Top pairings
Which wine to drink with paella?
Paella, the iconic Spanish dish, can be paired with a range of wines, but choosing between white, red, or rosé depends on the type of paella you’re eating and its key ingredients.
Recipes vary - and are much argued over - but traditionally the dish either includes chicken or rabbit or seafood like prawns, mussels or clams - not meat and seafood in the same dish.
Nowadays the idea of what goes into a paella is less strict though so here’s a guide to the wine pairings I think work best for different recipes whether they’re based on seafood (paella de mariscos), meat, a mixture of the two (paellal mixta) or vegetarian versions (paella de verduras).
You’ll find that the wine you choose doesn’t need to be overly complex or expensive. Instead, focus on wines with fresh, vibrant flavors that enhance the dish’s key ingredients without overwhelming them.
Crisp whites, fruity rosés, and light-to-medium reds (and even sherry!) all have their place, depending on the style of paella being served.
How paella’s serving style can influence the match
Paella is typically eaten at a relaxed sort of family gathering so I wouldn’t advocate anything too grand.
A chilled dry rosé from Navarra or Rioja (one of the more traditional bottlings, not the more fruit driven rosés made in a New World style) generally hits the spot perfectly but there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t drink an inexpensive red Rioja or other medium-bodied tempranillo or garnacha (grenache) or garnacha blends (again lightly chilled till cool rather than at room temperature). But I’d avoid ‘fruit-bombs’ or overly alcoholic, tannic reds.
Looking outside Spain, lighter reds and rosés from the neighbouring Languedoc-Roussillon would work well as would the new wave of characterful roussanne, marsanne and viognier-based Languedoc whites if white wine is your preference.
What I look for in a white with paella is an earthy richness rather than a sharp citrussy or floral character so I personally wouldn’t go for a sauvignon blanc or a riesling. (You’ll enjoy them more, I think, with simply prepared fried or grilled seafood on its own.)
Wine pairings for popular types of paella
Paella comes in many variations, each with its own unique set of ingredients and regional influences. Here are some of the most popular types of paella and the wines to go with them:
Paella Valenciana
Traditionally made with chicken, rabbit, and sometimes snails, along with green beans, white beans, tomatoes, rosemary, and saffron. This is the original paella from the Valencia region and often includes a mix of land-based proteins rather than seafood.
Wine pairing: A medium-bodied red wine like Tempranillo or Garnacha.
Paella de Marisco (Seafood Paella)
This version focuses solely on seafood, such as prawns, mussels, clams, squid, and fish. It omits meat and relies on seafood stock to enrich the rice with a briny, oceanic flavour.
Wine pairing: A crisp, citrusy white wine like Albariño or Verdejo
Paella de Mar y Montaña (Surf and Turf Paella)
Combines elements from both sea and land, such as chicken or pork with seafood like prawns or squid. Not traditional but a popular combination that works well with a Spanish rosado (rosé) from
Wine pairing: try a strong Spanish rosado (rosé) from Rioja or Navarra
Paella Mixta (Mixed Paella)
Similar to the above, including meat and seafood but also vegetables. Again rosé is a good pairing.
Paella de Verduras (Vegetable Paella)
This vegetarian version is packed with seasonal vegetables like artichokes, bell peppers, tomatoes, peas, and green beans. It’s often flavoured with herbs and spices but excludes meat and seafood.
Wine pairing: A light, herbaceous white wine such as a Rueda which could be made from Verdejo or Sauvignon Blanc.
Paella Negra (Black Paella or Arroz Negro)
Made with squid or cuttlefish and tinted with squid ink, which gives the dish its distinctive black colour. It has a rich, briny taste and is usually garnished with aioli for added flavour.
Wine pairing: A crisp, mineral-driven Albariño or a Godello from Galicia.
Paella de Bogavante (Lobster Paella)
A luxurious variation featuring lobster as the star ingredient, often paired with other seafood for a rich and indulgent meal.
Wine pairing: a fuller-bodied chardonnay always works well with lobster or try an oaked white rioja.
Image by EstudioWebDoce from Pixabay
3 things you need to think about when pairing wine with chocolate
Chocolate is supposed to be impossible to match with wine but like any other ingredient it depends on the chocolate and how it’s used.
In general I’d discourage you from serving a lighter dessert wines like Sauternes but if the chocolate flavour is not too intense and some kind of fresh fruit (strawberries or passionfruit, say) is involved it should be fine.
If you’re trying to find a wine pairing for chocolate it helps to ask yourself these three questions. (The answer may not necessarily be wine!)
What kind of chocolate?
Are you trying to match milk chocolate or dark chocolate or even white chocolate though some would argue that isn’t really chocolate at all? The lighter the chocolate - and the airier your dessert - the easier your task is. See these suggestions for chocolate mousse for example. With a chilled chocolate soufflé you could even serve a glass of bubbly, rosé champagne or sparkling wine for preference.
What are you serving with it?
Think of the fruits that match with chocolate and it’ll give you a clue as to which wines - and other drinks - work too. Cherries are great with dark chocolate for instance and would make a sweet red dessert wine like a Maury or a late bottled vintage port a good match (or a cherry beer or liqueur).
