5 Expert Tips For Pairing Sparkling Wine And Food

Champagne—and other sparkling wine categories—are having a food renaissance. At least, that’s where today’s marketing campaigns point. As brands work to grow the category abroad, they’re focusing less on celebration and more on the everyday. Ads are trending away from caviar and more toward weekly meals, including everything from French fries to barbecue. (Though the classic pairings are classics for a reason).

Sparkling wine’s long history of high-end food pairings means there’s often a learning curve for consumers hoping to match flavors at home to a favorite bubbly. We spoke to some of the world’s foremost winemakers, beverage directors, and sommeliers for their best tips on matching the right sparkling wine to your food.

Prioritize Rich and/or Creamy Foods

Let’s start off with a tried-and-true heuristic: Sparkling wine goes well with rich, fatty foods.

“The bright acidity in sparkling wines makes them excellent pairings for rich and creamy food, as the acid cuts through the richness and provides a refreshing contrast,” says Tamra Lotz, winemaker with Mumm Napa.

“A creamy mushroom pasta or risotto is excellent with something that has a little more yeast aging…Fried chicken is another excellent pairing. If you want a simple but elegant appetizer, top potato chips with a little crème fraiche and some smoked trout.”

Among the experts we spoke with, fried chicken was a consistent suggestion for champagne/sparkling wine pairings. Another repeat submission: French fries.

“I love French fries and champagne,” says Amy Racine, Beverage Director at JF Restaurants in New York. “The texture of a crisp fry and the sharp rush of bubbles are a great texture match!”

Lotz agrees and says fried foods can even push sparkling wine into game day territory.

“If I feel like going out to watch the game, you might find me at the bar with a glass of bubbles and French fries.”

Temper Your Sweetness

It’s tempting to automatically match champagne or other sparkling with dessert. But proceed thoughtfully, as an imbalance in sweetness can leave the bubbles tasting flat.

“Sweet food such as Tiramisù doesn’t typically pair very well with dry sparkling wine,” says Aaron Thompson, a certified sommelier and co-owner of Brother Wolf and Osteria Stella in Knoxville. “The general rule is to match sweetness levels. If the food is sweet, such as the Tiramisù we serve at Osteria Stella, then you pair it with a sweet sparkling wine such as Moscato d’Asti.”

Lotz echoes those sentiments. Some popular sparkling wines might go well with sweet-savory mains, but they’re overmatched by sugar-forward finishers.

“[B]e sure to consider the sweetness of the wine and the food when pairing. For example, Mumm Sparkling Cuvée M is off-dry, which pairs well with spicy food or barbecue, but it’s often not sweet enough for most desserts and ends up tasting dry in comparison.”

Take Caution With Spice

This isn’t to say avoid all spicy food when it comes to sparkling wine. But a common word of caution was to consider if a particular wine’s sweetness can match up to a dish’s spice.

“That extra spicy Thai noodle requires wine with [a] sweetness level to help wash down that spice,” says Thompson. “If you pair a spicy dish with dry wine, all you will end up tasting is the alcohol, which will just make it even more spicy.”

Racine thinks that for beginner pairings, it’s likely best to leave spicy dishes off the menu.

“The sparkling aspect will intensify any spice (in a bad way) and often leaves you just feeling heat, rather than the flavor of the dish.”

Keep Textures in Mind

Sparkling wine has a vastly different mouthfeel and texture than other drinks. And that textural element will heavily influence taste perception, perhaps more than we might often consider.

“Consider the effect of carbonation on flavor perception,” says Giacomo Pondini, Director of Consorzio Asti DOCG, which represents the Asti designation of origin in Italy.

“Avoid pairing sparkling wines with foods that have an intense effervescence, as this can clash with the wine's bubbles and disrupt the tasting experience.”

Of course, that effervescence is also a powerful pairing tool; it’s another tool that helps sparkling wines complement fatty and fried food.”

“Just as tannins in a bold red can cut fat, the effervescence can cut fat and make you ready for another bite,” says Racine. “Crispy bites like tempura can be a great pairing!”

Experiment And Bend The Rules

New paradigms for sparkling wine mean some traditional rules are meant to be bent, if not broken outright. Caviar and finger food still have their place in banquet and other high end settings. But when and if you find a great sparkling wine, cast a broad net in pairing with favorite dishes. It might just be what elevates your next night in.

“We are long past [the] days of saving sparkling wine for a special occasion,” says Racine.

“Is it a Prosecco with peach tones? Perhaps pair it with a stone fruit and goat cheese salad! Is it a Lambrusco with deep red color and cheerful cherry an black pepper? Try with pepperoni pizza!”