Wine With Food Pairing | Giggly Grapes

Best White Wine for Mushroom Sauce: In the Pan and in the Glass

11/07/2024

Glass of Chardonnay beside a plate of creamy mushroom pasta with thyme

Which white wine to cook mushroom sauce with, which one to drink with it, and why they are not always the same bottle.

What Is Verjus? The Kitchen Acid That Does Not Fight Your Wine

06/07/2024

A bottle of verjus beside unripe green grapes on a dark stone bench

Verjus is the juice of unripe grapes, pressed before it can ferment. It is sour without the sting of vinegar, and it is the one acid that leaves your wine alone.

Which White Wine for Mussels? Drinking and Cooking

04/06/2024

A pot of mussels beside a glass of white wine

Mussels need a dry, high acid, unoaked white. Sauvignon blanc, dry riesling and picpoul all work, and the wine in the pot should be the wine in your glass.

Clam Chowder and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

24/05/2024

Bowl of creamy clam chowder beside a glass of white wine on a timber table

Crisp unoaked whites for the creamy New England bowl, something sharper for Manhattan. The three chowder styles and the wine each one wants.

Best Wine for Risotto: What to Cook With and What to Drink With Mushroom Risotto

22/05/2024

Bowl of mushroom risotto beside a glass of Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir to drink, a cheap dry white to cook with. The best wine for mushroom risotto and every other risotto, what to avoid, and a bottle under eleven dollars.

Chardonnay Food Pairing: What to Eat With Oaked and Unoaked Chardonnay

15/05/2024

Glass of Chardonnay beside a golden roast chicken

Roast chicken, buttery seafood, creamy pasta or a plate of prawns: what to eat with Chardonnay, why oaked and unoaked need different dinners, and what to avoid.

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

14/05/2024

Glass of sparkling wine beside a bowl of popcorn

Sparkling wine wins, and the salt is doing more work than you think. What to pour with salted, buttered and caramel popcorn, and what to leave in the rack.

Best Wine With Nachos: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

10/05/2024

Platter of loaded nachos with a glass of chilled red wine

The best wine with nachos is a chilled, low-tannin red like Grenache or a cold off-dry Riesling. Why salt, fat and jalapeño heat rule out the big reds, and what to pour instead.

Wine Pairing With Omelette: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

09/05/2024

Folded omelette with chives on a plate beside a glass of sparkling wine

Egg yolk coats the palate and mutes wine, so the answer is bubbles or acid, then match the filling. Sparkling first, Chardonnay for cheese, Sauvignon Blanc for herbs.

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

08/05/2024

Greek moussaka in a baking dish beside a glass of red wine on a timber table

Moussaka needs acidity, not muscle. Xinomavro is the best answer, with Sangiovese and Grenache behind it, and the béchamel is the reason your usual big red falls over.