The Best Type Of Wine To Pair With Bacon
Between the sizzling sound and ultra-fragrant aroma, freshly cooked bacon is hard to resist. A superstar in its own regard, the meaty ingredient can also work to tie a dish together, offering a touch of texture and a bit of fatty and salty goodness. With such complexity, you might be at a loss when pairing bacon with the right glass of wine. Luckily, in an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Beverage Director of Noisette Amanda Davenport, demystifies how to perfectly pair wine with everyone's favorite pork product.
Davenport is no stranger to pairing bacon during decadent brunch services at Denver's coziest French eatery. An old reliable, she often recommends crisp and citrusy sparkling wines and Champagnes as a means of helping cut through the richness of the morning meal. Of course, beyond the iconic duo of breakfast and bubbly, there are a whole bunch of wines that can fare especially well with bacon, suitable for any time of the day.
Whether you're a fan of white wines or a devoted red wine lover, Davenport is breaking down what works best alongside the crispy, salt-kissed ingredient — and the answers might surprise you in the best way possible!
Rich whites and robust reds compliment bacon's salty and smoky qualities
Generally speaking, pairing bacon with wine often depends on how heavily it's featured in a dish, notes Wine Enthusiast. However, given that the pork product is so intensely savory and smoky, Davenport states, "You could go in a couple of different directions when selecting a wine to pair."
On the fresher end of the spectrum, white wines can be a great accompaniment to bacon. According to Davenport, opting for richer and fuller white wine styles like a Chardonnay from Burgundy can work well with "the smoky and fatty qualities of the bacon." That said, while an unoaked Burgundian Chardonnay can add balance and offset richness, oaked versions can elevate the nuanced smokiness and spice in the pork. Just give Chard a try with bacon-wrapped scallops, and you'll understand why this wine works so well.
As for red wines, there's no place like Rhône. Davenport shares that a rich and savory Syrah from the Rhône Valley can "compliment something meaty, salty and smoked" like bacon — particularly because it also boasts a borderline-meaty profile. She goes on to say that a Malbec from France is also delicious when paired with meat. Bold and tannic, it can provide some much-needed structure. However, she isn't opposed to pairing pork with Pinot Noir, as she explains that it's "always a good and reliable pick."