Posted: Sep 18, 2017
11 Surprising & Unusual Food & Wine Pairings
Discover some unusual but wonderful combinations of flavors with these unique wine and food pairings.
Matching a steak with a bold Cabernet Sauvignon, or a smooth white wine with some fresh seafood is always a great dining experience.
But what wine do you pair with that delicious bowl of mac & cheese or a big scoop of ice cream?
Here are 11 unusual and wonderful food and wine pairings that may surprise you.
1. Negromara and Burgers
For some people, finding best wine choices for special occasions may be a very difficult task, but keep in mind that wine is never too classy to be paired with a juicy burger.
Take your grill party to the next level with a delicious bottle of red wine. According to some wine experts, Negromara red blend is the best wine to pair with your fresh-off-the-grill burger. Alternatively, any fruity red will pair well with the salty and spicy juices of a beef burger.
2. Brut Sparkling Wine and Mac & Cheese
Everything feels right in the world when you’re eating a cheesy bowl of macaroni.
You can make it even more right with a flute of brut sparkling wine. To make the perfect marriage between the two, be sure to choose a soft, creamy cheese like béchamel to go with your macaroni. The salt and creaminess goes perfectly with a sparkling dry wine.
3. Spicy White Wine and Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwich
A classic PBJ has better pairings than just milk.
If you match your peanut butter and jelly with a spicy, dry white wine, you can balance the acidity of the wine with the sweetness of the jelly. The wine will bring out the nutty flavors in the peanut butter and give it an even creamier taste. It’s so much more fun to eat a PBJ when you wash down that dry peanut butter with a wine.
4. Pinot Noir and Chocolate Ice Cream
Wine and chocolate truffles have always made a classically romantic combination, but what about wine and ice cream?
Pairing a light red Pinot Noir with a scoop of creamy chocolate ice cream makes for a delightful dessert experience. The soft, fruity aromas match perfectly with a rich milk chocolate ice cream flavor.
5. Chianti and Pepperoni Pizza
Go full Italian with a bottle of Chianti or other Tuscany wine, and spicy pepperoni pizza.
Although beer typically pairs up with pizza, a dry glass of red Chianti does it even better. The wine can match the acidity of the tomato sauce.
A softer Chianti is best so that it doesn’t overpower the pizza’s flavors. To make it really worth it, be sure to use mozzarella for the cheese.
6. Chardonnay and Bacon
Although a red wine is typically paired with red meat, when it comes to bacon go for a white wine.
A full-bodied Chardonnay wine and crispy slices of smoked bacon were made to be together. The key is to pick a Chardonnay that is rich enough to match the intense salty, smoky flavors of bacon. The acidity from the wine will balance out the fat.
7. Dry Champagne and Corn Dogs
Who ever said fair food doesn’t deserve a wine pairing?
Top a delicious corn dog with some stoneground mustard and pair it with your favorite dry champagne for a delightful flavor experience.
The mustard and champagne will bring a nice acidity to balance out the salty and greasy loveliness of the corn dog. According to Food and Wine, any time you have fried foods, champagne is always a good match.
8. Riesling and Tacos
A fruity German Riesling is a great drink to pair with your spicy tacos.
The aromatic fruit balances out the heat and spice. Plus, the bright acidity of the Riesling will go great with any citrus or guacamole that you might have topping your tacos.
It’s definitely less filling than pairing your tacos with beer on a hot summer day.
9. Sauvignon Blanc and Lemon Bars
Sauvignon Blanc wines are typically herbal and acidic, making a great match for sweet, citrus desserts.
Depending on how tart your lemon bars are, you should pick a fairly acidic Sauvignon Blanc to match a very tart lemon bar. If the wine isn’t acidic enough, it will be overpowered by the sour citrus.
Social Vignerons Wine Suggestion: a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
10. Shiraz and Chili
Chili typically has a lot of spicy, bold flavors.
The best wine to pair a hearty bowl of chili is going to be a Shiraz. Choose a full-bodied and bold shiraz that can match the flavors in the chili. It will give the chili a nice peppery finish on your palette.
Social Vignerons Wine Suggestion: a Delicious French Syrah
11. Merlot and Baby Back Ribs
Pair a spicy and sweet set of baby back ribs with an acidic glass of Merlot.
Unlike bigger reds like Cabs that can overpower the subtle sweetness of rib sauce, the Merlot is a perfect combination for complimenting the flavors. The melt-in-your-mouth texture of ribs and medium tannins of a Merlot will make a great marriage of mouth feels.
There you have it: 11 unique wine and food combinations to satisfy your palate. Try out the pairings for yourself and discover a new side to wine!
By Julien Miquel
April 3, 2017
Source: Socialvigneron
Go-Wine's mission is to organize food and beverage information and make it universally accessible and beneficial. These are the benefits of sharing your article in Go-Wine.com
