Brand new to wine tasting, I’ve become accustomed to a common phrase, “red with meat and white with fish or chicken.” What I want to know is – “what about us, vegetarians?!” Time to discover what there is for vegetarian pairings, so I matched a few of our June WineCollective wines with meat-less recipes!
The Vineland Semi-Dry Riesling is great to pair with almost everything. Usually people would pair this wine with chicken or salmon but because of its apple and citrus flavour, fresh green vegetables will go tastefully! A harmonious pairing for this Riesling is a recipe from the current issuse of The City Palate titled “Stir-Fried Asparagus with Chickpeas and Tahini Dressing.” Sit back on your deck and enjoy this union!
It seems that red wines are in a very long-term relationship with red meat. But there are alternatives! Why not try Chatelaine’s Modern Margherita Pizza, the ripe tomato taste and acidity will go gracefully with many different wines but especially the Feudo Maccari, a Nero d’Avola from Sicily. And best yet, its Vegetarian!
Thirdly, head over to Dinner with Julie‘s website to find among many options, the Orzo Salad With Spinach, Feta and Lemon. My mouth is watering imaging this pairing with Bodega Chakana, an Argentinian Torrentes. Love the way that rolls off the tongue. The strong acidity paired with this dish brings out the wonderful fruity flavours!
After, many searches and discoveries, I learned that maybe the vegetarians haven’t been forgotten. It just takes that extra step to find something to pair with your vino, so be innovative with it! Even go as far as, Mike Pierce in San Fran who had found the perfect pairing with… Fruit Loops! So yes, go out on a limb, vegetarian or not, step away from meat, fish and poultry and mix it up! The options are endless!