Pairing Wine With Pork Rinds

Pork rinds are a beloved snack and accompaniment, believed to have originated in Mexico which is typically served with lime and chili. Nowadays it can be found all over the world in several different preparations. The best wine to go with pork rinds will mainly depend on the style of preparation which we will explore down below. However, a few conditions do need to be met first.

Generally speaking, pork rinds are a bit fatty with a “porky” flavor. A high acid wine would help with the fat on the palate and since pork rinds are quite flavorful, it would be a good idea to go with a wine that is not too light or delicate.

Wine Characteristics To Pair With Pork Rinds

Characteristic	Detail
Sweetness	Dry
Acidity	High
Tannins	Low-Medium
Body	Medium
Notes	Mineral, Citrus, Ripe fruit

Referring to the chart above, you do not want a sweet wine to pair with pork rinds. It can be aromatic and fruity but not sweet. An “Off Dry” wine could possibly work if you are feeling a bit adventurous, which means just a touch of sugar will be present in the wine to round it out nicely.

Acid levels of the wine need to be fairly high in order to clean the palate and balance the levels of fat or grease. Acid is your friend when pairing food and wine together.

Wines with medium tannin work well with fat content. Though not necessary, pork rinds would pair well with a red wine of medium levels of tannin. This can be a personal preference of whether you like tannic wines or not.

Body refers to the overall mouthfeel and strength of the wine. Nothing too bold nor too light to maintain balance between the pairing, would be ideal.

When it comes to the actual taste and fragrance of the wines, something which can accentuate the flavors of the food would be perfect. Match the aroma profile of the wine with the flavoring of the rind.

Best Red Wine To Drink With Pork Rinds

Red wines are generally stronger in flavor with more structure when compared to whites. We will be preferring reds on the lighter end of the spectrum since a strong red wine would just overpower the dish.

Pinot Noir from France or USA

Pinot noir can be considered as one of the lightest red wines since it has thin skin, light tannins and is lightly coloured. The wine generally has medium to high levels of acidity, making it the perfect wine to go with pork rinds.

Aged Sangiovese or /Nebbiolo from, Italy

These wines have high acid levels, and a strong tannin structure. However, once aged the structure mellows down and you are left with a beautiful rounded out wine with tertiary aromas (non-fruit aromas such as dried rose petal, tobacco, etc.). We would suggest an age of at least 7 to 10 years.

Merlot from Bordeaux, France

There is a saying in the sommelier community – The M in Merlot stands for “medium”, i.e. medium levels of tannin, acid, flavor and alcohol. Right where we want to be when it comes to pairing wine with pork rinds.

Best White Wine To Drink With Pork Rinds

When pairing white wines with pork rinds, it is best to look for high acid levels in the wine as mentioned earlier. Flavourful whites with good acidity will be ideal. Stay away from delicate wines like Chablis and Sancerre, that would easily get overpowered.

Spanish White Wines

The warm climate of Spain produces grapes with bolder flavor profiles. A well balanced white wine would be a great pairing for pork rinds. However, there is one exception. The albarino grape tends to produce a very light style of wine which is not preferred in this situation. Stay away from those.

Chenin Blanc from France or South Africa

Chenin Blanc produces great wine with nice tropical fruit flavors with notes of honey and cereal. The best Chenin Blanc often comes from the Loire Valley in France and southern regions in South Africa. Highly recommended!

Wine With Different Flavors Of Pork Rinds

Most often, Pork Rinds are fried and then flavored with different toppings/dips/etc. Here are a few different recommendations that we would suggest for each specific flavoring of pork rinds.

Wine With Salty Pork Rinds

Pork Rinds are quite often eaten plain with salt as seasoning. Salt is your friend when pairing food with wine since it mellows out the “harshness” of flavors. Just make sure you have got a wine with strong acid levels and you are good to go. It could even be fun to try a sparkling wine like champagne or cava!

Wine With Barbeque Sauce Flavored Pork Rinds

Since barbeque sauce has a relatively strong flavor, it would be ideal to go with a red wine in order to match flavor intensity. French Beaujolais would be great as they tend to be light on the palate with bright fruit aromas that can pair nicely with the bolder barbeque flavor.

Wine With Cheese/Parmesan Flavored Pork Rinds

A white wine from Burgundy such as a Meursault , Puligny Montrachet or anything from Cote de Beaune, really tends to be quite buttery and “cream cheesy” while having great acidity. Cheesy dishes are usually a good pair with a burgundy blanc.

Best Wine To Drink With Pork Rinds

As mentioned earlier in the article, pick a wine that won’t overpower the pork rinds. We suggest wines in the light to medium range. Stronger whites or lighter reds. A few examples below: