Wine Pairing for Dishes with Persimmon

Wine Pairings for Dishes with Persimmon

as recommended by Karen Bonarrigo & Merrill Bonarrigo

5 Things to know about pairing wines with persimmon:

• Semi-ripe, they are crisp like a plum.  Very ripe, they are like sweet apples or pears with a mushy texture. Sweet ripe persimmons have a honey character and can be used like ripe apples or pears in desserts.
• Persimmons semi-ripe have strong tannins that give a chaulky texture can be used in many savory recipes that call for tomatoes.  The tannins give a flavor weight that can complement red wine.
• Wine pairings with persimmons vary by ripeness of fruit or recipe.  Astringency of the persimmons can complement the acidity of the white wine like Pinot Grigio.
• Sweetness of Persimmons adds balance to the sweet-heat savory dishes.
• If the persimmons are used in the recipes as an ingredient, pair the appropriate wine to the strongest flavor in that dish.

Recommended wines:

• • Messina Hof Pinot Grigio
  • Messina Hof Angel Late Harvest Riesling
  • Messina Hof Bonarrigo Heritage Red

Merrill and Karen Bonarrigo, Wine and Food Pairing experts at Messina Hof Wine Cellars, Inc.