Everything you need to know about Spanish food and wine pairing
A rich history, a culture resulting from different influences through the past centuries, have shaped the gastronomy in the broadest sense of the term in this beautiful country. As in other countries and regions, the first rule in food and wine pairing is the regional pairing; the easiest, the one that works best. The association of a wine always finds a resonance with a product of the region to which it belongs. Even if we hear less about gastronomy compared to France or Italy, Spain offers a wealth of products, recipes and traditions. From the aperitif to the dessert, one can find happiness everywhere and the quality of the products allows a multitude of associations on the gustatory level.
Here is a brief overview of the roads of Spain and the local gastronomy, which we are convinced will delight your taste buds....
How to match Spanish wines with your table?
With a gastronomy of a thousand flavors, products from both agriculture and fishing, we can find harmonious matches everywhere in the country. Seafood is a striking example. Whether you prefer white wine or red wine, seafood dishes are a good match; mineral white wines and light, fruity red wines go well with this type of dish. Meat dishes, such as Spanish-style chicken, go well with more tannic wines, such as Rioja wines or wines from the Penedès region. Stronger dishes such as chorizo and chili pepper are best served with wines that are rich and dense enough to support the aromatic power of this type of dish or product, such as those from the Ribera del Duero.
What dish with a Rioja wine?
A pairing that will undoubtedly make you happy is the combination of a typical local dish: potatoes with riojana served with lamb chops. Potatoes cooked with peppers, onions, peppers and chorizos covered for 35 minutes, the chops just grilled on vine shoots. On the wine side, a Macan from Rothschild and Vega Sicilia. A powerful and structured wine capable of supporting the dish spiced up with peppers and chorizos. For another of the region's culinary curiosities, head to Logrono and wander through its streets. Here you will find embuchados (rolled up lamb casings, sliced and snacked on the plancha, usually served with peppers. Eguren Ugarte's Reserve wine with its full texture, ripe fruit and spicy notes makes a great combination.
What to drink with Tapas?
The tapas are as diverse as they are varied, the possibilities of agreements are multiple. With tapas around seafood such as razor clams snacked a la plancha, a white wine from the Albarino grape in the Rias Baixas will be ideal. Its freshness and saltiness bring balance. We often talk about Iberian ham, its character, its nutty taste, its smoothness in the mouth. Com Tu from René Barbier is a gourmet choice. A 100% Grenache, with crisp fruit, the mouth is dense and smooth. With more spicy tapas, especially with peppers, chorizos, a Cabernet Sauvignon from the House of Torres in the Penedes is a good match. The tannic structure and freshness of the wine will counterbalance the power of these appetizers. Another Galician pairing, the octopus à la galicienne: the octopus is cut into small pieces, snacked on the plancha with salt and paprika. A pinot noir cuvée "La Tentation" from Raul Perez will make a good pairing.
What wine to drink with Paella?
Who has never heard of paella, this mythical dish and especially typical of the Iberian Peninsula. Originating in Valencia, paella is a dish made of rice cooked with saffron and initially combined with rabbit, chicken, peas and beans. Nowadays, it can be found for all tastes, seafood, vegetarian, etc.... With such a rich and hearty dish, it is necessary to choose a wine capable of bringing greed and freshness. The Nita de Meritxell Palleja (grenache, carignan, cabernet sauvignon and syrah), with its fruitiness and freshness, is a good base. If you want a more powerful wine, the Buxus vintage from the same winemaker would be a good choice. Our favorite, a Manyetes, 100% Carignan, from René Barbier.
Our favorite Spanish food and wine pairings
Knives a la plancha and herbs - Dido Blanc, René Barbier y Sara Perez
Seafood Paella - Nita, Meritxell Palleja
Sea bream a la plancha - Nelin, Clos Mogador-René Barbier
Iberian ham tapas - Com Tu, Clos Mogador-René Barbier
Potatoes Rioja style - Macan, Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild and Vega Sicilia
Barbecued chorizo and peppers - Mas la Plana, Torres
Discover our best Spanish wines in Switzerland right here
Find all our articles about Spanish wines:
Top 10 of the best Spanish wines
All about Spanish wines
How to choose a Spanish wine ? Alfavin.ch advises you
Discover also our wine subscriptions to offer as gifts or for yourself.
Our wines linked to this post
Clos Mogador 2020 Magnum
Dido Rosa 2022
