygraphy at shutterstock.com
Which wine to drink with a galette des rois?
Although Christmas might feel firmly over many people will be celebrating Twelfth Night on January 6th or even a couple of days before.
In France they mark the occasion with a Galette des Rois - a round cake filled with frangipane (almond paste) and topped with a golden paper crown.
As with Christmas pudding, a hidden trinket is baked inside the cake, in this case a bean or ‘feve’ or little china figurine. Whoever gets the bean becomes queen or king for the day and can choose their consort. And the rest of the family has to do what they say. Or so the theory goes . . .
What to pair with a galette des rois?
Being a celebratory occasion the French would be inclined to crack open a bottle of bubbly. Not necessarily champagne - that’s more for New Year’s Eve - but a local sparkling wine like Crémant d’Alsace, Crémant de Bourgogne or Crémant de Limoux.
You could also serve a slightly sweeter wine like a demi-sec sparkling Vouvray or Montlouis, a Clairette de Die or, crossing the border into Italy, a Moscato d’Asti or a prosecco.
A light dessert wine such as Coteaux du Layon or a sweet Gaillac would also be delicious and I have enjoyed a Muscat de St Jean de Minervois locally in the Languedoc
There’s a recipe here if you want to make one yourself or you can watch the delightful Raymond Blanc making one on YouTube.
If you read French here’s some more detailed advice on wine pairing for galettes from top sommelier Enrico Bernado.
Since posting this I’ve discovered - thanks to Twitter - there are Spanish and Portuguese equivalents to the galette des rois: the Rosca de Reyes and Bolo Rei respectively. Coincidentally Nigel Slater has also given a recipe for one in the Observer.
According to blogger Joan Gómez Pallarès and wine writer Luis Gutierrez there seems to be some divergence about when you eat it in Spain - probably depending which part of the country you’re in. Luis says it’s usually served at breakfast the morning of January 6th, the day of Reyes Magos (the 3 wise men) or for afternoon tea with moscatel, mistela, PX, off-dry cava or other sweet wines. Or, again, tea or coffee. @carlosleira suggested hot chocolate
Joan however says “No coffee with a roscón, at least in Catalonia: we eat it at lunch time, as dessert. VND, VDN or sweet cava” He suggests the méthode ancestral from Garraf Massif, the Malvasia dulce from Freixenet, a vin doux naturel from la Axarquía or a muscat of Alexandria.
In Portugal the obvious pairing would be a tawny or colheita port according to @niepoortwines. Who, of course, make port . . . ;-)
8 great drinks to match with Stilton
No Christmas would be complete without a slice of Stilton or its unpasteurised cousin Stitchelton. But what to drink with it?
The usual answer is port - and that of course is classic - but there are other drinks that make great pairings.
As with other blue cheeses the blue veins in Stilton make it quite savoury which is why a sweet wine like port goes so well as a contrast but there are full-bodied reds that work well with it too. And beer, of course, but which one?
Oh and just a heartfelt plea - don’t pour your port over your stilton. It’s really much nicer with it than in it!
Sloe gin
This is my absolute favourite pairing if truth be told. Similar to port but with a slightly bitter edge that goes brilliantly well with blue cheese. Damson gin is great too.
Tokaji
The marmalade and orange peel flavours of this famous Hungarian dessert wine are fantastic with this mellow blue
Sauternes
More commonly associated with Roquefort but also very good with Stilton
Sweet sherry
Yes, the old-fashioned cream sherry your gran kept in her cupboard. Sweet, raisiny and totally lovely
Aged Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
My new ‘go to’ red for blue cheese after trying a wonderful 2007 Woodlands cab a while back
Elderberry wine
Fruit wines are too often overlooked but this has the perfect port-like profile for Stilton
Porter - or stout
Preferably an oak-aged one like the Glenlivet Cask Stout from Bristol Beer Factory I wrote about last December. Amazing match
And of course port
With the cheese, not in it, please. It ruins the colour as well as the flavour. The traditional match is a late bottled vintage or vintage port but I must confess I’m rather partial to a 10 year old tawny.
You may also find this post 20 Christmas wine pairings to learn by heart useful.
For further information about Stilton check out the Stilton Cheesemakers Association website
Image of Cropwell Bishop stilton.
10 excuses to drink champagne this Christmas and New Year holiday
Given the amount of champagne that’s on special offer at the moment you’d think people would drink nothing else but most I suspect will just have a celebratory glass before Christmas lunch or to see in the new year.
