It’s pie season! From apple and pecan to pumpkin and beyond, Americans love pie! This fact got us thinking, how incredible would a pie pairing party be? Think about it; a party where you can pair your favorite pies with your favorite wines? It pretty much sounds like a dream evening to us. So, to help you plan, here’s a guide to the best wines for your favorite pies−complete with a recipe for the pie! Consider it our holiday gift to you!
Photo credit: https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/pumpkin-pie/
Lemon Meringue Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: A dry Pinot Grigio works well here. The acid in both will complement one another without overpowering.
Pumpkin Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: Choose a late harvest Riesling wine with a fair amount of sweetness. The wine’s sweet, fruity undertones will highlight the sweetness of a vegetable (pumpkin) that is generally more savory in nature. Conversely, standard pie spices of nutmeg and cinnamon will play up the citrus fruits in your wine. Everybody wins!
Blueberry Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: This is the pie for red wine lovers! The rich berry sweetness just cries out for a rich California Cabernet. Choose one with a floral and berry bouquet for the best experience. A pie with a coarse sugar crust works best.
Pecan Bourbon Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: To balance the incredibly sweet pie that is coming your way, we suggest a Zinfandel. You’ll want to think “powerful” when choosing. We like a port-style Zinfandel with chocolate undertones. Make sure you’re choosing a dessert wine!
Peanut Butter Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: Another pie for red wine lovers, Pinot Noir will work nicely with this pie. Remember, red wines almost always complement chocolate, so it stands to reason that if your pie would go well with chocolate, as peanut butter surely would, a red wine will go equally as well. We’re told this combination is like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in your mouth!
Apple Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: Step outside of your normal wine comfort zone and grab for a Gewurztraminer! Why you ask? Because this wine boasts strong essence of honey, apricot, and pineapple, and those fruits will play nicely with the apple in your pie. Together, these flavors bring out the cinnamon and nutmeg in the pie for a harmonious experience. If that’s just too much for you, a buttery Chardonnay (think aged in Oak) will work beautifully, too.
Chocolate Cream Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: Zinfandel. They’re both rich, and fruity and totally indulgent. It’s a match paired in heaven.
Cheesecake
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: Icewine. So creamy. So sweet. So rich in every way. If you can manage the decadence, this combination is a winner!
Sweet Potato Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: Reach for a Riesling for this one! The late harvest Riesling will have notes of citrus, namely lemon. It’s this acidic sweetness that will balance the sweet potato filling, creating a smooth flavor experience.
Cherry Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: Gamay. It may not be something you stock regularly, but it is noted for having strong essence of cherry. The result is that the wine will give legs to the cherry flavor in your pie, creating an intense flavor sensation that is nothing short of memorable!
Pear-Cranberry Pie
Recipe Here
Wine for Pairing: We’ll close our list with the ultimate dessert wine. Moscato d’Asti is a combination of sweet Moscato and sparkling wine. It’s trendy, it’s sweet, it’s bubbly, and it’s perfect for the holiday season. And it works wonders for this pie since it often boasts pear undertones and will balance the tartness of the cranberries.
So there you have it! Eleven great pies and wines already paired up. Now invite ten friends to party and plan an epic evening!
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