Wine Pairing Ideas for All Your Comfort Food Favourites

Wine and Comfort Food Pairings

We're taking comfort food to the next level with wine pairing to go with some of our favourites. Photo: Lina Moiseienko / GettyImages

Wine and comfort food? Sure we all think wine and cheese, but … Summer may be on the horizon, yet we’re all still in need of a bit of comforting TLC. And that includes comfort foods and favourites that make life just that much sweeter. 

Treat yourself. How about a glass of wine with that pizza? When most of us think of wine pairings, we also think fancy dinners out; fish with white, red with steak, you get the point. But what about a sip of something a little special with popcorn? Poutine and a Pinot? We say, why not. 

We’ve also included a scrumptious soup recipe from the chefs at Great Estates of Niagara, which includes vineyards such as Inniskillin, Jackson Triggs and Le Clos Jordanne. The best part? Our picks are almost all from Canada (forgive us an Italian to go with that pepperoni pizza), and all come in at under $20 a bottle.

 

The Dish: Mac & Cheese

The melty cheese in your favourite macaroni and cheese dish is the perfect complement to a sweeter wine.

The Pairing: Open Riesling Gewürztraminer VQA

$14.45/750mL

 

Photo Courtesy of Open

 

The Dish: Pepperoni Pizza

A medium-bodied, fruity red is very versatile, making it perfect to bring out the meaty flavours of the pepperoni.

The Pairing: Ruffino Chianti

$14.95/750mL

Photo Courtesy of Ruffino

 

The Dish: Popcorn

A subtly sweet red complements a salty bowl of popcorn.

The Pairing: Sandbanks Baco Noir

$15.95/750mL

 

Photo Courtesy of Sandbanks

 

The Dish: Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

For a good texture contrast, go with a sparkling wine to complement creamy soup.

The Pairing: Saintly Sparkling Rosé VQA

$18.95/750mL

Photo Courtesy of Saintly

 

The Dish: Poutine

Pinot Noir is the perfect red that’s low in tannins, which brings out the savoury flavours of poutine. This pairing is 100 per cent Canadian.

The Pairing: Inniskillin Niagara Pinot Noir

$15.95/750mL

Photo Courtesy of Inniskillin

 

The Dish: Fried Chicken & Waffles

The richness of an oaked Chardonnay is the perfect pairing for the sweet and savoury flavour profile of this dish.

The Pairing: Jackson-Triggs Reserve Chardonnay VQA

$13.95/750mL

Photo Courtesy of Jackson Triggs

 

The Dish: Carrot Ginger Soup

Carrot ginger soup.
Photo: Image by Bernadette Wurzinger /Pixabay

 

Courtesy of David Penny, Executive Chef, Great Estates of Niagara, Inniskillin – Jackson Triggs – Le Clos Jordanne
(Yields 2 litres)

Ingredients:

4 carrots peeled and diced
1 tbsp fresh ginger sliced
1 large white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a pot and brown butter slightly
2. Add onions, ginger, garlic and carrots
3. Top with water just enough to cover
4. Add salt and pepper, enough to season liquid
5. Bring to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender
6. Allow to cool slightly before blending
7. Blend all ingredients in a blender, adding the rest of the cold butter while blending the soup.
8. Pass soup through fine mesh sieve
9. Season to taste, reheat and serve.

The Pairing: Inniskillin Brae Blanc or Riesling, by winemaker Bruce Nicholson

Photo Courtesy of Inniskillin