What wine to serve with a vegan dish?

Which wine to serve with a vegan dish?

Pairing a wine with a vegan dish may seem more complex than with a traditional meal, but it's an excellent opportunity to think outside the box and discover combinations that are as surprising as they are harmonious. With no meat, fish, eggs or dairy products, vegan cuisine relies on vegetables, grains, legumes and spices - all of which deserve a carefully chosen wine.

Here are our tips for creating successful vegan food & wine pairings.

A wine for every style of vegan dish

The diversity of vegan dishes means you need to adapt to their textures, cooking methods and key ingredients. Contrary to popular belief, all types of wine can go well with 100% vegan cuisine, as long as the right balance is found.

Fresh, crisp dishes (salads, raw vegetables, wraps, plant-based ceviches)

These light dishes call for dry, young, lively white wines.

• Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, or Pinot Grigio: perfect for underlining vegetal and lemony notes.

• Crémant or Champagne brut nature: for a festive, refreshing touch.

Rich, simmered dishes (chili sin carne, lentil curry, vegetable tagine)

These recipes call for a wine with more structure, capable of supporting the generosity of the spices or legumes.

• Syrah, Grenache or Carignan: round, spicy reds, perfect for dishes with oriental or spicy flavors.

• Vin orange (white grape maceration): their light tannic structure is well-suited to complex, spicy dishes.

Cereal and starch-based dishes (risotto, pasta, quinoa cakes, polenta)

To accompany these soft, melt-in-the-mouth textures, choose a round, low-acid wine.

• Unwooded Chardonnay, Viognier, or white Côtes-du-Rhône.

• For reds, a light Pinot Noir or Gamay may work well, depending on the garnish.

Focus on finesse rather than power

Without the density of animal proteins, vegan dishes reveal all their subtlety. There's no need to break out the big, full-bodied reds. Instead, opt for :

• With little or moderate tannin

• Rich in aromas of fruit, flowers or mild spices

• Balanced acidity (neither too sharp nor too soft)

The role of sauces and seasonings

As with any food and wine pairing, the sauce can change everything. A citrus salad won't call for the same wine as a salad with walnut pesto. Consider the dominant ingredient (spicy, sweet, smoky, acidic) to guide your choice.

Here are a few examples:

• Tomato sauce, paprika, cumin → a fruity red or dry rosé

• Cashew nuts, malted yeast, mild curry → a full-bodied white such as Marsanne or Roussanne

• Soy sauce, ginger, coriander → an aromatic white wine like a dry Gewurztraminer

And for vegan desserts?

• Fruit tarts, dark chocolate cakes, coconut or almond-based vegetable creams go well with natural sweet wines (Maury, Muscat de Rivesaltes) or semi-dry sparkling wines.

Conclusion

Vegan cuisine offers a wealth of aromatic possibilities for subtle, sometimes surprising pairings. The key is to strike a balance between the freshness of the dish and the structure of the wine. With a La Sommelière wine cellar, you can keep whites, reds and sparkling wines at the ideal temperature, ready to sublimate your finest vegan creations.