We’ve all come home after a long, hard day feeling a little “hangry.” Without the will to cook on such days, your neighborhood sushi spot or local taqueria starts sounding pretty good. It’s times like these we turn to our delivery guy and with all the apps and technology today, you barely have to put forth much effort.
But when it comes to your favorite drink, there’s no need to settle for that leftover wine that’s been collecting dust since your housewarming party. Ultimately, great wine can save the day. Couple that with some of your go-to takeout restaurants, and dinner just got interesting—albeit in the comfort of your own home. Here, we’ve rounded up seven perfect wine pairings for takeout.
7 Perfect Wine Pairings for Takeout
1. PIZZA
Every wine tastes good with pizza. Seriously, there are no rules, just two main ingredients to take into consideration: sauce and cheese. Red wines such as the Daniel Rion Bourgogne Rouge 2016 ($29.99), Caprili Rosso di Montalcino 2017 ($19.99), Chateau Biac Felix 2014 ($19.99), Ovis Napa Cabernet 2016 ($34.99) and Bedrock Zinfandel ($27.99) are smooth, rich and pair well with the high acidity of the tomatoes. A crisp white wine like Champalou Vouvray 2016 ($19.99) is also a good option because the brightness can cut through the greasiness of the cheese.
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2. SUSHI
As a rule of thumb, light foods align well with white wines. Sushi is one of the more diverse foods when it comes to pairing and with all its variations, finding the right wine (outside of your standard sake) can leave one with a lot of options. For a quick and easy fix, an excellent choice would be the Grüner Veltliner Nigl ($19.99). The fresh lemon zest and crisp minerality of the wine won’t overwhelm the delicate flavors of the fish.
3. CHINESE
Something about the soy sauce and umami flavor of Chinese food goes well with Bordeaux. But it’s not always easy balancing the sweet, spicy, sour and salty notes of Asian cuisine. Next time, try it with the large-format Maison Blanche 2009 ($49.99), a Cabernet/Merlot blend aged 10 years.
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4. TACOS
It may not be obvious, but Mexican food has a long history with wine. In fact, the oldest winery in North America was established in 1597 in Coahuila, Mexico. Depending on the tacos you choose, wine pairings for takeout Mexican cuisine can be fairly simple. If you go with a fish, shrimp, or chicken taco it will pair perfect with a crisp mineral white wine, like Albarino Granbazan Verde 2017 ($17.99). For the more meaty, fatty pork or beef, a great Rioja Aldonia ($10.99) will definitely do the trick.
5. FRIED CHICKEN
You don’t need a reason to open a bottle of Champagne—you only need fried chicken. It just so happens that the bread flavors line up perfectly with the crunch of this popular takeout food. Its most brilliant pairing is the bubbly Belle Reverie Champagne ($29.99 Club Price).
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6. BURGERS
Burgers are the kind of food that can essentially work with any wine, simply because you are likely feeling so hungry. The best wines for a burger are typically reds and should be relatively inexpensive. Spicy wine like Syrah and juicy like Malbec, work well in this instance. DiamAndes ($14.99) has created a blend of the two grapes, which makes it the perfect choice and an excellent value.
7. INDIAN
I like to have a contrast in flavors between my food and drink. Since Indian food can be heavily spiced with an intense flavor profile, it’s best to have something sweet to balance out its complexity. Try the Initio Muscat ($14.99) for a high level of sweetness to mellow down the spiciness of the curry.
Use code “DIGEST” for 20% off non-sale wines at Super Buy-Rite Jersey City
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
