Pairings | Rosé
Which wines and beers pair best with mushrooms?
If you think of the ingredients that show off a great wine mushrooms would have to be near the top of the list.
Possessed of the sexy ingredient umami - the intensely savoury taste identified by the Japanese, they flatter and act as the perfect foil for wines as disparate as vintage Champagne, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Beers too can work well, particularly dark lagers and brown ales, less fashionable styles but ones which have a real affinity with earthy mushroom flavours.
Like any other ingredient it depends how you prepare and cook mushrooms, of course and what other ingredients there are in the dish. Delicate wild mushrooms in a creamy sauce are a different proposition from big flat Portabello mushrooms baked with garlic and parsley.
Here are some suggestions:
- Mushrooms in a creamy sauce - possibly the ultimate preparation so far as wine is concerned whether it’s the base of a tart, a pasta sauce or simply on toast. You can mirror the creamy texture with a like-meets-like pairing of a fine white burgundy or other oak-aged Chardonnay, lift the dish while echoing its umami flavours with vintage Champagne or pick up on the mushrooms’ earthiness with a red burgundy or other Pinot Noir. For a not-so-special occasion a simple unoaked Chardonnay will do the trick.
- Mushroom risotto - Smooth dry Italian whites such as Soave and Gavi work well. If the mushroom content is predominantly porcini try an aged Italian red such as Barolo or vintage rosé Champagne.
- Duxelles - an unfashionable but wonderful way of cooking mushrooms (chopping them very finely then sauteing them in butter with onion until the mixture is completely dry). A perfect match for a great Pinot Noir.
- Mushrooms in tomato sauce - a combination most likely to be found in Italian dishes especially pasta sauces. Sangiovese and Sangiovese blends (e.g. Chianti Classico) tend to be the best match but a Belgian dubbel beer or Viennese-style lager can work well.
- Baked or stuffed Portabello mushrooms - have the meaty quality of a steak so can be paired with almost any robust red such as Zinfandel, Syrah/Shiraz or, if the dish contains cheese, Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Steak and mushroom (or simply mushroom) pie - Depends on the base of the sauce. If it’s wine-based, a full-bodied red, as above (a good Côtes du Rhône Villages or Languedoc red like a Faugères would also work). If the sauce is more like a gravy or has a dark mushroom flavour try a full-flavoured ale such as a dark Belgian Trappist beer, a northern French bière de garde, a brown ale or a strong English ale.
- Mushroom soup - Depends how creamy it is. If it’s quite light I’d go for a Chardonnay (see mushrooms in creamy sauce above) If it’s more intensely mushroomy or includes mustard (there’s a good recipe in my book An Appetite for Ale!) I’d choose a dark beer like Westmalle Dubbel or even a stout or porter.
- Mushroom quiche - Again how mushroomy is the dish? If the predominant flavour is cream, eggs and cheese I’d probably pick a white burgundy or Pinot Blanc. If the mushroom flavour is more powerful I’d revert to Pinot Noir.
- Mushrooms à la grècque or preserved in oil - a classic Italian-style antipasto that will work with almost any crisp, dry Italian or Italian-style white or a dry rosé. You could drink a pilsner or Kolsch with it successfully too.
- Oyster/shitake mushrooms with soy - Unlikely to be served on its own unless it’s part of a vegetable stir-fry so you’re probably going to be looking for a wine that will perform well with a selection of Chinese or Chinese-style dishes. Ripe fruity reds such as new world Pinot Noir, Merlot or even young Rioja can work surprisingly well. For a lighter dish or selection of dishes try a dry (and I mean dry) Riesling from Alsace or Austria.
The best food pairings for rosé
Rosé was once considered a summer wine but increasingly more people are drinking it year round with almost every type of food and on any and every occasion. But what food goes with rosé?
As with white or red wine, the best pairings depends on the style of rosé you’re drinking and whether they’re dry, sweet or sparkling.
In this guide, I’ll take you through food pairings for eight distinct styles of rosé:
- Crisp Dry Rosés e.g. Provençal rosé
- Fruity Rosés, e.g. Pinot noir rosé
- Medium Dry Rosés, e.g. White zinfandel and White grenache
- Fuller-Bodied Dry Rosés, e.g. Spanish rosados from Rioja and Navarra
- Elegant, Fruity Rosés, e.g. Merlot-based Bordeaux rosé, high-end Provençal rosés like Bandol and Palette
- Full-Bodied Fruity Rosés, e.g. Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet rosés from Argentina, Australia and Chile
- Inexpensive sparkling Rosé e.g. prosecco, cava and crémant
- Rosé Champagne and champagne-style sparkling wines
For each style, I’ll share my top food pairings that bring out the best in both the wine and the dish. Whether you’re planning a casual brunch, a seafood feast, or even a spicy barbecue, there’s a rosé and a match for every occasion.
