While true wine—and alcohol-free wine—can taste good with any meal, there are some foods which really bring out the naturally occurring flavors and aromas in wine. When you pair the right food with the right wine, you end up with a delicious combination which compliments itself throughout the entire meal, leaving you completely satisfied.
At beClink, we offer a variety of different flavors and textures for non-alcoholic wine. Whatever you can imagine for alcoholic wine, we carry the delicious and alcohol-free counterpart. And of course, one of our favorite types of wine is the classic red. And what better way to enhance the flavors of a delicious red wine than through the food we eat? If you want to try pairing your food with red wine, but aren’t sure where to start, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are the seven best foods to pair with red wine.
1. Cheese
Cheese is always a good choice to match with practically any wine, including a variety of reds. While white wines might pair better with a more mild cheese, choose a strong, heavier, bolder cheese to pair with your alcohol-free red wine.
Our recommendation: Pierre Zero Prestige Merlot
2. Roast Beef
For medium to full-bodied red wine like a Cabernet, match it with a hearty dish at dinner like roast beef or lamb. The bold flavorings from the meat will compliment the complex flavor profile from the non-alcoholic red wine.
Our recommendation: Lussory Organic Merlot
3. Pasta with Red Sauce
You may have heard a general rule of thumb before: pair light foods with light wines, and dark foods with dark wines. When it comes to pasta sauce, this is could not be more correct. For instance, many red wines pair well with a hearty pasta and red sauce. Mix in some beef throughout the sauce for extra protein, and you have yourself a full, delicious meal.
Our recommendation: Pierre Zero Signature Grenache
4. Chocolate
If you want to impress a lady in your life, try pairing a delicious alcohol-free red wine with a tasty box of chocolate. Although some chocolates and desserts can overwhelm subtle flavors within a wine, choosing a bold red can actually pair nicely with intense chocolate desserts.
Our recommendation: Carl Jung Merlot
5. Mushrooms
Many savor red wines like Pinot Noir pair well with dishes which have a more earthy depth. For instance, try making some rich, portobello mushrooms stuffed with spinach for a nice earthy, woodsy taste to add to the flavor profile for the wine.
Our recommendation: Le Petit Beret Virgin Pinot Noir
6. Pork
For lean meats like pork, duck or even dark-meat chicken, choose an alcohol-free red wine with a versatile, medium-bodied texture and soft tannins. This makes them pair better with foods with less fat in them. If you want a meal with a healthier meat option, choose the pork to pair with your red wine.
Our recommendation: Le Petit Beret Cabernet Sauvignon
7. Pizza
And finally, what’s better to eat with red wine than pizza? There’s a reason Italians love their wine and their pizza! And for a night in, you can always order your favorite take-out pizza to drink with non-alcoholic wine. However, the tomato and garlic on pizza can sometimes leave the wine tasting a bit metallic, so be sure to balance it out with a wine that’s hearty and slightly acidic.
Our recommendation: Tautila Tempranillo
If you strive to be a wine connoisseur, choosing foods which pair well with your wine is the first step. Not only can the wine add a delicious ambiance to the meal, but the food you choose can actually make—or break—the flavor profile of the wine. If you love red wine, try pairing these seven foods with your favorite alcohol-free wine for a tasty experience you’re sure to enjoy.