Pairings | Pomegranate juice
6 good wine pairings for aubergine/eggplant
Aubergine - or eggplant as it’s known in the US - doesn’t have a strong flavour of its own but tends to enrich any dish in which it’s included especially when baked with tomatoes and cheese. So if you’re looking for a wine pairing for aubergine parmigiana or eggplant parmesan read on!
In general I find the best wine match is a hearty red unless you’re serving it cold as in a baba ganoush or a spicy aubergine salad.
Good examples are:
* Italian reds - especially southern Italian and Sicilian reds with their dark slightly bitter hedgerow fruit which seem made for aubergines. Try a Negroamaro or Primitivo (see also Zinfandel below)
* Greek, Turkish and Lebanese reds with their wild briary flavours. Unsurprisingly since aubergine is such an important ingredient in that part of the world.
* Provençal reds especially those that are made from or include Mourvèdre in the blend - like Bandol
*Zinfandel is always good with rich aubergine bakes like moussaka but stick to the younger fresher styles. Killer Zins of 15% can be a bit overwhelming with this kind of dish
Which wine to pair with moussaka
*For cold aubergine dishes such as baba ganoush or aubergine salads or try a crisp dry Provençal or southern French rosé or Spanish rosado.
*I’m also really into amber/orange wines with aubergines as in this pairing with grilled aubergines and walnut sauce. If you’re looking for an alcohol-free pairing pomegranate juice is a delicious match.
*For lighter aubergine dishes such as a tian of aubergine try a medium-bodied Italian red such as a Chianti Classico or other Sangiovese-based red.
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Food and fruit juice matching
If you’re on the wagon this month, mealtimes can suddenly seem a bit drab and colourless. But if you’re missing the taste of your favourite wine try substituting a fruit juice that has similar flavours.
Obviously they tend to be sweeter than wine which may or may not be to your taste. They also, tend to be thicker in consistency, particularly if they’re home made, which can overwhelm a delicate dish. But you can deal with that either by adding a little still or sparkling mineral water, a dash of lemon, lime or grapefruit juice or by serving your juice in a jugful of ice.
If you want a lighter style of juice choose or make one that’s blended with apple, pear, grape or melon juice which will give you a softer, more rounded flavour.
Here’s what to try instead of your favourite sips:
Lighter styles of Chardonnay/Chenin Blanc: apple or pear juice, white cranberry juice
Richer styles of Chardonnay: peach, mango, passionfruit or tropical fruit juice
Semillon: pineapple juice, tropical fruit juice
Sauvignon Blanc: elderflower cordial, traditional lemonade
Riesling: white grape juice, lime cordial, sparkling apple juice
Rosé and light reds such as Beaujolais: cranberry juice, red grape juice, strawberry cordial, watermelon juice
Pinot Noir: pomegranate, raspberry or raspberry and cranberry juice
Merlot, Carmenère and Shiraz: forest fruits, plum juice
Cabernet Sauvignon: blackcurrant juice/cordial, blackberry, elderberry
Champagne/sparkling wine - elderflower spritzer, sparkling apple juice
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