The best food pairings for 8 different styles of rosé
1) Crisp dry rosés - e.g. Most Provençal rosés fall into this category as does Italian Bardolino Chiaretto
The nearest equivalent to this style of rosé are crisp dry white wines such as Pinot Grigio and they go with similar food. Food pairings for most Provencal rosé and similar dry rosés include light salads, light pasta and rice dishes, raw or lightly cooked shellfish like oysters, grilled fish and goats’ cheeses. See also The Best Food Pairings for Provence Rose
Greek rosés are often made in this style too. See this pairing with prawns with ouzo, orzo and courgette. You can find the recipe from Marianna Leivaditaki’s book Aegean here. Photo by Elena Heatherwick
2) Fruity rosés e.g. pinot noir rosés and off-dry Loire and traditional Portuguese rosés with a touch of sweetness such as Rosé d’Anjou and Mateus Rosé
Pinot noir rosés are sweeter than Provence rosé but still dry. They a good match with salads and mildly spiced chicken or fish dishes. English rosés which are often made from pinot noir pair surprisingly well with a Thai green curry as in this pairing
Pairings for off-dry Loire and Portuguese rosés depend on your tolerance for sweetness. If you like a sweeter rosé drink them with similar food to the Provence rosés above. If you don’t try them with Indian food like tandoori chicken or a mild chicken curry.
3) Medium dry rosés - e.g. white Zinfandel or white grenache
The category that used to be called blush. Again, if this is the style you like you’ll want to drink it with all the foods mentioned in 1) above. But those who prefer this style of rosé may also find it useful with spicy food and as a dessert wine (it’s spot on with unsweetened strawberries and not oversweet strawberry tarts)
See this match of the week of strawberries and white zinfandel.
4) Fuller-bodied dry rosés e.g. Southern French (Rhône and Languedoc) and Spanish rosés from Rioja and Navarra
A hugely versatile style that will stand up to big flavours such as anchovy, olives, garlic, saffron and pimenton. So they would be the ideal style to drink with tapenade or a salade Niçoise, a paella or grilled chicken, fish or lamb with herbs. A good wine for barbecues if you don’t like your rosés as strong and sweet as 6) below. Also enjoyable with rustic pâtés and terrines, other charcuterie, ham and sheep cheese.
These rosés are also a good wine pairing for brie, camembert and other white-rinded cheeses so long as you don’t let them get too ripe and runny. Fresh figs make a good accompaniment.
5) Elegant, fruity rosés - e.g. Merlot-based Bordeaux rosé, More expensive Provençal rosés such as Bandol and Palette
These are classy rosés, designed to be drunk with food. Drink them with quality seafood such as lobster and langoustines, seared salmon and tuna, a duck salad or with delicately cooked rare lamb.
6) Full-bodied fruity rosés - e.g. Syrah, malbec and cabernet rosé from Argentina, Australia and Chile
Nearer a full-bodied red than a rosé - big, bold and bursting with fruit. Often quite high in alcohol but it tends not to show because they’re not tannic and served chilled which makes them ideal for a barbecue and for drinking with spicy food such as curries. Also good with ripe peaches. Very much the modern rosé for contemporary food.
See this rosé pairing for spaghetti with courgettes, basil and smoked almonds. Although the wine is from Bordeaux it’s made in a more full-bodied style.
7) Sparkling rosé e.g. Cava, Australian, South African and New Zealand sparkling rosé
Sparkling rosé covers a range of styles from dry to medium dry. Lighter, drier ones make ideal party drinking (Cava rosado is good wine pairing with tapas). Sweeter styles of sparkling rosé like rosé prosecco would be a good wine pairing at a tea party with macarons, cakes and fruit tarts.
8) Rosé Champagne - Again there’s a variation in style between lighter and more full-bodied champagnes or sparkling wines. The best food pairings for lighter styles of rosé champagne include canapés and the type of foods mentioned in (1) above. More substantial vintage brut rosé Champagne can take on grilled lobster and grilled or roast rare lamb or game like pigeon, pheasant or grouse.
Photo credits: Top image by Foxys Forest Manufacture at shutterstock.com. Salad nicoise by Tatiana Brainina at shutterstock.com. Brie and figs by Nati at pexels.com, Lobster by Olga Lyubkin at Fotolia.com. Thai green curry by iblinova at Adobe Stock
The best wine pairings for vitello tonnato
One of the best hot weather dishes, this piquant dish of cold poached or roast veal (or sometimes pork) with a tuna, anchovy and caper mayonnaise invariably pops up on menus at this time of year. But what to pair with it?
(You may also come across a vegetarian version based on tomatoes which I have to say is equally good. There’s a recipe here.)
As with most dishes it’s more about the sauce than the basic ingredient. Given that’s a tuna and anchovy mayonnaise that’s the key element you’ve got to match.
Here are some ideas that might help.
* as it originally comes from Piedmont a Piedmontese white like Roero Arneis or a Gavi seems a good place to start. Other neutral dry Italian white wines such as a Vermentino or even a quality Pinot Grigio from the Alto Adige would be a good match too.
