What wines pair best with soup? (updated)

One of the few food and drink combinations I don’t feel that happy about is wine and soup. Not all soups, obviously, but many of them. 

It has as much to do with the type of food soup is (wholesome and comforting) as its texture and temperature. If you’re having a bowl of soup on its own or as the main component of a light meal it seems superfluous to drink wine with it. Soup, unless it is virtually thick enough to stand a spoon in, doesn’t really need another liquid to accompany it. Especially if that liquid is chilled.

On the other hand if you’re in a restaurant and everyone else is ordering starters or your soup kicks off a three course dinner party at home you’re probably going to want a glass of wine. So which kind?

When can wine work with soup? 

Many soups are quite delicate in flavour so the wine you choose with these needs to act as supporting cast rather than the star.

Sometimes however, with very rich, creamy soups such as a creamy chicken soup or a chowder, wine can provide a welcome note of freshness and contrast - almost like a squeeze of lemon or an extra layer of flavour. The classic pairing of consommé and sherry (or Madeira) comes into that category. The sherry adds a touch of sweetness and nuttiness to balance the meaty savouriness of the soup.

The wines that I think generally pair best with soup are crisp dry whites with some intensity and persistence. Chablis and other inexpensive white burgundies, Alsace Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio and other neutral Italian whites such as Soave, Spanish Albarino and crisp, minerally Sauvignon Blancs like Pouilly Fumé or Sancerre.

In short the sort of wines you drink as an aperitif and can carry on through the soup, sipping as much - or as little - as you like.

Here are some more specific suggestions for wine with soup

Photo by jenvit keiwalinsarid at pexels.com

Thin soups

Classic French consommé: dry amontillado sherry or dry Madeira. Tomato consommé (Loire Sauvignon such as Sancerre).

Asian broths flavoured with fish sauce, coriander and lime (Grüner Veltliner, dry German Kabinett Riesling)

Creamy vegetable soups
Smooth creamy vegetable soups such as leek and potato. soup generally go well with dry Italian whites such as Soave or with Pinot Blanc from Alsace. Fennel and cauliflower soups, which are particularly wine friendly, match well with good (but not over-oaked) white burgundy or other subtly oaked creamy Chardonnays, white Bordeaux, southern French blends of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier or Chenin Blanc (The creamier a soup is the more full-bodied a wine it can take)

Carrot (and coriander) soup
Again a relatively neutral smooth dry white like a Soave or a chenin blanc. Medium dry cider is good with carrot soup too and I enjoyed this pairing of the carrot, lemon and tahini soup below with Roussanne.

Carrot and tahini soup

Mushroom soup
If it’s creamy drink lightly oaked Chardonnay. If it’s darker and more mushroomy a Pinot Noir would work better

Chicken soup
Again a lightly oaked Chardonnay is the easiest match, if it’s creamy. If it’s a Thai style soup made with coconut milk try pairing it with an Australian Riesling or Verdelho. With Jewish chicken soup don’t drink anything alcoholic - it’s supposed to be healthy and restorative!

Fish soups

 With a classic Provençal fish soup the flavours of garlic, tomato and saffron are as important as the fish and lead in the direction of a very dry crisp white like a Picpoul de Pinet or a full flavoured Provence rosé like a Bandol rosé 

Lobster bisque by SYED IBAD RM at shutterstock.com

Rich crab or lobster bisques match well with lush, opulent whites such as good white burgundy or a good quality but not overpowering Chardonnay. Creamy chowders fare better with a lighter, less expensive Chardonnay

For more about fish soups and stews see this post

‘Green’ soups such as watercress or spinach sometimes have a touch of bitterness about them that needs careful handling. Neutral dry Italian whites such as Soave, Bianco di Custoza and Lugana tend to match best. With an asparagus soup like this one you could try a Loire sauvignon blanc like a Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé or a Touraine Sauvignon. They’d also work with a fresh pea soup.

‘Sweet’ vegetable soups such as butternut squash and pumpkin pair well with rich Chardonnays or Viognier

Tomato soups
If they’re made from fresh tomatoes and are quite light in taste and texture go for a crisp white like a Sauvignon Blanc or an Albariño. You could also drink a well-chilled manzanilla sherry. If the soup has a richer, roast or cooked tomato flavour or is mixed with roast peppers you could also drink a medium bodied Italian or southern French red or a young Rioja.