There are however many other occasions to enjoy champagne - and combine it with food.
As with other top wines it’s sometimes better to enjoy it on your own or a deux with a close friend or partner so you can really relish the experience. Maybe in one of those quiet moments over the holiday - if there are any - when you don’t have any guests in the house!
Here are ten treats to enjoy:
Home-made cheese straws
Cheese straws are much underrated IMHO and, like anything else crispy and cheesy, are great with a glass of bubbly. As - a touch more elegantly - are parmesan biscuits
Smoked salmon
No surprise here you might think but I reckon champagne works best with smoked salmon when its accompanied by cream cheese (as in a canapé or bagel) or by scrambled eggs. In other words think of champagne for your Boxing Day or New Year’s Day brunch . . .
Oysters
Another classic champagne pairing but being briney they can often make the accompanying champagne taste too sweet. If you want them ‘au naturel’ go for a brut nature - in other words a dry champagne without any added dosage. Or deep fry them which makes them more palatable for many people anyway. (Deep-fried fishy things are great with fizz. EVEN fish fingers)
Scallops
Seared scallops are the perfect foil to a richer style of champagne or vintage champagne. A good starter for a small party on Christmas day.
Turbot
If you’re serving a big whole fish - or fish steaks - for Christmas Eve or even Christmas Day, champagne will make it even more festive. Add a mushroom sauce to accentuate the umami hit.
Fish pie
Another Christmas Eve favourite. I’m always torn between white burgundy and champagne but would probably go for the latter if it included luxurious ingredients such as lobster or scallops.
Turkey (or chicken)
Champagne with turkey? Absolutely! Again, go for a vintage one with a bit of weight and body to it. (And ease up on the gravy and cranberry sauce!)
Truffles (or, more likely, truffle oil)
Champagne - especially vintage champagne - shines with truffles so if you’re thinking of serving pasta with truffles, risotto or even truffle mash the two will strike sparks off each other
Macarons
Perhaps more a moscato or ‘extra-dry’ (in other words sweet) prosecco pairing but no reason why you shouldn’t serve a glass of demi-sec. Be my guest ...
Christmas cake
And, as I discovered recently, demi-sec is also surprisingly good with fruit cake. What better way to kick off Christmas Eve? Especially with one of those flashy white bottles like Moet Ice or Lanson White Label Sec
The best wine pairings with Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington is real treat and deserves an equally indulgent red wine to pair with it.
It is, however, less robustly flavoured than a steak or rib roast of beef with other key ingredients such as mushrooms and pastry which offset the flavour of the meat. So when picking a wine for Beef Wellington, you should consider flavour elements like:
- Earthy umami mushrooms that call for a wine with similar savory or forest-floor notes
- Buttery pastry which can add a slight sweet note
- And of course the beef, which always commands a wine with plenty of structure
Given all of that, what to choose?
Here are my top three wine pairings that I think fit the bill:
Good red burgundy and other pinot noir
Fillet steak - the cut that’s most commonly used for a Wellington - pairs particularly well with pinot noir - and that’s only improved by the mushroom duxelles (finely chopped mushrooms) in the filling. Think the best red burgundy you can afford with some bottle age (a 2017 vintage at the time of updating this entry in late 2023). A Chambolle-Musigny or Vosne-Romanée would be perfect if you can run to it. Top new world pinot from California, Oregon and New Zealand would also be great
For other great pinot noir pairings see here
Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and other merlot-dominated Bordeaux
Also a top match though I’d suggest the right bank rather than the left - in other words merlot dominated wines such as Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, again at least 2-3 years old. Other good quality merlot from e.g. California would hit the spot too
Which other foods match well with merlot
Côte Rôtie (and aged shiraz)
In general I think syrah/shiraz is a bit powerful for a Wellington but Côte Rôtie from the northern Rhône has a finesse that would show both the dish and the wine off well. And I wouldn’t complain at a bottle of Grange or Hill of Grace!
Syrah also goes with these dishes.
Barolo
Beef Wellington isn’t a classic Italian dish but Barolo would be an excellent wine accompaniment.
Note: if you’re going for a top wine, particularly a delicate one go easy on the accompanying vegetables. Really buttery mash and maybe a few garlicky green beans or even peas would be perfect. Strongly flavoured veg like red cabbage would take it in another direction.
Similarly keep the sauce relatively light rather than dark, sticky and concentrated for these pairings
See also:
Which wine (or beer) to pair with roast beef
Image ©Goskova Tatiana at shutterstock.com
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