Tips for Pairing Watermelon with Wine “Maybe it’s not something that you would think about often, but there are wines that work with watermelon,” says Regan Jasper, vice president of Beverage at Fox Restaurant Concepts, “and there are ways to dress up watermelon to make it more friendly with wine.” For straight watermelon, Jasper advises looking for wine with a tiny bit of residual sugar. “Vouvray or domestic Chenin Blanc, and since watermelon is indigenous to South Africa, a nice Chenin Blanc from South Africa would be ideal,” he says, “as well as Old World Riesling from Alsace and Germany.” If your watermelon dish has a hint of spice, like from Thai chilies or cayenne pepper, “then we can bring in the real sweet wines like Moscato or Riesling,” says Jasper. Adding cheese and herbs to the fruit, like goat cheese and basil “bring in secondary flavors that assist in pairing,” says Jasper. “The herbal component of basil helps the aromatics of Torrontès. Also try adding burrata to your salad; then we can get more viscous and play with Pinot Blanc, or even Chardonnay.” Temperature is important to consider, too. “At the end of the day, all of these whites when served chilled, or even cold if you live in the desert like I do, are every bit as refreshing as watermelon,” notes Jasper. “Both can live on your palate at the same time.”
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 21:48:38 +0000