Wine Pairings for Dishes with Tomatoes
as recommended by Karen Bonarrigo & Merrill Bonarrigo
Wine Pairings for Dishes with Tomatoes:
5 Things to know about pairing wines with tomatoes:
- Tomatoes are a night shade fruit. It adds strong sweet vegetal flavors to any dish. Acidic white wines and light reds complement the raw fruit.
- The acidity of the wine needs to match the acidity of the tomatoes to be balanced. White wines blend best but light reds are a good match as well.
- Adding creamy herbed cheeses like the Boursin cheese gives the dish a heavier weight that complements dishes with heavier dry reds and rose.’
- Cooked tomatoes have a heavier flavor weight and texture. They also marry better with heavier reds. The spices and herbs added to tomatoes add flavor weight which require a heavier flavor weight of wine.
- Gazpacho is a cold, flavorful, crunchy texture soup. The acids of the fresh vegetables work best with a white or rose’ wine.
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- Messina Hof Pinot Grigio (dry crisp white wine)
- Bonarrigo White (dry Italian-style white)
- Sparkling Rose’ (light crisp dry rose’)
- Artist Series Sangiovese (dry Italian-style red with cherry notes)
Merrill and Karen Bonarrigo, Wine and Food Pairing experts at Messina Hof Wine Cellars, Inc.