With gazpacho you could try a modern unoaked white Rioja, Rueda or a fino sherry.

What wine to drink with gazpacho

French onion soup by By Natalia Lisovskaya at shutterstock.com

French onion soup has a very particular character, its melted cheese topping making it more like a hot cheese dish than a soup as you can see from this recipe. Traditionally the French would pair it with a basic vin blanc or a really sharp white like an Aligoté or a Chasselas - the sort of wines you’d drink with fondue and I think that’s the best answer.

Borscht and other beetroot soups
Really quite tricky with wine. Pilsner is incomparably better

Chunky, rustic soups with beans or pulses e.g. minestrone, lentil soup and soupy pasta e fagioli - the kind of soup that’s almost a stew. These match well with medium bodied rustic reds like Côtes du Rhône or young Syrah or Sangiovese. Chianti Classico is particularly good with chickpea soup.

This bean-based Mexican sopa azteca I wrote about recently was great with a pale ale. And I’d probably go for beer with black bean soup too. Given the lighter toppings maybe a lager though I think a dark beer would work too. There’s a recipe here if you’d like one.

Chipotle black bean soup

Cold soups

Light, crisp dry whites such as albariño and assyrtiko are again the answer except for fruit soups which can make them taste uncomfortably sharp. (Try sparkling wine or a complementary fruit beer instead).

I loved this cold herb soup with assyrtiko.

Cold herb soup paired with assyrtiko

Top picture © NatalyaBond at shutterstock.com

 

What wine to drink 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 match 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 do 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

Matching wine and soup

Photo © Ramon Grosso @fotolia.com

The best food pairings for white rioja

White rioja is tricky when it comes to wine pairing as it comes in such contrasting styles. There are the crisp fresh unoaked white riojas which behave much like a sauvignon blanc and much richer barrel-fermented ones which can tackle more intensely-flavoured fish and meat dishes

The latter are more characteristic of the region but even these vary depending on the age of the wine. Young ones behave much like a chardonnay with food, older ones - and white rioja does age magnificently - more like a white Rhône

Here are some of my favourite pairings:

Crisp unoaked white rioja

simply grilled fish and shellfish

garlicky prawns or grilled squid

gazpacho

Spanish-style salads

Barrel-aged white riojas of 2-3 years old

almonds

serrano and other Spanish ham

salt cod dishes such as croquetas

menestra (spring vegetable stew) and other braised vegetable dishes

paella and other rice dishes with saffron

dishes with aioli (garlic mayonnaise)

white asparagus

tortilla and other savoury egg dishes

More mature barrel-aged riojas

rich fish dishes such as roast turbot

hake with garlic and clams

grilled tuna

robust fish stews

grilled lobster and other rich lobster dishes like this experimental dish of lobster and sweetcorn

roast chicken, turkey or guineafowl

sautéed chicken dishes with sherry

chicken or pork dishes with creamy sauces

grilled pork or veal chops

Full-flavoured sheeps cheeses like this rosemary coated ewe’s milk cheese

Also see these excellent suggestions from Vina Tondonia

See also The best food pairings for red rioja

What are the best pairings for Provence rosé?

Provence rosé has a distinct character that sets it apart from other rosés on the market. It’s known for being crisp, dry, and refreshing—qualities that align it more closely with white wines than traditional rosés. This unique profile can be attributed to the region’s winemaking techniques and climate, which yield wines that are both light and structured. Within this style, however, there are variations. On one hand, you have the lighter, easy-drinking wines, known as “vins de soif,” which are perfect for casual sipping. On the other hand, you have more complex and robust rosés, referred to as “vins de gastronomie,” which are designed to pair with a wider variety of foods.

