
Top pairings
The best wines to pair with squash and pumpkin
Nothing proclaims autumn more clearly than squash and pumpkin but what wine should you pair with them? It depends whether the dish is savoury or sweet obviously but here are a few options that might help
Wines to pair with roast or baked squash
Butternut squash in particular comes in a lot of guises but is fundamentally sweet, especially when you roast it. In general I favour rich whites like oak-aged chardonnay, Rhône varietals such as viognier, roussanne and marsanne and old vine chenin blanc either on its own or in a South African Cape white blend.
If you want a red I’d go for a warming Côtes du Rhône or similar wine made from Rhône varietals like grenache, syrah and mourvèdre.
Beerwise I’d be thinking of a saison or amber ale as I’ve suggested with this fabulous baked squash recipe from Claire Thomson
Wines for pumpkin or squash ravioli
A popular dish in Italy often served with crisp-fried sage and brown butter. Again the wines above would do the trick, but you might want to make them Italian. I’m thinking a good Soave or a rich Sicilian white like a fiano though I've also paired a Douro white successfully with pumpkin ravioli. The same advice would apply to butternut squash lasagne and butternut squash risotto too. I’ve also had some success pairing pumpkin gnocchi with gewurztraminer so you could try that with pasta too.
Wine with pumpkin or butternut squash soup
Again I’d be looking out for those smoother richer whites - chenin blanc, viognier and chardonnay - but perhaps slightly lighter-bodied than you’d pick for a roast squash recipe. If it were a spicy soup like this pumpkin coconut and lentil soup I’d go for an more aromatic white wine like the ones below
Wines for butternut squash or pumpkin curry
Butternut squash can handle quite a bit of spice and works well in a curry, especially with coconut milk. I’d choose a pinot gris, riesling or a light, maybe Chilean, gewurztraminer. Or our friend viognier again.
Butternut squash salads
Butternut squash in salads tends to be less about the squash and more about other ingredients such as feta, pesto or pumpkin seeds. Go for a brighter, crisper white such as Italian Greco or a Falanghina.
The best wine pairings for pumpkin pie
As much about the spices that are used as the pumpkin. Personally I like a rich moscatel but consult this post for other options.
Photo by Tatiana Vorona at shutterstock.com
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