Pairings | Sweetcorn
What wine to pair with corn
Eating corn on the cob is one of the pleasures of high summer especially now there are so many different ways to cook it. But if you love corn or sweetcorn what wine should you pair with it?
There’s one wine that really stands out for me and that’s chardonnay - especially when you slather the corn in butter. But grilled corn too works well especially with a full bodied oaky chardonnay (though see my note below about south-east asian flavours)
Really it depends whether you’re having the corn on its own or, more likely, with other elements of a meal as in a barbecue
Other rich whites worth trying are oaked white rioja, Spanish godello, fiano from southern Italy and old vine chenin blanc or Cape white blends from South Africa
Corn is of course a key ingredient in Mexican cuisine - think tortillas, tacos and tamales which may all inspire you to drink beer but wine can work too depending on the filling. (See this post on tacos)
If you’re serving corn alongside barbecued meat, on the other hand, you may want to go for a red like a mencia (again from Spain), rioja or a grenache or GSM blend
Griddled corn with chilli and lime and other south-east Asian flavours
Once you introduce zesty lime, chilli coriander or other Asian flavours think dry riesling or New Zealand sauvignon blanc rather than chardonnay.
Sauvignon would work with a corn salad with feta too, as would assyrtiko.
Corn fritters
Fried food goes with bubbles and fritters are no exception. Nothing fancy - a cava or a crémant would be perfect
Or for a non-alcoholic pairing you might want to try these sweetcorn, feta and green chilli waffles with pink grapefruit juice, a previous match of the week.
Cornbread or muffins
Unlikely to be served on their own so pair with whatever else is on the plate whether it’s a barbecue or brunch. As a matter of interest I once found a coffee-infused pale ale was brilliant with a jalapeno cornbread! Coffee too if it’s brunch, obviously.
Creamed corn or corn chowder
We’re back at chardonnay again - a fresh creamy one rather than a full-bodied oaky one, I suggest. Chablis, for example. Or a smooth Italian white like a Gavi di Gavi or a Soave
Tamales
Although the stuffing is based on corn (masa) it’s generally mixed with another ingredient which may be more important to match. Chardonnay again would work with seafood or chicken but if it’s pork, beef or lamb try a young rioja or other tempranillo, a petite sirah or a malbec. (There’s a good explanation about tamales on the Spruce Eats website for those of you who are not familiar with them)
See also Ottolenghi’s slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust
Polenta
Generally served with a stew or roast meat so I’d again be inclined to focus on that though maybe make it an Italian red like barbera.
Image by Rimma Bondarenko at shutterstock.com
The best food to pair with Chardonnay
If you’re looking for food pairings for chardonnay, you’re in luck! Whatever the style it’s a fantastic food wine. Which makes it all the more remarkable that many people still say they don’t like chardonnay.
I always think saying you’re bored with chardonnay is a bit like saying you’re bored with chicken. There are so many different styles including some of the world’s greatest white wines.
The key to pairing chardonnay is appreciating that it’s not just one wine - it depends where it’s made, whether or not it’s oaked and how mature it is when you drink it. I’m sharing my favourite food pairings for every style of Chardonnay - whether you’re sipping a steely Chablis, a rich Californian chardonnay, or something in between. We’ll dive into the best dishes to bring out the vibrant fruit, balance the acidity, and complement those creamy textures.
Top food pairings for four different styles of chardonnay
Young, unoaked, cool climate chardonnay
Such as: The classic and most austere example of this is Chablis but other young white burgundies would fall into this category.
Good matches:
*They’re perfect with light and delicate food such as raw and lightly cooked shellfish like crab and prawns and steamed or grilled fish.
*If you want to serve chardonnay with appetizers think fish pâtés, fish, chicken or vegetable terrines.
*This style also goes well with pasta or risotto with spring vegetables and creamy vegetable soups.
*Finer, more intense examples such as Puligny-Montrachet can take on raw fish such as sashimi or delicately spiced fish or salads.
*Chablis is particularly good with oysters.
For more suggestions see this post on pairing food and Chablis
Fruitier, unoaked or lightly oaked chardonnays-500.jpeg)
Such as: Chardonnays from slightly warmer areas to the above but made in a more contemporary style - smooth, sometimes buttery with melon and peach flavours. Examples would be inexpensive chardonnays from the south of France, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa.
Good matches:
*Slightly richer dishes than those listed above but ones where a degree of freshness in the wine is still welcome.
*Fish pie and fish cakes (especially salmon fish cakes)
*other simple salmon preparations (simply poached or with a buttery sauce)
*chicken, pork or pasta in a creamy sauce (including in vol-au-vents!)
*chicken, ham or cheese-based salads such as caesar salad or chicken salads that include peach, mango or macadamia nuts
*mild curries with buttery sauces (such as chicken makhani)
Buttery, oaked Chardonnay
Such as: barrel-fermented, barrel aged or ‘reserve’ chardonnays, particularly top end Australian, New Zealand and Calfornian Chardonnay and top white burgundy, served within 1-3 years of purchase
Good matches:
*Similar dishes to the above but can take an extra degree of richness. Dishes like eggs benedict for example or even a steak béarnaise.
*Fine rich fish such as turbot, grilled veal chops with mushrooms
*Late summer vegetables such as red peppers, corn, butternut squash and pumpkin (pumpkin ravioli and a rich Chardonnay is very good)
*Cheddar cheese, if you’re looking for a chardonnay cheese pairing.
*You can even drink a rich chardonnay with seared foie gras (and indeed many prefer it to Sauternes at the start of a meal)
Mature barrel-fermented Chardonnays
Such as: Wines that are about 3-8 years old. With age Chardonnay acquires a creamy, sometimes nutty taste and creamy texture that calls for a return to finer, more delicate dishes
Good matches:
*Umami-rich (savoury) dishes such as grilled, seared or roast shellfish like lobster and scallops
*simply roast chicken such as the poulet de Bresse above
*guinea fowl
*dishes that include wild mushrooms and slow roast tomatoes
*white truffles
*Hazelnut-crusted chicken or fish
*Sea bass with fennel purée
See also
The Best Food Pairings with White Burgundy
What chardonnay doesn’t pair well with
*Chinese food (better with German riesling)
*Light fresh cheeses such as goat or sheep cheeses (better with sauvignon blanc or an aged red, respectively
*Seared salmon or tuna (better with a light red like pinot noir)
*Tomato-based dishes (better with dry Italian whites or Italian reds)
*Thai flavours (better with Alsace pinot gris or New World sauvignon blanc)
Top image © Philip Wise at shutterstock.com
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