Food

Pairing Wine with Soups – Your Go-To Guide

We’re smack bang in the middle of a chilly winter and we all know what that means – it’s time for soup, soup and more soup.

Here’s our simple guide to matching wines to what we think are five of Australia’s all-time favourite winter soups.

Pumpkin Soup

Pretty much uniquely Australian, pumpkin soup is surely king of all winter soups! Whether you make yours extra creamy, with a touch of ginger and lemon, or top it with a sprinkling of crispy lardons, aromatic whites like Fiano, and medium-bodied Viognier and Chardonnay are good matches.

Pair with: Fiano, Viognier, or Chardonnay.

Potato and Leek Soup

An un-oaked or subtly oaked Chardonnay or a Pinot G are just the drops to pair with deliciously creamy and thick, potato and leek soup.

Pair with: Chardonnay or Pinot G

Minestrone Soup

The perfect balance of bacon, chorizo, winter vegetables, tomatoes and pasta, Minestrone is best matched with a light to medium-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir that has softer tannins. For white wine lovers, try a Vermentino.

Pair with: Pinot Noir, Grenache or Vermentino. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

The soup to fix all winter ailments and just so delicious and comforting, chicken noodle soup
calls for aromatic, textured whites with delicious natural acidity like Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer or Verdelho.

Pair with: Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer or Verdelho.

Pea and Ham Soup

Thick, tasty and with just the right amount of salty goodness, pea and ham soup is super-hearty and is quite difficult to match with wine. A traditional match is a fino sherry or opt for a fumé style Sauvignon Blanc (oak barrel fermented) or an off-dry Riesling. 

Pair with: Fumé style Sauvignon Blanc, Fino Sherry or an off-dry Riesling.

General Rule of Thumb

Here are a few simple points to consider when choosing a wine to match your next bowl of soup.

Texture: Soups can have very different textures – there are all kinds of soups from clear soups and broths, to smooth and creamy soups, and chunky soups and chowders. As well as texture, of course you need to consider the ingredients and flavours.

Weight: Pair the wine with the weight of the soup – hearty soups and chowders can handle more full-bodied, robust wines than a delicate soup.

Tomatoes: Avoid tannic red wines. Tomatoes are naturally high in acid, so go for red wines with lower acid and not too much tannin.

Creamy: Creamy soups are best paired with white wines with medium to high acidity. Also, think about the garnish and its flavours when making your choice.

Protein: For protein-based soups containing fish, meat or pulses, it’s best to apply similar considerations as when pairing wine with any protein dish. Also think about the texture, spices and other ingredients.
Inspiring Soup Recipes To Warm Your Winter

Add to your soup repertoire with these delicious recipes including comforting winter warmers from Lyndey Milan and Stefano Manfredi, exciting Asian flavours from David Thompson, and impressive dinner party starters.