Wine and Salty Foods

Most everyone loves salt. You can't really escape a meal without it! However, it is very difficult to pair a wine with most salty foods. For the most part, wine and salt do not get along. The wrong wine can make the food and wine taste funky, sour, or bitter. But, that's not to say all is lost. In fact, there are a few wines that are a beautiful compliment to your salty foods.

Example 1: Blue Cheese and a sweet but acidic white, (such as Sauternes or a Sauvignon Blanc). The saltiness of the blue cheese compliments the sweet and acidic flavors of a Sauternes or Sauvignon Blanc wine. (Make sure neither of the wines has been aged in oak to get the best acidic flavor).

Example 2: Fried chicken (or fried calamari), with a sparkling white. Yes, we normally do not think of having wine with our fried chicken, but you would be amazed how well the two go together! Sparkling wines (white only), are the perfect pair to a salty, fried food. The carbonation from the wine helps enhance the flavors of the fried chicken, while cutting the salt intensity at the time time.


Example 3: Salty chips or dips with a Riesling. Again, we normally don't think of having wine with chips, but these two are a great combination. The saltiness of the chips and the sweetness of the Riesling help balance each other out. The salt will not be as powerful, and the sweet will be toned down as well. (Think about how well these would go together at a picnic or bbq).