What wine goes with pork?
Pair with a dish
For the pork — a red without too much tannin, or a rich white
Red
- Merlot a soft, plush redBordeaux a right-bank claret, soft and plush
- Pinot Noir a light red with a fine perfumeBurgundy a red Burgundy, fine and perfumed · Sonoma a Sonoma Pinot, ripe and silky
- Tempranillo a red with oak and some years on itRioja a Rioja with some years on it
- Cabernet Franc a leafy red, lighter than its cousinChinon a Chinon, leafy and lightly chilled
- Carmenere a red with a green, peppery edge
- Zinfandel a ripe, generous red
- Barbera a bright red, low on tannin
- Dolcetto a soft red for drinking young
- Nerello Mascalese a pale volcanic redSicily an Etna red, pale and volcanic
- Montepulciano a rustic, easy red
- Corvina a light red with a bitter edge
- Gamay a light, juicy red, lightly chilledBeaujolais a Beaujolais, lightly chilled
- Pinotage a smoky, dark red
- Blaufrankisch a peppery, mid-weight red
- Zweigelt a soft, juicy red
- Agiorgitiko a plush, friendly red
- Cinsault a light, fragrant red
- Bobal a dark, juicy red
- Mencia a cool, mineral red
- Kalecik Karasi a light, fragrant red, lightly chilled
White
- Chardonnay a white with some weight to it
- Riesling a white with acidity and a touch of sweetnessMosel a Mosel Riesling, light and off-dry · Alsace an Alsace Riesling, dry and steely
- Chenin Blanc a white that can run dry or sweetVouvray a Vouvray, anywhere from dry to sweet
- Viognier a perfumed, full white
- Gewurztraminer a heady, aromatic white
- Gruner Veltliner a peppery, dry white
- Marsanne a rich, waxy white
- Roussanne a full white with some perfume
- Silvaner a quiet, earthy white
- Furmint a dry white with real acidity
- Fiano a textured southern white
- Narince a round, gentle white
Rosé
a dry rosé, cold and easy
Why these wines work with pork
Pork sits between white meat and red, and it pairs that way: a red without too much tannin, or a rich white. The meat is sweet and fairly fatty, especially belly and shoulder, so wines with good acidity cut through it and keep each mouthful fresh.
With a roast or a slow-cooked shoulder
Heavy tannin is unnecessary and can taste harsh against that sweetness, which is why the reds on this list are the soft and juicy ones: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Barbera, Dolcetto, Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch. A roast loin with crackling suits a Beaujolais or a Chinon; a slow-cooked shoulder with smoky, sticky flavours can take a riper Zinfandel or Pinotage.
With apple, cream and mustard
On the white side, pork’s natural partner is fruit, apple and pear above all, and whites that taste of the orchard with good acidity feel made for it: Chenin Blanc from Vouvray, a Riesling from the Mosel or Alsace, or a peppery Grüner Veltliner. Pork in cream and mustard wants something fuller, Chardonnay or Viognier, much as chicken does.
With sausages and sticky glazes
Sausages and charcuterie lean towards Italian reds such as Barbera or Montepulciano, whose acidity cuts the salt and fat. Chinese and Southeast Asian pork dishes, sticky and sweet with a touch of chilli, are where an off-dry Riesling or a Gewürztraminer shines, the sweetness in the glass matching the glaze. A dry rosé is an easy bridge for anything that comes off the grill.
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