Orange and chocolate? A well-tried and tested combination. An orange-flavoured moscatel or marmaladey Tokaji will echo those flavours . Dried fruit like raisins and figs pair with chocolate too as does a figgy, raisiny sweet sherry or madeira while a chocolate dessert with nuts is a great match for a tawny port or amaretto.
(See this post on the best matches for a chocolate yule log which vary depending on the filling.)
Is it hot or cold?
A cold chocolate dessert is easier to match than a hot one, the trickiest being a molten chocolate fondant pudding. Serving it with cream or ice-cream will help but you’re still better to choose a fortified like a liqueur muscat rather a conventional dessert wine (PX sherry, I've discovered, is insanely good with warm chocolate brownies and ice cream.) Oddly enough a dark beer like a porter or imperial stout is particularly good with molten chocolate puds as you can see from this post.
Image © al62 - Fotolia.com
Download the chocolate e-book
You might think there was no way of enjoying chocolate more than you already do but we’ve come up with 101 of them - all amazing drink pairings to enable you to get even more pleasure out of your favourite food. Download the e-book: 101 great ways to Enjoy Wine & Chocolate.
Which wines to pair with calamari/squid
Calamari or squid is often served as a starter or appetiser with other dishes so you need to bear that in mind when you’re choosing a wine to pair with it. It also depends on the way you prepare it.
Except when it's cooked with red wine I'd say that almost any crisp citrussy white would work, sauvignon blanc being the obvious option but plenty of French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese whites would work too: Picpoul, albarino, Rueda, vinho verde - squid is really white wine-friendly.
Fried calamari or chipirones
Fried food is great with anything fizzy so a sparkling wine such as cava or a crémant would be perfect. Or if it’s part of a selection of Greek mezze, a crisp citrussy white like Assyrtiko. Chilled manzanilla sherry would also be brilliant especially with Spanish-style chipirones (baby squid).
Salt and pepper squid
A popular dish in Chinese restaurants. It may be more or less spicy but a dry riesling should work really well or, if it includes other Asian flavours as in this dish of this crispy chilli lime squid with edamame bean and coriander salad - maybe a pinot gris.
Chargrilled squid
Often squid is cooked on the grill or over an open fire which makes the dish more robust. A slightly richer white such as a good albarino can handle that. A Provençal rosé - especially a Bandol rosé - would also be great.
Braised squid with red wine
A chef friend of mine used to cook a dish of squid with red wine, orange and fennel which definitely made it a red wine rather than a white wine dish. A juicy Spanish red such as Bobal or a young rioja would work really well
Risotto nero, squid ink linguini and other dishes with squid ink
Squid ink adds a savoury, slightly saline boost to a dish but basically it’s a case of the same type of crisp dry white. Something like a Greco di Tufo or a Rueda as in this pairing from a Spanish holiday a couple of years ago. Albarino should work well too as you can see from this pairing with arroz negro.
And if you want to try cooking squid for yourself try this delicious recipe for Barbequed brochette of prawns, squid and courgette with sauce vierge.
Photo ©rondon at fotolia.com
The best wine pairings for spaghetti puttanesca
Spaghetti puttanesca - or ‘whore’s spaghetti’ to translate it literally - is a full-flavoured pasta dish with strong, punchy flavours but which wine should you pair with it? As with other pasta dishes, it’s all about the sauce.
There are various theories about how the dish - a comparatively recent invention - got its name, the most plausible being that it was a simple storecupboard dish that could be slung together between clients’ visits. Etymology aside, the best wine pairings for pasta puttanesca should consider its core ingredients.
Puttanesca is heavy on garlic, anchovies, capers, chillies and olives - quite a lot for any wine to handle. My preference, given the base is cooked tomatoes, would be for a southern Italian red - even a basic carafe wine would do.
Here are some specific suggestions:
- Sicilian and southern Italian reds such as nero d’avola, negroamara and primitivo
- Inexpensive zinfandel (you don’t want one that’s too extracted or high in alcohol with this punchy pasta sauce)
- Barbera - from Northern Italy or elsewhere - always a good wine with a rustic dish
- Inexpensive Portuguese reds from the Alentejo - ripe and supple, they make a good stand-in for an Italian red
- and if you fancy a white try a crisp southern Italian white such as Falanghina or Greco
Needless to say if you’re making the dish with another type of pasta like penne the recommendations would be the same. You match the sauce not the pasta shape.
See also Wines to match different pasta sauces
Photo by being0828 is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
6 of the best pairings for pinot grigio
That pinot grigio is many people's favourite white wine should come as no surprise - it’s a refreshing, versatile wine that pairs really well with light, summery food and ever-popular Italian staples such as pasta and risotto.
Six top pairings for pinot grigio
- Antipasti, especially seafood and vegetable-based ones like seafood salad or marinated fish like octopus
- Fried fish or vegetables such as fritto misto - or even fish and chips
- Light pasta sauces including seafood like clams, cream or fresh tomato (it’s not so good with more robust meaty sauces). You can even add a splash of the wine to the recipe as I’ve done in this recipe for tiger prawns with tomato and basil sauce. Pinot grigio is great with a carbonara too.
- Light seafood or vegetable-based risottos such as risotto primavera(with spring vegetables such as peas and asparagus) or with fennel. Risi e bisi too.
- Light seafood salads such as crab or prawn/shrimp salad
- Sushi - it might not be the obvious pairing but it's a good one
Image © ArenaCreative - Fotolia.com
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