PAIRING WINE WITH FRUIT
Tips by Peggy Fiandaca, co-owner of LDV Winery in Arizona.
ON BIG BLEND RADIO: Peggy Fiandaca shares what’s happening at the LDV Winery vineyard and tasting room, and shares tips on pairing wine with fruit. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the episode on PodBean.
We know that choosing the perfect wine to pair with chocolate, cheese, or a juicy steak can make everything taste better. With the abundance of summertime fruit, pairing them well can be daunting. Fruit paired with wine can make a great picnic better or a wonderful happy hour treat. First, check out our top three tips for pairing fruit with wine, and then try these simple but delicious combinations.
- Choose fruit-forward, lightly oaked, or unoaked wines.
- Balance the wine’s sweetness and acidity with the fruit’s characteristics. The wine should be at the least as sweet, if not sweeter than the fruit. Matching the wine’s acidity with the fruit creates a balanced pairing.
- Do not overpower the fruit’s flavor with a big, bold wine. Lighter wines pair well with melons or apples while more robust wines like Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, or Petite Sirah call for dark berries or figs.
Bananas + Chardanay
Choose a lighter, crisper Chardonnay to pair with the sweetness and creaminess of bananas. Grill or caramelize the bananas to pair with a lightly oaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Viognier. A red alternative could be LDV Winery’s 2017 Grenache.
Strawberries + Champagne
It is a classic! Nibble lush strawberries while sipping a dry Champagne or floating a sweet, ripe strawberry in your glass – an instant celebration! Also, consider ripe peaches with sparkling Prosecco or Champagne. Try LDV Winery’s White Sangria recipe (see below).
Peaches, Pineapple, + Sauvignon Blanc
Stone fruit or tropical fruit like pineapple needs a dry, crisp wine like Sauvignon Blanc. Our favorite simple summer dessert is grilled peaches marinated in the wine you are serving alongside. Finish the dessert with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Try LDV Winery’s Sky Island Viognier.
Raspberry, Pomegranate, + Grenache
Grenache bursts with abundant fruit flavors that pair nicely with red fruit like juicy raspberries. Or create a fresh summer salad with berries and sprinkle with ripe pomegranate arils (seeds with freshly, crunchy, chewy flavor/texture). Try LDV Winery’s Sky Island Grenache.
Blackberry, Blueberries, + Syrah
Traditionally, Syrah exhibits fruit and blueberry flavors with a touch of vanilla and pepper on the finish. You cannot beat a bowl of lush dark berries topped with whipped cream and a bit of cracked pepper with rich, fruit-forward Syrah. Try LDV Winery’s Syrah or Sky Island Petite Sirah.
Cherries + Pinot Noir
Another classic pairing! Pinot noir from the Northwest explodes with dark cherry flavors with a bit of black pepper and cherry pie aromas that cry for dark, lush, and sweet cherries. Try LDV Winery’s R.E.D. Rhone Red Blend.
PEGGY’S FRUIT RECIPES:
– LDV Winery Sangria
– Ricotta & Roasted Grape Crostini
– Spicy Grilled Pineapple with Ice Cream
– Dried Cherry Granola
Don’t Forget About Grilling Fruit! Either fill a skewer with fruit like pineapple, plums, or peaches or slice pineapple or other stone fruit, brush with a little olive oil, and grill indirectly. Top the grilled fruit with ice cream and you have the perfect dessert.
LDV Winery has you covered with perfect wines to pair with each fruit. Visit www.LDVWinery.com to purchase wines.
