Wine and Snack Pairings

Wine and Snack Pairings Are you planning a special night, watching your favorite movie, and enjoying delicious snacks? Or are you hosting a dinner party with friends who love to try different types of wine? Whatever the occasion, pairing the right kind of wine with just the right snack can take any gathering to the next level.

In this topic, we offer an in-depth look at how to pair your favorite wines and snacks for maximum flavor impact.

About snacks and wine pairing

When pairing snacks and wine, the key is to match the intensity of the flavors. If you have light snacks, then go for a lighter-bodied wine. If the snacks are more intense, you must choose a bolder and fuller-bodied wine. The sweetness of the wine should also be considered, as it can help balance out any salty or bitter notes in the snacks.

Here are a few of the rules you should follow:

Fat + High Acidity: This tastes delicious! When pairing wine and snacks, it’s important to remember that fat and acidity work well together. Most cheeses, nuts, and even olives contain fat, so look for a wine with high acidity levels to balance it out.

Salt + Mineral & High Acidity: The perfect match! Salt can really bring out the complexity of a wine, so if you have salty snacks, pair them with a mineral and high-acidity wine like Albariño/Alvarinho or Chablis. The minerality will help to cut through the saltiness of the snack, while the acidity will give the wine a nice lift and balance.

Spicy + Sweetness: The great match! Spicy snacks can be challenging to pair with wine, so it’s important to find a wine with the right sweetness level to cut the heat from spicy snacks. Why don’t you try a Riesling or Zinfandel Rosé for an ideal pairing that won’t overpower the spiciness of your snack?

Herbs + Herbaceous wine: The ultimate combination! If you’re serving snacks loaded with herbs, go for a herbaceous wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, or Sangiovese. The herbal notes in the wine will complement the herbs in your snacks for a truly delicious combination. 

Read more: Wine and Dessert Pairings

Chips with Champagne

Chips are a widely loved snack, and it’s good to know they can be paired well with wine. The ideal wine to pair with chips is fresh and acidic. The acid in the wine helps balance the greasiness of the chips, creating a lovely combination. While Champagne is the best wine to pair with chips, other sparkling wines like Prosecco can also work well.

 If you prefer something a bit less sparkly, then an unoaked Chardonnay is also a great choice. This wine’s light fruit flavors have good acidity and will pair nicely with the salty crunchiness of chips. White wines that share the same high acidity level as Sauvignon Blanc would also be a great match for chips.

If you enjoy eating spicy chips with chili flavor, pair them with a slightly sweet wine, such as Riesling.

Red wine, together with your chips, let’s choose wine with high acidity. Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon are perfect for this. The acidity of the wine will cut through the richness of the chips, creating a well-balanced snack and flavor.  

Charcuterie with Beaujolais, Rosé Wine or Cabernet Franc

Regarding charcuterie, you’ll need a more highly acidic, full-bodied, and tannic wine. For example, Beaujolais is known for its light body and fruity notes, which work well with charcuterie’s various types of meat. A Rosé or Cabernet Franc can also be a good pairing option as they have enough body to stand up to the fat in charcuterie.

For a more robust pairing, you can also opt for a light red like Syrahor Grenache with charcuterie, and that’s the perfect pair ever. 

Here’s a useful tip: To pair charcuterie with wine, you can match the same color of meat with the color of the wine to have the best choice.

Cheese Platter with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or Viognier

Cheese platters are a classic pairing for wine, and the possibilities are endless! When matching cheese with white wines, go for something aromatic but not too sweet. Sauvignon Blanc is a great option since its herbal notes will bring out the cheese flavors.

Look for something light-bodied but still full-flavored for red wines – like Pinot Noir or Viognier. These wines have enough acidity to cut through the richness of the cheese, while their delicate fruit notes will perfectly complement the various flavors and textures of the cheese.

No matter which snacks you decide to serve, there will surely be a perfect wine to pair with it. With the above tips and suggestions, you’ll be able to find the perfect wine and snack pairing for any occasion.

Salty Crackers with Chenin Blanc

If you’re serving salty crackers, then Chenin Blanc is the perfect wine to pair with them. This dry white wine has a fruity and floral aroma that will balance out the saltiness of the crackers. The high acidity in this wine will also help cut through the richness of any creamy toppings or dips you might serve with your crackers.

For a more robust pairing, try serving salty crackers with an oaked Chardonnay, which will bring out the nutty and buttery flavors in the snacks.

