Pairing wine with new-age diet plans might sound a bit challenging. For example, I follow a Ovo-Lacto-Pescetarian or meat-less diet. Hence, as such my diet allows me to pair cheese with the wine which is still perfect. However, other lactose-free diets might find challengin pairing red wine with food. Usually, I pair vegetables and fruits with white wine or rosé (of course). Lately, I have challenged myself to enjoy a glass of red with some vegetarian dishes.
I used to be a seasonal winelover but …
I used to pick my wine according to the weather. On a cold night, it was a must to enjoy red bold blends or single varietals. On a summer night, I paired my light fare with white or rosé. However, this have changed since I started learning more about the acidity in wine and how that affects the pairings that we create. Even though I usually pair raw or cooked vegetables with wine or rosé getting adventurous by adding more condiments to vegetables. For example, now I am getting more used to pair heavy condiment vegetarian dishes with bold red wines. The key is to pair flavorful vegetarian dishes that resemble a meat plate with a bold red wine or even a red blend. Check below a few vegetarian & wine pairing options that follow this trend:
Glazed Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf:
This recipe resembles a meatloaf, but instead of being prepared with ground meat is based on lentils. This meatless loaf can be paired with a nice glass of Cabernet. The Cabernet –either Sauvignon or Franc’ truly enhances the flavor. (Recipe source: ohsheglows.com).
Stuffed mushrooms:
You can pair Portobello mushrooms topped with ricotta cheese or hummus with Merlot. The Merlot balances out the flavor of ricotta or hummus on the palate.
The key to creating flavorful vegetarian recipes with bold wines is to season your recipes with the same intensity you will season a meat plate.
If you follow a special kind of diet such as vegetarian, you don’t only have to pair rose and white wine with vegetables. Allow yourself to be a bit more creative. Try some of the pairings I’ve shared above. Perhaps this is a progressive view on wine pairings and sommeliers will disagree with my point of view.
