Blog | Giggly Grapes

Asparagus and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

09/04/2024

Steamed asparagus spears and a glass of chilled white wine

Asparagus can make wine taste metallic. Here is why, plus the dry whites that work, what to avoid, and one stock-checked Australian bottle to try tonight.

Bacon and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

08/04/2024

Crisp bacon in a cast iron pan beside a glass of pinot noir

Bacon is salty, fatty, smoky and often sweet. Pinot noir, dry sparkling and off-dry riesling handle all four. Here is what to pour and what to skip.

Wine to Pair With Goat Meat: Why Lean Meat Needs a Softer Red

07/04/2024

A slow roasted goat shoulder in a braising dish beside a glass of red wine

Goat is one of the leanest meats there is, so it cannot soften a big tannic red. Grenache, Tempranillo and off dry Riesling work better. Here is how to pair by the pot.

Wine Pairing With Roasted Vegetables: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

06/04/2024

Glass of red wine beside a tray of roasted pumpkin, carrots, onion and sprouts

Roasting makes vegetables sweet and smoky, which changes what wine works. Grenache, Gamay, Tempranillo and Riesling lead; big reds and thin whites do not.

Wine Pairing With Lamb Burgers: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

05/04/2024

Grilled lamb burger on a wooden board next to a glass of red wine

Lamb burgers need juicy fruit and soft tannin, not a big grippy red. Here is what to pour, what to avoid, and one stock-checked Barossa GSM to try tonight.

Wine Pairing With Potato Soup: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

03/04/2024

Bowl of creamy potato soup with a glass of Chardonnay

The best wine pairing with potato soup is a lightly oaked Chardonnay, with Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc close behind. What works, what to avoid and one bottle to try.

What Wine Goes with Mushrooms? The Honest Answer

02/04/2024

Pan fried mushrooms beside a glass of red wine

Mushroom umami turns big reds bitter. Here is what to pour instead, dish by dish, plus one stock-checked Australian pinot noir worth opening tonight.

Best Wine With Fish and Chips: What Cuts Through the Batter

01/04/2024

Battered fish and chips on paper beside a glass of sparkling wine

You are not pairing wine with the fish. You are pairing it with oil, salt and vinegar. Sparkling first, dry Riesling second, plus one stocked Australian pick.

Ratatouille and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

28/03/2024

A pot of ratatouille beside a glass of dry rose wine

Ratatouille has no meat and plenty of tomato acid, which is why big reds fail. Here is what works, version by version, plus one stock-checked Australian bottle.