A friend sent me a list of wine-and-donut pairings the other day on Facebook.
Yes, wine-and-donuts.
She’s really into wine, and her husband is really into donuts. I’m really into wine, and I grew up in a family bakery business making donuts before going to school.
So, not to brag, but I’m something of an expert on the topic of wine and donuts.
Here’s the wine-and-donut pairing list that was sent:
* Original Plain — Chardonnay
* Chocolate Frosted — Merlot
* Strawberry Frosted — Rosé
* Jelly — Malbec
* Sour Cream — Prosecco
* Chocolate Cake — Cabernet Sauvignon
* Blueberry — Pinot Grigio
* Apple Fritter/Cider Donut — Chenin Blanc
My friend then asked me if I agreed with all of the pairings. Yes, it was joke… or was it?
Upon a thorough examination of the list, I had to admit that the pairings were pretty much on target.
Sugar is among the challenging aspects of food-and-wine pairing, and there’s obviously no lack of sugar in donuts. But some culinary experts have touted dark chocolate and Cabernet Sauvignon as excellent pairing partners for eons, so much of it has to do with attitude.
In other words, if you have an open mind and are willing to try new things, you just may discover a new wine-and-food combination you absolutely love.
Yes, even a wine-and-donut combo.
So, what about this pairing list? It’s actually pretty well thought out.
The only combo with which I’d take strong exception is a blueberry donut paired with Pinot Grigio. Even though there’s a book called “Red Wine With Fish,” I’d tend to seek out a red wine to pair with something that is blueberry flavored.
My suggestion: Syrah (a.k.a. Shiraz in Australia) because blueberry is among the prominent impressions in its flavor spectrum.
Note that the donut list did not include a traditional raised/glazed. That type of donut is simply too sugary/sweet to accommodate a successful wine pairing.
But when there are other flavors in the donut that dominate, there is an opportunity for a successful (if not necessarily perfect) wine pairing.
Hey, what’s the worst thing that could happen?
You decide that you don’t like the donut-and-wine pairing, and you save the rest of the wine for dinner — and perhaps a more “typical” food-pairing partner
