HOW TO PAIR YOUR WINE WITH FOOD
we’ve never done a wine pairing post on the blog and since that has been my go-to drink these days i thought it might be fun to create a post with suggestions on what to serve with certain types of wine. (i learned from this too!) we partnered with Mirassou Winery which offers a variety of california wines at a really affordable price (their Pinot is my favorite!). we had so much fun putting this together this fresh fourth of july inspired lunch, hope you enjoy!
we worked with three different varietals from Mirassou, Chardonnay, Moscato and Pinot Noir. some people believe that certain wines should only be enjoyed with particular foods but we believe in a more broad spectrum of possibilities. a lot of the foods we served were interchangeable which helps to create a really fun atmosphere at your party of sharing, passing and sipping.
the Mirassou Chardonnay is fruit forward with a little hint of oak. we paired it with grilled nectarine bruschetta that had a creamy goats milk cheese and pistachios and it was heavenly. the creaminess of the cheese was perfect with the slight acidity of the wine. Chardonnay is also great with all types of cheese as well as seafood. one of my favorite ways to enjoy it at home is with fish tacos, try it- trust me.
it’s more of a sweet wine which makes it great with spicy food but it’s also great to serve with a cheese plate. we paired it with these beautiful feta, cucumber, heirloom tomato bites that were drizzled with mint vinaigrette.
we also served the Moscato as a dessert wine at the end of the meal with the most amazing pavlova topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. i don’t even like dessert that much and this blew me away (the one bite i had #dlfgetfit)
many people steer clear of red wines during the warmer months but a slightly chilled Pinot is a great choice for the summer because it’s an approachable, easy red to sip on.
the great thing about Pinot is that it’s a really balanced red so it pairs well with a lot of things. it’s also my favorite wine and the one i order most often when i’m out. i like to keep a few bottles at home to bring over as a hostess gift because it almost always works with what they are planning to serve.
we paired it with mango bbq chicken skewers that had garam masala and cilantro spinach raita on top. they were simple and delicious (and also totally healthy!). i’ve been eating more vegetarian these days but if you’re into meats Pinot Noir is great with pork, BBQ steaks, etc.
what types of wine are you enjoying these days? any favorite food/wine combos we need to know about? try your own wine pairing lunch on the fourth of july with these simple & clean decor ideas…enamel plates (i like these blue falcon ones), striped linens, and summery snacks.
thank you to Mirassou Winery for letting us experiment with your wines, weekly wine pairings might have to become a new thing for our team. thanks so much urban palate for creating the food pairings for the party. and big love to moon canyon who helped me style and provided the beautiful wild floral arrangements and heather ward for that pavlova! photos by ivan solis. cheers!
