Wine and wings: not exactly a common mental image. But believe it or not, pairing wine and wings is a challenge we *must* take on. Why? Because it’s delicious.
The only problem you’ll encounter is sticky sauce covered wine glasses. But, whomever is willing to share this level of social awkwardness with you is a friend worth keeping. Also, this is what Wet-Naps are for.
It’s Always About the Sauce
Much like pairing wine with BBQ, finding the perfect complementary wine and wings come down to the sauce. You’re looking for wine qualities that match up with the spice, heat, and acid (vinegar) found in common wing sauces.
So you need wines that quell the heat, accentuate the acidity (with their own acidity), and complement the spicing. Despite common logic, a big, bold, and tannic red wine isn’t always the wisest choice. A hammer can’t do the job of a Philips-head.
We need food wines.
Wine and Wings: 6 Mouthwatering Pairings
It seems like every bar and restaurant has its own take on wings, but we’ve compiled 6 of the most popular and matched them with some great wine options. Try them out and tell us what you think.
PLANT-BASED PEOPLE: You can delight in this list too, just replace the protein with your favorite meatless alternative. Wine is for everyone.
Buffalo
The true classic. Made from butter and hot sauce, Buffalo wings come in a variety of heat levels: from mild to “sign a waiver before eating this.”
Pairs With: Riesling, Vouvray, Gewürztraminer.
Why It Works: Beyond their unique flavor, Buffalo wings bring the heat: some would argue that’s the whole point. And a sweeter wine is just the thing to pair with spicier foods.
That sugar will work wonders in mitigating the sharper aspects of the heat of the wings. In fact, the hotter the sauce, the sweeter you want to go.
The higher acidity is going to cut through the buttery sauce and the fatty chicken beneath. As an added bonus, the citrus and stone fruit typically present in a Riesling or Gewürztraminer complements the tangy flavor of your average Buffalo sauce.
Lemon Pepper
Whether you’re trying a dry rub or the less common wet sauce, lemon pepper wings offer a light, zingy flavor that’s typically less spicy than most of the wings on this list.
Pairs With: French Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Dry Riesling.
Why It Works: The key word here is “lemon.” So you’re looking for wines with the right level of high, citrus flavor and an acidity to match.
All of these wines typically have brilliant lemon aromas, along with a steelier sense of minerality that will go with the hit of pepper that comes with each bite.
You’ll likely want to avoid the more flamboyant flavors of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or the vanilla of an oaked Chardonnay, however. Those big, booming whites are more likely to overpower the more subtle notes in a lemon pepper wing.
BBQ
BBQ sauce itself has almost as many iterations as there are states in America. But when we’re talking wings, you’re most likely to run into sweeter, heavier sauces like those from Kansas City.
Pairs With: Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Carménère.
Why It Works: Chicken or no chicken, these kind of big, bold sauces call for a red to match.
The booming red and black fruit you find in any of these selections is going to complement the tomatoes and spices found in BBQ wing sauce. The high tannins are going to cut through any heat of chili and cayenne.
Savory, herbal notes found in these reds will be the perfect companion to the garlic and onions in the sauce. And the wine’s dry nature will offset the sweetness of brown sugar and molasses.
Honey Garlic
Sweet and savory, Honey Garlic-based wings tend to sacrifice heat for a big aroma, along with a tangy flavor.
Pairs With: Sparkling Rosé, Crémant d’Alsace, Prosecco.
Why It Works: Honey and garlic are two big flavors. So you’ve got two options: try to compete with those heavy aromas, or help carry them to greater heights. In this situation, we’ve gone with the latter.
The light berries of a Rosé or the citrus and apple of a Crémant or Prosecco are going to complement the powerful flavors of the sauce.
The crisp acidity and bubbles will cut through its heavy, syrupy nature: just make sure you’re working with a dry wine!
Sweet Chili
Like your unrequited crush, these Thai-inspired wings somehow manage to pull off both the sweet and the spicy.
Pairs With: Chenin Blanc, Zweigelt, Pinot Gris.
Why It Works: Generally, a Thai Chili sauce packs less heat than other wing sauces. That means you don’t need the sweetest wines out there to compete. An off-dry white or light red can easily stand up to that spice, while blending just enough sugar into the mix.
Plus, these wines all have a solid bit of acidity, which will cut through the sauce and the fat of the chicken wing.
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: wine pairs well with anything. Not just the fancy stuff!
And just because you’re sucking sauce off your fingers and tossing chicken bones over your shoulder doesn’t mean you can’t have the perfect wine to match.
What are some of your go-to wine and wing pairings? Any specialties at your local pub that we’ve missed?
