The Best Wine To Serve With Apple Pie, According To An Expert
Apple pie should be nominated as the patron saint of autumn. There's something very soothing about this fruity dessert, especially when it's warmed with cinnamon and brown sugar. If you're looking to pair this American staple with a nice glass of wine, you may be wondering: Should you go for a red to pair with the warm spices or a nice white to balance the apple?
We reached out to Catherine Fallis, Master Sommelier at Bright Cellars, to help solve the mystery. "If you enjoy red wines with apple pie, go for it!" she said, adding, "In general, I think the lightly sweeter whites are the way to go to really make the dish shine." It's good to know that our options are open, but which type of white wine should we choose?
"Thinking outside the box with this classic American dessert, for a white wine, I would suggest our Stigma Grand Reserve Aromica Blanc de Blancs from Columbia Valley, Washington," said Fallis. "Made with the aromatic, perfumed gewürztraminer grape, it is bold in personality, lightly sweet, and a nice blend of flavors with baked apples, spices, and pastry."
What is a gewürztraminer?
Gewürztraminer is a variety of wine grape grown in Germany and the Alsace region of France, which borders Germany. It's pink or white in color and is typically used to make semi-sweet white wines. The name translates to "spicy Traminer," which refers to another grape varietal called the Traminer. The wine isn't actually spicy, though. It'll be sweeter than a sauvignon blanc without being as sweet as a moscato. It's typically compared to other demi-secs like riesling.
Apple pie is a dessert, so pairing it with something equally sweet keeps the palate engaged. A red wine can work, as Catherine Fallis mentioned, but you'll be drawing the attention of your tongue to the spicier, more bitter notes of the apple pie. Maybe that's what you want to do, but for those of you wanting to highlight the sweetness of the apple pie, opting for something that's going to bring out the brightness of the fruit while also playing to the decadence of the sugar and cream will be a better approach. Hence, the gewürztraminer.