Here are some perfect wines to pair with Salty Crackers

• Pinot Grigio
• Chenin Blanc
• Albariño/Alvarinho 
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Vinho Verde
• Chablis

Popcorn with Oaked Chardonnay or Rosé

Popcorn is a great snack to pair with wine. A buttery oaked Chardonnay will bring out the sweet and nutty flavors of the popcorn, while its creamy texture will provide a nice balance to the crunchy snack. For a lighter pairing, you can also try a Rosé wine with enough acidity to cut through the richness of the popcorn, while its delicate fruit flavors will complement the snack perfectly.

• Butter popcorn with an oaked Chardonnay is a perfect match because the creaminess of the wine will balance out the crunchiness of the popcorn. 
• Salty, neutral popcorn pairs are fantastic with crisp and aromatic white like Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño/Alvarinho, Pinot Grigio, or Vinho Verde. 
• Sweet popcorn pairs with a wine with high sweetness like Zinfandel Rosé or Riesling. 

Nachos with Prosecco, Riesling, or Sangiovese

Nachos are a classic party snack and can be difficult to pair with wine. Luckily, Prosecco is the perfect match! Its bright acidity will cut through the richness of the cheese, while its delicate bubbles help bring out the flavors of the nacho toppings.

Try serving nachos with a Riesling or Sangiovese for a more robust pairing. The notes of apricot in the Riesling will greatly complement the spicy flavors in the nachos, while the Sangiovese’s bright acidity and tannins will help to bring out all of the flavors in the dish.

Nuts with Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir

Nuts are a great snack for wine, and Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect match. This crisp white has enough herbal and grassy notes to balance out the nuttiness of the nuts, while its bright acidity will help to bring out the flavors in any seasonings you might add to your nuts.

For a richer pairing, try serving your nuts with Pinot Noir. This light-bodied red will bring out the earthy flavors of the nuts, while its delicate fruit notes will provide a nice contrast to any spices or seasonings you might add.

Here are some fantastic wines to pair with nuts

• Cabernet Franc
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Pinot Noir
• Prosecco
• Oaked Chardonnay

Olives with Rosé Wine or Cabet Franc

Olives are a great snack to serve with wine, and Rosé is the perfect match. Its crisp acidity will balance out the salty flavors of the olives, while its delicate fruit notes will provide a nice contrast to any herbs or spices you might add.

For a more robust pairing, try serving your olives with Cabernet Franc. This medium-bodied red will bring out the earthy flavors of the olives, while its notes of cherry will provide a nice contrast to any garlic or other seasonings you might add.

Here are some great wines to pair with Olives

• Rosé Wine
• Cabernet Franc
• Pinot Noir
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Oaked Chardonnay.

FAQs

What to eat together with wine?

There are many snacks and dishes that can be enjoyed with wine. Some classic pairings include olives, cheese and charcuterie, salty nuts and crackers, popcorn, and spicy chili nuts.

What wines should I serve with snacks?

The type of wine you choose will depend on the type of snack you’re serving. For example, salty crackers would pair well with an oaked Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio, while popcorn would go nicely with Rosé or Oaked Chardonnay.

Olives can be paired with a Rosé Wine or Cabernet Franc, while spicy chili nuts might work best if served alongside a sweet white like Riesling or Zinfandel Rosé.

Why do we pair food and wine?

When done correctly, pairing food and wine can enhance the flavors of both the dish and the wine. The right combination of flavors will allow each component to stand out while creating a unique flavor profile that would only be possible with them combined.

Additionally, pairing food and wine allows us to explore different flavor combinations that we might have never considered otherwise.

What are the 2 basic rules when pairing food and wine?

The two basic rules when pairing food and wine are to match the body of the wine to the body of the dish and to complement or contrast the flavors. When matching the bodies of both components, you want to make sure that they are roughly equal so that neither will overpower the other.

For example, a light-bodied white such as Pinot Grigio should be paired with a light-bodied dish, like grilled salmon. When it comes to complementary or contrasting flavors, you want to make sure the flavors of your dish and wine complement each other or create a unique flavor profile.

For example, grilled salmon with lemon is complemented by a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, while blue cheese is contrasted nicely by a bold Cabernet Sauvignon.

Conclusion

A wide variety of snacks can be paired with wine to create the perfect combination of flavors and textures. From salty crackers with Pinot Grigio or Oaked Chardonnay to popcorn paired with Rosé or Oaked Chardonnay, nuts with Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir, and olives served with Cabernet Franc or Rosé wine – the right kind of wine can perfectly complement each snack.

With some experimentation, you’ll soon find the perfect wine and snack pairing for any occasion. After this topic, I hope the above information has provided all you need. Leave a comment below if you have any other questions!

See more:

• Wine and Cheese Pairing
• Wine and Dessert Pairings