Pairing Wine With Bangers & Mash

Bangers and Mash is an iconic dish throughout Great Britain and Ireland. It is traditionally comprised of a pork sausage served on mashed potatoes and smothered in an onion brown gravy. Optionally, it may be served with a side of peas.

The traditional sausage is made with toasted breadcrumbs and mace as a spice. Mace has a very unique flavor profile. It is like a milder nutmeg, with hints of cinnamon and pepper. This component provides a deep and sophisticated flavor to the dish.

Wine Flavors To Pair With Bangers & Mash 

Best Red Wine To Pair With Bangers & Mash

The combination of the flavors in the sausage spices, the acidity in the onions and body of the brown gravy, results in a very savory dish. Therefore, we want a complementary pairing that elevates the dining experience. We look for a medium to medium+ acidity level to cut the fat of the gravy, with medium tannins that extract the overall savory flavor profile without exploding the spice. A medium to medium+ body will support the overall heartiness of this dish.

Malbec. The spice and earthiness of this wine makes it a good choice. Although it is lower in acidity, it makes up for that with a fuller body and higher tannins.

Gamay. This wine from Beaujolais has a fuller body and medium+ acidity. A Cru Beaujolais will contribute notes of spice and pepper which will work well here.

Zinfandel. Like the Malbec, the lower acidity is compensated for by the higher acidity and tannins. Its bold flavors, with notes of pepper and cinnamon make it a solid choice.

Sangiovese. In a word, this wine is savory. For this grape, a Chianti would be a good choice as they tend to be more earthy and herbaceous. While higher in tannins and acidity, it does present with a lighter body.

St. Laurent. The intense aromas of this grape, with notes of cardamom, anise and pepper work with the spices in the sausage. The medium tannins, medium+ acidity and medium+ body support the savoriness of this dish.

Best White Wine To Pair With Bangers & Mash

While a red would seem to be the default wine with this dish, the appropriate white could also work well here. Look for a dry wine that has some spice and acid to marry with the flavor profile of the meal. The lack of tannins may be supplemented with the smoke and spice that comes from oak aging.

Gewürztraminer. This dry, full bodied white has intense floral aromas and low acidity. But those are offset by the overall spiciness of this wine with notes of cayenne, ginger and cinnamon.

Grüner Veltliner. Lighter in body but high acidity with hints of white pepper, ginger and tarragon. This contributes to a robust nutty and spicy flavor.

Viognier. Notes of vanilla, clove and nutmeg, combined with some oak aging result in a spicy and nutty taste. The lower acidity may not cut the body of the gravy well, so it would be best paired if the dish had a thinner gravy.

Sauvignon Blanc. The high acidity and intense herbaceous flavors of this wine make it a refreshing palate cleanser. Dry, full bodied and crisp it would work with spices in the sausage.

Best Wine With Bangers & Mash

Aim to enhance flavors and texture of the sausage while cutting the fats in the gravy. Look for something that is not tannin intense so as to not exacerbate the pepper and mace in sausage, but supports the overall robustness of the overall dish.

• Malbec.
• St. Laurent.
• Gewürztraminer.
• Sangiovese, such as Chianti Classico.
• Gamay, preferably a Cru Beaujolais.