How often do you find yourself snacking and craving a glass of wine? Perhaps you’ve just enjoyed some Gonga and now have a desire for a White Castle burger along with a glass of wine. The question is, what can complement your burger, sandwich, cookies, potato chips, popcorn, Doritos, apple, or banana? Here are some suggestions to help you pair them nicely.
Fast Food
Many of us occasionally crave fast food, especially after a busy day at work when we don’t feel like cooking. Sometimes, a glass of wine with our fast-food dinner is just what we need.
A McDonald’s Big Mac pairs well with Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc, White Zinfandel, or an off-dry Rosé. For a Filet-O-Fish, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent choice.
Taco Bell offers several spicy items on their menu. Slightly sweet and low-alcohol wines, such as off-dry Riesling or a sweeter Chenin Blanc, are perfect for these dishes. For less spicy items, consider a Grüner Veltliner or a dry Rosé. Light red wines like an old-world Malbec, Tempranillo, Côtes du Rhône, or Rioja are also good options.
White Castle burgers can be enjoyed with off-dry Riesling, Rosé, or White Zinfandel. Generally, hamburgers pair nicely with a red blend or Beaujolais, especially if you like a lot of ketchup on your burger. For cheeseburgers, try Cabernets, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, or Rosé. Bacon burgers go well with Rioja, Pinot Noir, or beer. If you add mustard to your burger, sparkling wines and beer are good choices.
Hot dogs are surprisingly well paired with Champagne, Gamay, dry Muscat, Merlot, Barbera, or Oregon Pinot Noir. A hot dog loaded with toppings works well with Zinfandel or a demi-sec Vouvray.
KFC complements sparkling wines and Pinot Noirs beautifully. Popeyes chicken pairs nicely with a dry Spanish Sherry, which helps cleanse the palate and enhances the saltiness of the fried chicken. A sweeter, low-alcohol sparkling wine can also temper the spice.
Snacks
- Potato Chips– Champagne or sparkling wines, BBQ Chips– Zinfandel
- Dorito’s– Sparkling Wines
- Tortilla Chips– Sparkling wines, including Champagne, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
- Pork Rinds– Beer, Sherry, or Sparkling wine
- Cheese Puffs or Cheese Sticks– acidic wines work pair well, Barbara, Chablis, Burgundy red & white, Macon-Villages, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wines
- Popcorn– Sparkling wines or buttery Chardonnays
- Hostess Twinkie– Asti Spumante
- Doughnuts– Asti Spumante, Moscato Asti
Cookie Pairings
Pairing wine with cookies can be simplified: the darker the dessert, the darker the wine! For example, a dark chocolate cookie often pairs well with a rich dark red wine or a sweet Italian sparkling red. When pairing with biscotti, opt for an Asti or a demi-sec Champagne, choosing sweet varieties over dry ones.
Oreo Cookies– Asti Spumante
Cookies– Asti Spumante, Champagne demi-sec, Ice Wine, Sauternes, Sherry (sweet) Muscat, great with Chocolate Chips Cookies,
Late Harvest Riesling, Vin Santo with cookies prepare with nuts.
Sandwich
**Turkey Sandwhich-Turkey is typically made from all white meat and has a low-fat content. Ideal wine pairings for a turkey sandwich include full-bodied whites like Chardonnay and Viognier. Dry Riesling also complements turkey sandwiches. For those who prefer red wines, medium-bodied options with low to medium tannin and relatively high acidity, such as Beaujolais, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Dolcetto, work well. Additionally, a Turkey Club pairs nicely with Rosé and Champagne.
Ham Sandwich– Beaujolais, Rosé, Sparkling wine, Ham & Cheese, Pinot Gris, Cotes du Rhone
Pastrami– Beaujolais, Zinfandel, and sparkling wines
Roast Beef– Beaujolais, Merlot, Riesling (German Spatlese, Valpolicella)
Egg Salad– Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Beaujolais, Rose
Egg Salad Recipe
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- chopped green onion
- 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
- sprinkle of paprika
- salt and pepper to taste, pinch of Dill
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel, and chop. Transfer eggs to bowl, and mix in mayonnaise, and green onion, mustard then add the spices. Let the salad sit for 30 minutes then serve.
Clos Amador Rosa Cava pairs wonderfully with an egg salad sandwich. This wine showcases aromas and flavors of dried strawberries, accompanied by a subtle hint of savory earthiness. Dry sparkling wines, such as Champagne, Cava, and Prosecco, complement any egg-based dish. Clos Amador offers a light, crisp, and fruity flavor, and the combination of egg salad and Cava will linger on your palate as you sip!
- BLT– Beaujolais, Chianti, Rosé, Chardonnay, Sparkling wines
- Tuna Salad– Rosé, with relish, Sauvignon Blanc
- Hummus– White Burgundy, Rosé, Champagne, Italian, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc, Riesling
Veggie Hummus Wrap
- 2 cups chopped cucumber seedless
- 1 cup chopped tomato, no seeds
- 1/2 plain low-fat yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh mint
- 1/2 cup Hummus
- lettuce is optional
- flour tortillas
- salt & pepper to taste
PREP: 12 minutes – Cook: 3 minutes
Mix cucumber, tomato, yogurt, chopped mint, lettuce, and salt & pepper in a bowl for taste. Let set for 10 minutes. Warm tortillas wrapped in tin foil and placed in an oven at 300 for 5-10 minutes or warm single tortillas in a skillet. Spread each tortilla with hummus and a half cup of cucumber mix to each and roll up.
This wrap would pair nicely with Lucien Lucbrecht, Riesling Reserve 2020
Flatbread-Spin, Perfect pairing
Ingredients: 1 cup of spinach, Naan flatbread, Goat cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese
Sauteed spinach in a splash of olive oil. And set aside. Wrap Naan in tin foil and place on the burner at about medium temperature. Flip several times to ensure both sides are hot. When the Naan is warm enough to your liking, take it out of the foil and place it on a plate. Sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese over Naan, next sauteed spinach, and top with goat cheese. Microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, and ready! PREP & EAT 15 minutes
My flatbread spin pairs perfectly with Tania et Vincent Careme Terre Brulee Chenin Blanc. Enjoy!
The grapes Terre Brûlée Le Blanc are 100% Chenin Blanc and sourced from blocks in the Swartland region which are predominantly shale and granite soils. Swartland is an area that is gaining acclaim, located about an hour north of Cape Town with pockets of vineyards spread throughout the foothills of the Piketberg, Porterville, Riebeek and Perdeberg mountains and along the banks of the Berg River.
Fruits & Nuts
Banana- Gewurztraminer, Champagne
Apple- Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, (off- dry to sweet)
Strawberry- Moscato d’, Asti, Ice Wine, Brochette d’ Acqui, Sauternes
Pears- Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Late Harvest Riesling, Semillon
Peaches- Amaretto. Asti, Madeira, Sparkling Wine, demi-sec
Almonds- Prosecco, Sauternes, Cote-Rote, Muscatel, Madeira
Peanuts- Oaked Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and (avoid red wine)
Pistachios- Asti, Chardonnay,
Walnuts- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Oaky Chardonnay, Port