Veganuary favourite food and wine pairings

Best wine pairings for your Veganuary dishes - your Booze Agony Aunt Amelia has got you covered!

I have paired three of my favourite vegan recipes with three awesome high street wine value options.

But if you can’t get hold of the exact wines - don’t worry! Read on for alternatives!

1. Joe Wicks’s Lentil Bolognese @thebodycoach
With Nostru Nero Mascalese £13.95 from @slurpwine

Always match wine to the pasta sauce. This tomato based, earthy dish would go perfectly with most Italian reds given their acidity and savoury nuances.

Alt wine options: Barbera, Chianti, Dolcetto and Sangiovese based Italian reds. A fruity Rose would also be epic!

2. Vegan Carbonara from @lazycatkitchen
With Stella Alpina Pinot Grigio £12.00 from @majesticwine

If it was a really creamy, cheesy take on Carbonara then you could go for something buttery like a fully oaked Chardonnay. Due to the umami flavours of the tofu and mushrooms then go for a white which has body but also good minerality and is not obviously oaked as this would overpower the ingredients.

Alt wine options: Italian whites like Vernaccia, Soave or Arneis. A Sauvignon Blanc from the New World or enjoy with bubbles and try with Prosecco! If you want a red I would stick to something light, unoaked and low in tannin like a Merlot

3. Chanda Chat (aromatic Indian chickpea dish) from @hebbars.kitchen
With Main Divide Riesling £13.99 from @majesticwine

This aromatic dish has a lot of different flavours going on: tangy, spicy, sweet chutney .. you name it. Therefore you want a wine to tie all these flavours together. This tropical Riesling works perfectly due to its orange spice aromatics and lime cordial brightness and ripeness.

Alt wine options: other aromatic whites: Pinot Gris, Arneis, New World Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer or Vouvray. Intense Roses would also work well - still or sparkling. For red wine fans Beaujolais or a lighter Zinfandel could also work well as long as it’s not too powerful.

Hope this gives adds some vino verve to your Veganuary!
Cheers!