It’s always a pleasure to serve interesting new pairings with your favorite wines. Here is our latest Top Ten of casual summer pairings to offer at your next gathering. All the recipes are delicious and available online, or you can choose your own favorite recipe or variation.
Sparkling Wine (Brut) and Blue Cheese Crostini
Get the recipe: Apple-Onion Chutney Point Reyes Original Blue Crostini
Serve a crisp, chilled Brut Sparkling Wine with this award-winning recipe featuring a creamy Blue Cheese with carmelized onion and apple on a toasted baguette.
Sauvignon Blanc and Assorted Sushi
Get the recipe: Minimialist Baker: How to Make Sushi Without A Mat
Sauvignon Blanc is a very food-friendly, refreshing summertime wine. A simple idea for summertime entertaining is to pair your favorite homemade sushi with Sauvignon Blanc. Pick up a sushi assortment from a local restuarant or make your own. Above is a link to instructions on making sushi yourself without a mat (using just a kitchen towel and plastic wrap). It’s fun and you can get as creative as you like with ingredients from the California Rolls shown here to smoked salmon or shrimp and cream cheese.
Pinot Noir and Peking Duck (with Chinese Pancakes)
Get the recipe: Peking Duck
Peking Duck is an amazing treat and Pinot Noir handles the slightly gamey, slightly sweet honey flavors beautifully. It is a bit of a chore to find a good duck but the preparation from then on is not that difficult. It just takes patience and a little bravery. Yes, we’re aware that traditional versions can take days (mainly drying time to get that reknown crispy skin) but there are versions that only take a few hours of drying time and then roasting time (preferably in a rotisserie). If you’re ready to take the leap you’ll find a simplified recipe at the link above. If you live near a Chinese community, you may also be able to pick up a whole Peking Duck freshly-made . It’s definitely a treat.
Vouvray (Chenin Blanc) or Riesling and Fish Tacos
Get the recipe: Fish Tacos
Usually served with the traditional Mexican cerveza (beer), fish tacos also are very well paired with fruity Vouvray or a slightly sweet Riesling for a new wine experience. Crunchy cabbage or radishes and a creamy lime white sauce combine nicely with the lightness and fruitiness of the wines. Be sure to chill the wine well before serving.
Grenache Rosé and Caesar Salad Rollups
Get the recipe: Caesar Salad Wraps
Another great combination of crunch, healthy ingredients and a light wine is this pairing of a grenache Rose and Ceasar Salad rolled up in your favorite flatbread or tortilla. We’ve seen this enhanced with other veggies, avocado and cream cheese. The garlic and rose seem to befriend each other in this perfect solution for a hot day lunch or dinner wrap.
Sangiovese and Caprese (Tomato and Mozzarella) Salad
Get the recipe: Caprese Salad
Who doesn’t love Caprese salad? This Italian classic is made to be accompanied by another Italian classic wine, Sangiovese, a relative of our own Zinfandel wines. Chianti wine is made from the Sangovese grape. Don’t forget a nice loaf of fresh Italian Ciabatta or other rustic bread to sop up the wonderful flavors of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in this recipe.
Pinot Noir or Riesling (dry-Kabinet) with Seared or Grilled Tuna
Get the recipe: Seared Sesame Crusted Tuna
Ready in a matter of minutes, this is a sophisticated yet easy wine pairing. If you prefer reds, choose a pinot noir from Oregon or Sonoma’s Russian River Valley. If you’re in the mood for a light white, try a Kabinet-level Riesling from just about anywhere.
Viognier or Riesling (Kabinet-dry or off-dry) and Crab
Get the recipe: Crab and Ricotta Cannelloni
Richer and a little more effort to prepare is this delicious crab and ricotta-stuffed cannelloni recipe, which we suggest pairing with Viognier for a new flavor combination. If Viognier is not available locally, reach for that Riesling again. A Sauvignon Blanc or Fume Blanc will do as well. Finally, a dry chilled rose would also work very nicely with this dish.
Barbera d’Asti or Barbera d’Alba and Pizza
Get the recipe: 50 Easy Pizzas
The tomato-based pizza recipes cry out for big reds and, in particular, big Italian reds. They don’t come any better in quality or taste than the wines of Northern Italy’s Piedmont DOC, where the Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba are produced. If you love mushrooms on your pizza, you’ll be in heaven with this pairing.
Pinot Gris and Chicken Kabobs or Easy Chicken Pinot Gris
Get the recipe: Honey Glazed Chicken Kabobs
Get the recipe: Easy Chicken Pinot Gris
We couldn’t decide between these two chicken and Pinot Gris pairings. The kabobs are excellent but be sure you don’t overcook them. The Pinot Gris chicken recipe is a sure winner for a lovely dinner. Try both! Cheers!
Malbec and Barbecue Smoked Ribs
Get the recipe: Chowhound Smoked Barbecue Baby Back Ribs
American-style smoked barbecue ribs are delicious with many red wines but we find that Malbec is a consistent winner in this pairing. It’s also very affordable and a nice change from heavier-tannins in Cab or Zin. Check it out at your next grilling session.