*It’s not traditional but a mineral Chablis or Aligoté would work as would a mature Muscadet-sur-lie or an Albarino.
*Try a dry rosé - especially Provençal rosé (see also this longer list of good Provencal rosé pairings)
* Personally I think it’s more a white wine dish than a red but a young Langhe Nebbiolo or other light Italian red like a Valtellina or even a light red burgundy would work fine. (Not too lush and fruity a pinot in my opinion as the anchovies and capers will accentuate its sweetness. Italians rarely drink wines without a fair amount of acidity in them.)
Image © zoryanchik - Fotolia.com
The best wine pairings for prawns or shrimp
A freezer staple in my house, prawns or shrimp are quick and easy to cook but what wine should you pair with them?
Like other ingredients it depends how you cook them.
The simple plate or tankard of cooked prawns in the shell is a different proposition from a spicy Thai prawn curry but in general prawns or shrimp have a delicate flavour that you want to respect. Your wine should act like a squeeze of lemon which generally points to a white or a crisp rosé.
Great wine pairings for prawns
Prawns or shrimp on the shell
A seasonal treat so the simpler the wine the better. I love those French seaside whites like Muscadet or Picpoul de Pinet with freshly cooked prawns. Italian whites like Pinot Grigio and Greco di Tufo also work well as do Vinho Verde, Albarino or a crisp Sancerre. Unoaked fresh whites in other words. Nothing wrong with a glass of prosecco though, obviously.
Prawn or shrimp salad
Similar wines to the above should also work unless the salad has a richer ingredient like mango or a spicy or zesty dressing in which case I’d be looking for a white with more personality like a sauvignon blanc or semillon or a blend of the two.
Prawn or shrimp cocktail
Again it’s more about the sauce than the prawns, especially if it’s the classic marie-rose sauce. I haven’t found a better pairing than an off-dry riesling though a fruity rosé works well too (and has the virtue of being pink if you’re colour-theming your pairings ;-)
Garlicky prawns or shrimp
Garlic LOVES sauvignon blanc so that’s a good starting point. Other citrussy whites like Rueda, unoaked white Rioja, Godello, southern Italian whites like Fiano and Falanghina and English Bacchus will all work. Goodness, almost anything barring a big oaky chardonnay will do. Try manzanilla or fino sherry too.
Prawn or shrimp curry
How hot is the curry? If it’s a korma or dry tandoori try a fruity rosé, if it’s a Thai green curry, a pinot gris or a medium dry riesling may be the better pairing.
Spanish prawn or shrimp rice dishes like paella
The Spanish themselves may disapprove of combining meat and fish in a paella but many contain chorizo, along wtih seasonings like saffron, garlic and pimenton which can make them quite spicy. Dry Spanish rosados such as those from Rioja and Navarra work well but you could even try a young (joven) red Rioja.
Prawn or shrimp linguine - or other pasta
If your sauce is tomato-based like this one I’d lean towards a dry Italian white or light rosé like a Provence rosé or Bardolino. If it’s creamy like this tagliolini with prawns and treviso try a white with a litlle bit more weight and roundness like a Soave, Gavi, Chenin Blanc or Chablis
See also
Prawn raviole and white Bordeaux
Photo by Terje Sollie: https://www.pexels.com/photo/boiled-shrimps-566344/
What wine to pair with gazpacho
If there’s one dish more difficult to pair with wine than already tricky tomatoes it’s gazpacho, the chilled Spanish summer soup that includes raw onion and peppers as well. So what wine should you pair with it?
White rather than red I suggest and make it young, crisp and fresh without any oak influence.
Bear in mind that if you’re in the mood for gazpacho you’re in the mood for a refreshing drink
6 of the best wine pairings for gazpacho
Rueda or sauvignon blanc
Good Rueda (and I wouldn’t buy the cheapest one you can lay your hands on) is a great match with the same bright citrussy flavours as a sauvignon blanc which of course would work too. I suggest one of the more restrained styles such as Reuilly from the Loire rather than a full-on New Zealand sauvignon blanc
Albarino
Galicia’s elegant versatile white is always a good option
Picpoul de Pinet
As is Picpoul from the south of France (good value too)
Dry Italian whites
Always spring into life with food - anything from a good pinot grigio from the Alto Adige to a Falanghina, Pecorino or Greco di Tufo from the south
Manzanilla sherry
You might be surprised to find sherry so far down the list given it’s a go to match with soup but that’s because it’s unpredictable, depending on the sherry and the recipe. When it works it’s brilliant but it just might misfire. My favourite style would be well chilled manzanilla from a freshly opened bottle though with white gazpacho (ajo blanco) I would go for a fino - or even a dry moscatel.
Provence rosé - which is more like a dry white wine - is also a pretty good option if it’s not too fruity which generally would be the case.
And read about this surprise pairing with smoked vodka!
See also
The best wine matches for tomatoes
Photo © Ramon Grosso @fotolia.com
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