Because wine and dessert are two of the world’s finest indulgences, it’s not surprising that they’re often paired for the ultimate treat. However, pairing can be tricky, since elements of some wines can clash with ingredients in some desserts. I spoke with San Diego’s wine and dessert pairing expert, Karen Krasne, founder and executive chef of Extraordinary Desserts, to get the scoop on all things dessert and wine, and I’m sharing my favorite bottles from local wineries to pair with each type of dessert. You’ll be a pairing pro in no time!
The secret to these pairings is to focus on the predominant flavor in the dessert and choose wines that pair best with it. To create the perfect pairing, Krasne recommends thinking about which of these categories your dessert falls into:
Chocolate
Chocolate is one of the most beloved desserts, but also one of the most difficult to pair with wine. Wine and chocolate are tasted in the same space on the palate, which can sometimes cause their flavors to clash. Krasne loves chocolate chip cookies with cabernet sauvignon—the bold nutty and tobacco flavors in the cabernet bring out the richness of the chocolate chips. Try your next batch of chocolate chip cookies with a cabernet sauvignon from Carruth Cellars. For all of the dark chocolate lovers out there, Krasne recommends pairing your cakes, ganache, and chocolate mousse with Callaway Winery’s sparkling rosé—it will beautifully bring out the delicate fruity and floral notes in dark chocolate.
Custard- and Vanilla-Based Desserts
Rich custard- and vanilla-based desserts like crème brûlée, cheesecake, and glazed donuts are perfectly complemented with creamy, buttery chardonnays. Try a chardonnay from Orfila Vineyards or Hungry Hawk Vineyards. For a contrasting pairing, Krasne says to try cheesecake with sparkling wine: The acid in the bubbly cuts through the richness, and the dryness helps balance the dessert’s sweetness. I personally love the Brut sparkling wines from San Pasqual Winery.
Fruit-Based Desserts
When it comes to fruit-based desserts, Krasne recommends choosing your wine pairing based on the type of fruit in the dish. For example, rosés are known for their berry flavors, which perfectly accompany strawberry shortcake and blueberry pie. Try pairing these desserts with drier rosés like the Rosé of Pinot Noir from Carruth Cellars to balance out the sweetness in the dish. The tangy flavors in citrus-based desserts like lemon bars and lemon meringue pie are balanced by late-harvest chardonnay (try Callaway Winery’s late harvest chard), or a dry sparkling wine to match the citrus’s acidity.
Caramel and Nutty Desserts
Having a caramel or nutty dessert? You’ll want port wine to go with that, as these savory desserts enhance port’s full body and dark fruit flavors. Sandeman, a winery in Portugal that’s more than 200 years old, makes fantastic and affordable port wines that you can find at local wine shops. Also, for the beer lovers out there, pair both salted caramel desserts and carrot cake with Stone IPA. The bitterness of the hops nicely contrasts with the smooth caramel and nutty flavors, and makes for a pretty fantastic pairing.
The most important thing to remember is that both wine and dessert are celebratory, so pairing should be fun. Krasne says that if you have a sweet tooth, always keep a bottle of sparkling in your fridge—your dessert will likely be for a celebration, so if nothing else, the sparkling will add joy to the experience.
Nia Gordon is a psychologist by day, and spends her free time writing about wine—but most often just sipping it. Her blog is themoreyoubordeaux.com. @themoreyoubordeaux
Cabernet Sauvignon from Carruth Cellars