When it comes to food pairings for rosé, Provence rosés truly shine. The versatility of these wines makes them a wonderful match for a wide range of dishes and ingredients. For lighter rosés, think simple, fresh flavors—salads with goat cheese, seafood, or light pasta dishes are ideal companions. The crisper the rosé, the better it pairs with delicate flavors that don’t overpower the palate. For the more structured, gastronomic rosés, heartier food pairings come into play, such as grilled meats, Mediterranean vegetables, or even richer seafood dishes like bouillabaisse. These wines have the complexity and body to stand up to more intense flavors, making them a perfect match for a well-thought-out meal.

Here, listed from A-Z, are some of the top food pairings for rosé wines from the three key Provence appellations: Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, and Coteaux Varois-en-Provence. These dishes, while perfectly suited to Provence rosés, also work well with other southern French rosés, as they share similar characteristics. 

The best food pairings for Provence rosé

Anchovies - especially fresh ones and anchoiade (anchovy spread)
Asian-influenced food - a rather vague concept but think in terms of westernised dishes with Asian influences. Authentic Thai food for example is too powerful.
Artichokes - raw, grilled or preserved in olive oil (not boiled)
Asparagus - grilled or with a vinaigrette rather than with butter
Avocado
Aubergines - cooked lightly as a purée (baba ganoush) or grilled rather than as a bake with cooked tomatoes and cheese
Brie - though don’t let it get too runny
‘Cake’ - the French word for a savoury, usually cheese-flavoured loaf served with an aperitif
Carpaccio - beef or salmon
Chicken - cold e.g. as a terrine or in a salad
Courgettes in most forms, especially lightly cooked e.g. courgettes à la grecque
Couscous and bulghur salads - e.g. tabbouleh
Crab - esp the white meat. Think crab salads and crostini
Crudités - raw vegetables such as celery, cucumber and peppers. Take care any accompanying dip isn’t too strong though
Dim sum, steamed rather than fried, especially with seafood
Fennel - especially with fish
Gazpacho
Goats’ cheese, especially younger or herb-coated ones
Herbs - fresh rather than dry, especially basil, mint, rosemary, tarragon and thyme
Lamb - roast or grilled rack of lamb, esp with herbs, served rare
Lebanese (and probably Greek and Turkish) mezze
Moroccan food especially cooked salads, pastries, fish dishes and lighter tagines e.g. chicken and lemon
Olive oil - esp fresh grassy ones
Olives, esp green olives and green tapenade
Parmesan biscuits or tuiles
Pesto - and Pistou (the Provençal equivalent)
Pink peppercorns
Pissaladière - made the traditional way with onions rather than tomatoes
Parma ham - and similar air-dried hams, esp with fruits like peaches and figs
Pasta - with light sauces e.g. with fresh tomato, prawns
Plateau de fruits de mer - raw shellfish platter
Porchetta - roast pork with herbs, served lukewarm or cold
Prawns - as in griddled prawns, prawn cocktail, Chinese-style prawn toasts (It’s the colour thing too)
Provençal-style stuffed vegetables
Radishes
Rabbit - rillettes or paté
Red mullet, grilled
Risotto - light seafood and vegetable versions
Salads - especially Asian style salads, avoiding heavy dressings (so not blue cheese or thousand island, for example)
Salmon - served raw, cold, poached or as a mousse. Also salmon tartare and smoked salmon
Satay - if not too spicy
Seabass - grilled with oil and lemon
Spices - used with a light hand - especially coriander, cumin, saffron and zatar
Sushi
Strawberries - on their own, with a little fromage frais or in a sharp ‘fruit soup’. Not in a tart or with meringues and cream
Tomatoes, especially fresh tomatoes, as in tomato salads, a fresh tomato sauce, Tomato ‘tarte fine’
Tuna - fresh or tinned. Grilled tuna, salade niçoise
Veal - served cold as in vitello tonnato
Vietnamese spring rolls with herbs and mint
Zucchini (see courgettes)

What doesn’t work so well
Cream or butter based sauces (though yoghurt, crème fraiche and fromage frais work well)
Red meat
Game
Ratatouille (although the French would almost certainly disagree, I find it too heavy for this style of rosé)
Hot curries
Strong cheeses, especially blues
‘Winter food’ generally

You might also enjoy reading: the best food pairings for rosé

I travelled to Provence as a guest of the CIVP

Photo by Pixabay