By Morgan Perry
We hope everyone is staying home as much as possible & limiting contact with others in the wake of COVID-19/coronavirus. The health & safety of our community is so important to us—that being said, we still want to drink great wine with the foods we're eating at home, either alone or with a friend or two. (And remember, support your local restaurants by ordering take-out from your favorite dine-in places!)
Here are some commonly-eaten-at-home foods with my suggested wine pairings, though of course there are so many more. Reach out if you have questions about wine suggestions or have any questions. Enjoy!
🍕🍝 Pizza or pasta with red sauce: I’d go with light to medium-bodied red: think Chianti (made from Sangiovese), Pinot Noir/Pinot Nero, Beaujolais (or any Gamay), Cabernet Franc, or Nero d’Avola from Sicily.
🍗 Chicken dishes/other pastas: check out Muscadet Sèvre Et Maine, one of my favorite food-friendly whites, for reds most of the above should also work, and here’s where rosé could be perfect as well. (Look into Corsica for some fun rosé options!) If you’re making fried chicken, though, please drink Champagne or another traditional method sparkling wine. I recommend Champagne Billecart Salmon’s Brut Réserve.
🍔 🥩 Burgers or other hearty dishes: Rioja is an amazing region because there are great values to be found: pick up a Reserva which has to be aged three years before release by law, this adds some complexity to the wine. Super Tuscans can also be of good value, as well as Susumaniello from Italy, another personal favorite.
🥗 Salads: Props to you for eating healthy during a time when most people are craving comfort food! (I am still trying to do salads for lunch.) I love a crisp wine with some acid if you’re using a citrus-based dressing: Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre if you can), Albariño, Picpoul de Pinet, Chablis or a high-quality Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige. Rosé can go well with salad too!