Pairing Wine With Fruit

You might think that pairing wine with fruit is a no-brainer. Wines typically have all kinds of fruit flavours, so picking the right pairing should be easy, right? Well, this is not always the case. The general rule that the wine should be sweeter than the food does come into play often, but there are some instances when even a red is a better complement than any sweet wine. But do not fret; we have some excellent fruit and wine pairings that you are sure to love.

Best Red Wine With Fruit

Reds are usually not the go-to for most fruit, but some make for excellent pairings.

• Lambrusco: a slight bubbliness with strong berry notes.
• Schiava: Light, highly floral with notes of cotton candy, bubblegum, and strawberry.
• Pinot Noir: a food favourite; light-bodied and high on aromatics.
• Grenache: floral with strong berry flavour and notes of citrus.
• Bordeaux: bold, dry red with high tannins and medium acidity.

Best White Wine With Fruit

Whites that are floral with good acidity tend to be great with fruit.

• Riesling: Light, sweet, crisp and highly acidic.
• Albariño: Dry with high acidity and notes of lemon and grapefruit.
• Rosé: bright acidity with strong berry flavour.
• Moscato: sweet and bubbly with notes of peach and nectarine.
• Sauternes: sweet dessert wine with notes of tropical fruit and butterscotch.

Pairing Wine With Various Fruits

Wine With Apples

Riesling is a great match for apples, but another surprising but delicious pairing is Pinot Noir.

Wine With Bananas

The strong berry notes and acidity of a Rosé make for a delightful pairing with bananas. Lambrusco will also make a fun pairing.

Wine With Pears

The subtle flavours and aromas of a pair are best complemented with an oaked Chardonnay.

Wine With Cherries

A dry, fruit-forward red like Pinot Noir will balance the tartness of the cherries.

Wine With Blueberries

Bubbly Champagne is the way to go with blueberries, but if you prefer red a Grenache is also a great way to go.

Wine With Peaches

A Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño is perfect with fresh peaches.

Wine With Pineapples

A dry Chardonnay will bring out the sweetness in the pineapple, but you could also choose a sweet dessert wine like Sauternes.

Wine With Rhubarb

A sweet Sauternes or Semillon will balance the tart flavour of the rhubarb.

Wine With Apricots

The sweet flavour of apricot will be highlighted by a sweet Muscat or even a Tawny Port.

Wine With Mangoes

Try a Sauvignon Blanc with your mango. The floral notes of the wine play well with the aroma of the fruit.

Wine With Strawberries

Champagne and strawberries have always been a perfect match, but if you want to try something new, go for a Sauternes.

Wine With Plums

Sherry or a Tawny Port will perfectly balance the crisp, tart flavour of a plum.

Wine With Raspberries

The crisp acidity and minerality of an Albariño or Vinho Verde make a lovely complement to the bright berry flavour of raspberries.

Wine With Blackberries

Riesling is a great partner with tart blackberries, but you could also choose a Bordeaux for a surprisingly nice pairing.

Wine With Watermelon

Watermelon and a Rosé Champagne are a match made in heaven, with each highlighting the sweetness of the other.

Wine With Cantaloupe

Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect accompaniment to the light, sweet cantaloupe.

Wine With Citrus

Citrus fruit like oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and grapefruit can be excellent with a glass of wine. Sweet, late-harvest wines like Ice Wine or Muscat, or even a sweet Riesling are a perfect complement to the tart citrus fruits.

Wine With Figs

The syrupy sweetness of the fig fruit will be well-balanced with a Pinot Noir.