You can find suggestions everywhere for what type of wine you should be consuming with your meal, but we’re not always having a full meal with wine. Sometimes you’re just having a few snacks at a party, or a snack while watching a movie. You still want that wine that will pair perfectly with whatever food you’re having.
Whether you’re snacking with friends or alone there’s a bottle to uncork that will pair just as nicely with your snacks as it might with a steak or fish. Follow our suggestions below to make pleasing pairings that will be fun to try.
Popcorn
The butteriness of popcorn pairs nicely with the buttery qualities of a chardonnay. If you’re not a fan of chardonnay, a sparkling white wine also goes excellently with popcorn.
Wings
Hot wings go great with a slightly sweet Riesling to offset some of the spice. When it comes to barbecue wings a fruit-forward red like pinot noir is the wine to go with.
Chips & Guac
The crunchy and salty tortilla chips with the smooth and citrusy guacamole pair well with a dry Riesling or sauvignon blanc.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies go fantastically with a sweet wine like a tawny port or a fruit-forward red like shiraz.
Hummus
Hummus can pair delightfully with both white and red wines. For white we suggest pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc and for red we suggest pinot noir or chianti.
Pretzels
A crisp, light white wine like an un-oaked chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio will match up well to the saltiness of the pretzels.
Potato Chips
Probably the most classic snack, potato chips go great with a pinot grigio to balance out the oil and salt of the chips, or a merlot for onion-flavored chips like sour cream and onion.
Veggies & Dip
Most veggie dips are very herby and because of that a sauvignon blanc pairs perfectly. The herbs in the dips cancel out those in the wine playing up the wine’s fruitiness.
Fruit Salad
The varying flavors of a fruit salad pair great with a rosé, especially one with peaches and melons.
One wine that pairs with it all?
But if you’re having multiple snacks like at a party, is there one wine that pairs well with all of the snacks? Not really, but the goal is to choose one or two wines that pair best with the available snack options. We suggest choosing one white and one red for your guests to pick from. And when in doubt sparkling wine is a solid choice for most snacks you’ll be sharing at a party.