We predominately eat vegetarian and vegan food, and the trend for eating less meat and animal products is growing in the UK, with around half of people stating that they are reducing their meat consumption. The movement towards a more plant-based diet has become a growing trend worldwide.
While a lot of us do still eat meat, many of us don’t want to be eating it at every meal, and we’ve definitely moved on (hopefully!) from what used to be standard fare - a big slab of meat with a few boiled vegetables on the side. Yet when it comes to the so-called rules of what to drink with your food, why are still being taught that meat should go with red wine, and fish goes with white? So many great wines, which are hugely popular, are just paired with steak – what if you don’t want to eat steak? Are vegetarians or vegans destined to miss out on the joy of a big, gutsy red with their food? Of course not!
We’re tired of seeing wines being suggested with generic, “vegetarian food,” or only meat options given as suggestions. Instead, we’re turning traditional wine pairing ‘rules’ on their head by starting with the wines themselves. We’re looking at some of the wines classically paired with meat and fish and giving some great vegetarian and vegan alternatives.
Theory
First, the theory about why we’re matching wine with meat in the first place. Anika’s sommelier training is with the Italian Sommelier Association (AIS), which is probably one of the most focused on food and wine pairing, with detailed methodology around pairing, which is what we’ll focus this section on. Naturally, we can’t cover everything, so it’ll be a somewhat abridged version to help with the task in hand.
Wine works with food in two basic ways: either it can be a counterpoint to the food – for example a crisp, fresh wine to cut through oily food; or it can complement the food and almost act like a sauce. You can also have both at the same time, for example a sweet sparkling wine can be perfect with a creamy dessert – the sweetness adds another layer of complementary flavours, whilst the acidity and bubbles cut through the creaminess.
Beyond this, we also think about the aroma and the structure. The aroma is secondary to the structure when we think about food and wine pairing (if you just matched on aromas but not structure, you could end up matching dessert wines with red meat!). For example, to find a nice wine with duck we might first look for a red wine of medium body and tannins that is well matched to the duck. We have a few to choose from in this category, so then we might look at the aromas and choose, say, a Valpolicella whose cherry aromas are a natural match for duck. However, when we look to pair vegetarian foods, too often we just pair the aromas – so if we made a beetroot ‘steak’ to replace the beef steak on a dish, we can’t just pair with the same wine necessarily – the aromas might pair well, but the structure isn’t necessarily the same.
One of the main thing people associate with the type of wine that goes with meat is tannins. Tannins, found commonly in red wine, bind to proteins in your saliva, leaving fewer unbound saliva molecules and lowering saliva viscosity, making the mouth feel dry. As such, tannic wines are classically matched with a succulent protein, like a rare steak. A protein-rich vegetarian stew, however, can also provide this succulence. Tannins are also found in things like tea. We typically add milk or lemon to tea to neutralise the tannins, and the same can be done with food and wine – a bit of fat from oat milk, nuts or coconut can coat the mouth and stop it from drying out; similarly, a small squeeze of lemon (or vinegar, or verjus) can also help to soften the wine. However, be careful not to add too much or it can destroy the style of the wine and make it taste overly harsh or fruity. Remember, the weight and structure of the dish is the primary consideration, so don’t match a rich red wine with a lemony salad!
Classics and their alternatives
Red
First, you need to match for structure. If you’ve got a big, tannic red think of succulent, hearty stews with protein-rich lentils and beans, a good amount of mouth-coating fat and a squeeze of lemon or vinegar. Mushrooms and squashes are also great here. If you eat cheese, some richer, nuttier cheeses like Gruyère or Comté can work well too. Peppery leaves are also a good match.
With any wine paring, the weight of the food is important. If you have a big red, a light peppery salad alone is not going to cut it, but if you match the intensity and structure of the dish then you’ll have no problems without meat.
For specific wines, taking into account aromatics and structure, here are some ideas:
Argentinian Malbec – if you can only think of steak, think again. Try a smoky lentil soup (smoked paprika is a great addition). Smoky barbecued foods generally work well here, as well as Indian and Moroccan flavours (a chickpea stew, for example).
Bordeaux – the more tannic Cabernet Sauvignon blends from the left bank are classically matched with lamb or meaty terrines, but dark green lentils (Puy lentils originate in southern France too) and rich wild mushrooms, porcini mushroom sauces etc. work really well here. Try a burger made from lentils and mushrooms, for example. The blackcurrant aromas in Cabernet Sauvignon are a great match for earthy beetroot – try a beetroot risotto with black olives and sage (to keep it savoury tasting) for something different.
Syrah/Shiraz – often big wines, but a little lighter on the tannins than some, and more about peppery aromatics and a touch of sweetness in some of the new world versions. Try stuffed peppers with rice, garlic, and thyme. Tomatoes, rosemary, and black pepper also go well. Australian Shiraz can also match well with sweeter vegetables like chestnuts and parsnips, and complements smoky barbecue flavours too.
Nebbiolo (Barolo, Barbaresco etc.) – Nebbiolo suits autumnal flavours like pumpkin, squash and mushrooms. This part of Italy is famous for its truffles, especially Alba truffles, and Nebbiolo is a perfect match. Try it with pumpkin ravioli with sage, or pasta with truffles. It also matches well with more rustic dishes like polenta and chickpeas. Fantastic with an onion tart, too. If you eat eggs and dairy, Nebbiolo goes well with creamy soufflé. The tannins in the wine work well with bitter leaves like endive and radicchio as a side salad, too.
Pinot Noir – often chosen for duck and roast beef, but Pinot Noir is absolutely fantastic with a range of vegetables, most notably mushrooms, roasted root vegetables, squash and sweet potato. See our dedicated blog post [link] for more ideas here.
Lambrusco – the bubbly red wine is made to cut through the greasiness from fatty meat and sweet tendency from pasta. It’s the default wine for ragù (aka spaghetti Bolognese – please don’t pair it with a big, tannic wine!), lasagne or charcuterie. However, Lambrusco is great with other antipasti from the region too, like raw mushrooms dressed in olive oil and lemon; figs with salty cheese; tomatoes stuff with garlic, spring onions and herbs. It can take on saltiness and strong flavours really well.
White
White wines are often chosen for vegetarian food anyway, and are a bit simpler to pair. Whilst they say white wine pairs with fish, we think this stems from the idea that all meals need some sort of animal protein to be a meal, and what they mean is that white wines pair with less meaty meat… so no meat is just fine! However, sometimes it’s the aromas in white wines that work well with seafood dishes – minerality that mirrors what you taste in seafood, or lemony zip that adds freshness to the natural buttery, salinity of fish.
Champagne – often associated with oysters and caviar, Champagne often needs very little to help it shine. Salted nuts and crisps bring out the flavours beautifully. For something more substantial, mushrooms and truffles have a fantastic synergy with Champagne.
Chardonnay – lighter Chablis classically pairs with seafood, but we love it best with gougères. Oaky, buttery ripe styles of Chardonnay, in particular, pair really well with barbecued corn on the cob. Roast squashes can also take this on, like pumpkin pie or roast sweet potato.
Albariño – this refreshing wine is usually paired with seafood but is perfect to cut through fried food like croquettes or vegetable tempura. It also goes very well with Vietnamese summer rolls, too.
We hope that we’ve given you a good understanding about how to pair some of the wines that classically go with meat and fish, with vegetarian and vegan foods instead. By understanding the theory behind it, everyone can enjoy these fantastic wines!
Happy plant-based pairing!
Stay salty af,
Anika & Fleurie