Whichever are your favourite snacks, they go better with a glass of wine, yes?
Recently Steve and Penny looked at great wine accompaniments for all those snacks we are eating whilst locked down and binge watching Netflix / Amazon / Sky movies – and in his case Apple TV (other streaming services are available)
Do you have a sneaky bag of popcorn, or some bacon flavoured puffs whilst watching TV, a film or whilst binge watching the 4th series of a box set?
Cheesey footballs and Twiglets mixed with salted cashews, or posh cheese straws and pretzels?
Whichever are your favourite snacks, they go better with a glass of wine, yes?
The Spanish agree – hence the tradition of “tapas” with a glass of sherry or tinto, padron peppers with Albarino (both originated in Galicia) , which is refreshing enough to cope with the heat in the odd pepper; rioja with the delicious Jamon Serrano.
Italians have cicchetti which are usually accompanied by a small glass of the local white wine, such as a vermentino, which the locals refer to as an “ombra” (shadow). If you hear a Venetian saying “Let’s go to drink a shadow” or “Andémo béver un’ombra”, they mean, let’s go for a drink and a cicchetti (snack).
Whatever your secret nibble fancy, from chocolates to olives, tortilla chip and salsa, there is a wine to accompany it and bring out the flavour!
But – which is more important- the snack or the wine? That is the question.
Here are some of our recommendations for wine and nibble matches:
| Snack | Recommended Wine | Why! |
| Salty peanuts and Olives | Sparkling: cava / proscecco / Viognier | Enough body and texture Saltiness makes wine extra refreshing then bubbles as a palate cleanser pre the next course of a meal |
| Plain crisps – potato | Un-oaked Chardonnay, Pinot grigio – one with a bit of body, and | You need a crisp refreshing wine to cut through the saltiness |
| Cheesey Puff – | Rosé (also sparkling rosé) | good with cheese souffle too; light, soft fruity flavours to complement the saltiness and cheese flavours |
| Pork Scratchings | Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc | Fatty salty snacks need an acidic wine. Pork goes well with apple sauce so look for a wine with appley flavours |
| Popcorn: Sweet | Chardonnay (oaked) | A buttery flavoured popcorn would be well complemented with a buttery (slightly oaked) chardonnay |
| Popcorn: Salty | Unoaked chardonnay (Viognier) | Lemony and citrussy would be better Try tasting the popcorn before a sip of wine and then again after the wine and see the difference |
| Chip n Dip – (depends on the dip!) | Sauvignon Blanc / Picpoul de Pinet or a White Rioja or Verdejo | Tortilla chips are salty so need some acidity to cut through this |
| Houmous | Chardonnay or a white Rhône blend, or a light fruity red such as Pinot Noir | The creamy texture of houmus / humuus is complimented by a creamy wine, or a light fruity red wine |
| Taramasalata | Sauvignon blanc or Picpoul de Pinet | Both wines are good for fishy things |
| Guacamole | Unoaked Chardonnay or white Chateau Neuf de Pape | Creamy texture needs a creamy style wine |
| Tomato salsa | Cabernet Sauvignon or Italian red such as Chianti | Acidity from tomatoes needs something tannic like a cabernet |
| Twiglets | Deep fruity red i.e Cabernet Sauvignon or a Grenache rosé | Less salty but have a lot of flavour so need something to balance that |
| Spicy nuts etc Bombay mix etc | Riesling or Viognier | As with other spicy foods – aromatic wines / sparkling etc |
