The first thing we hear when talking about wine and food pairings is red wine with red meat and white wine with fish, but what about vegetarians? If you’re planning a dinner party or simply want to ensure your vegetarian friends are able to enjoy a meal out as much as the rest of the group, then knowing how to match up vegetarian foods and wines really helps. Below is a closer look at the right combinations to satisfy every vegetarian palate.
White Wine Pairings
Summery and fresh, most white wines are easily paired with a range of vegetarian dishes but consider these options:
Pinot Grigio
The light and fresh flavour of pinot grigio is a perfect partner for fresh pasta and salad dishes, raw food meals and those incorporates gouda cheese. The lightness of the flavours are perfect when enjoyed together.
Riesling
Ideal for more exotic meals, the light flavour of Riesling pairs well with Thai cuisine, Vietnamese meals and surprisingly Creole and Southwestern USA-inspired food, including (unexpectedly) barbecue sauce.
Chardonnay
With many differently flavoured Chardonnays on the market you can find everything from fresh and crisp offering to those with a buttery, medium-bodied flavour. This makes it a very versatile choice for vegetarian meals perfect for serving with potato or squash based dishes as well as risotto or creamy goat’s cheese.
Red Wine Pairings
Naturally fuller bodied and richer in flavour, red wines are a little harder to match with vegetarian foods but it’s certainly possible:
Pinot Noir
A lighter red wine, with smooth tannins pinot noir is a great choice for mushroom-based dishes, many of which you’ll find in Mediterranean in Asian-inspired dishes. It also works fantastically with fruit-based sauces.
Grenache
With soft, tempting tannins Grenache tends to be medium-to-full bodied and is a wonderful partner for light Italian meals, freshly grilled vegetables such as peppers and aubergine. It’s also wonderful with the Italian cheese fontina.
Malbec
The strong tannic flavour of Malbec requires a strong and distinctive food pairing. It’s a great choice of Cajun inspired meals, barbecue foods, baked potatoes and foods liberally flavoured with fresh black pepper.
It is also worth remembering that some wines are not vegetarian friendly so always make sure to check before purchasing.
