July 31st, 2024

It’s summer, and with more hot days to come, most of our wine picks are going to draw from the white wine category. Also, with National White Wine Day coming up this Sunday August 4th, this may be an excellent time to take on a few new white wine pairing options.

After sampling so much white wine with various cuisines on various excursions, coming up with novel pairing options becomes somewhat of a challenge. So, this time we’re going to step out of file a little. Let’s focus on a few unusual white wine pairing choices for those sumptuous Mediterranean combinations.

Of course, we know that an Italian wine is usually the go-to for this type of cuisine, but our domestic white wines also work quite well, especially with lighter, summer choices of plant-based or light cream sauces along with that pasta, fish, and other delicate meats.

Ca. Sauv Blanc and Viognier - Wonderful Pairings

Where in the US would you go for a domestic white wine that pairs with Med dishes? It’s California of course!  They dominate the US as the top producer of white wines with nearly 167,000 acres dedicated to white varietals. What’s even more amazing, you can find over a dozen white wine varietals at California wineries.

As for pairing with domestic white wines, one of my favorite med-inspired combinations is a garlicy pesto over angel hair pasta. Because of the basil flavor in the pesto sauce, a less fruity white wine pair works best with this.  A couple picks are Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Both are on the lighter side but there are differences.

Critics often mistakenly call Pinot Grigio a “brainless wine”, but it stays #1 as a European luncheon wine.  This is because it has very subtle flavors and low alcohol.  It doesn’t fight with lighter recipes and can even work with raw calamari or sushi. But not as well with pesto sauce.

For pesto, Sauvignon Blanc works better because it is more acidic than Pinot Grigio and has more citrus flavors. In general, if you are enjoying a dish that you would enhance with a spritz of lemon or lime, Sauvignon Blanc wins. Too bad we can’t get tempura white abalone very easily these days; Sauvignon Blanc is such a heavenly pair with that endangered shellfish.

If you’re interested in a white wine that works magnificently with cream-based sauces, consider Viognier.  This varietal drinks great just by itself, but also combines in a very balanced way with just about anything that has dairy mixed in.  They are known for their peach and melon aromas with a long smooth finish.  Many red wine lovers call Viognier their favorite white. Did someone say fettuccine alfredo?  Yum.

Make it a point to experiment with white wines and med-inspired light dishes this summer.  Serve chilled to suit the heat.  As white wine warms up in your glass, the flavors will become more pronounced, don’t over chill.

Here’s to California’s endless varieties of “terroir”. And a Happy National Wine Day to you and your clan!