Why is wine perfect to pair with fruit?

We know that choosing the perfect wine to pair with chocolate, cheeses, or a juicy steak can make everything taste better. With the abundance of summertime fruit, pairing them well can be daunting. Fruit paired with wine can make a great picnic better or a wonderful happy hour treat. First, check out our top three tips to pairing fruit with wine and then try these simple but delicious combinations.

  1. Choose fruit forward, lightly oaked, or unoaked wines.
  2. Balance the wine’s sweetness and acidity with the fruit’s characteristics. The wine should be at the least as sweet,  if not sweeter than the fruit. Matching the wine’s acidity with the fruit creates a balanced pairing.
  3. Do not overpower the fruit’s flavor with a big, bold wine. Lighter wines pair well with melons or apples while more robust wines like Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, or Petite Sirah call for dark berries or figs.

Bananas + Chardonnay
Choose a lighter, crisper Chardonnay to pair with the sweetness and creaminess of bananas. Grill or caramelize the bananas to pair with a lightly oaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Viognier. A red alternative could be LDV Winery’s 2017 Grenache.
Strawberries + Champagne
It is a classic! Nibble lush strawberries while sipping a dry Champagne or floating a sweet, ripe strawberry in your glass – instant celebration! Also, consider ripe peaches with sparkling Prosecco or Champagne. Try LDV Winery’s White Sangria. Contact us for the recipe.
Peaches, Pineapple, + Sauvignon Blanc
Stone fruit or tropical fruit like pineapple needs a dry, crisp wine like Sauvignon Blanc. Our favorite simple summer dessert is grilled peaches marinated in the wine you are serving alongside. Finish the dessert with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Try LDV Winery’s Sky Island Viognier.
Raspberry, Pomegranate, + Grenache
Grenache bursts with abundant fruit flavors that pair nicely with red fruit like juicy raspberries. Or create a fresh summer salad with berries and sprinkle with ripe pomegranate arils (seeds with freshly, crunchy, chewy flavor/texture). Try LDV Winery’s Sky Island Grenache.
Blackberry, Blueberries, + Syrah
Traditionally, Syrah exhibits fruit and blueberry flavors with a touch of vanilla and pepper on the finish. You cannot beat a bowl of lush dark berries topped with whipped cream and a bit of cracked pepper with rich, fruit forward Syrah. Try LDV Winery’s Syrah or Sky Island Petite Sirah.
Cherries + Pinot Noir
Another classic pairing! Pinot noir from the Northwest explodes with dark cherry flavors with a bit of black pepper and cherry pie aromas that cry for dark, lush, and sweet cherries. Try LDV Winery’s R.E.D. Rhone Red Blend.