Mushrooms and wine have been enjoyed together by Europeans since both wine could be crafted, and mushrooms foraged.
Used as an ingredient in everything from omelets, burgers, pizza, and pasta, mushrooms can assist a dish, or be the star of a meal. What makes them so alluring? Umami.
What is Umami?
Umami is now known as the 5th taste in food. The original 4 are sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Umami can be described as “intensely savory”. It’s found in cured meats, mushrooms, fermented soy, and aged cheeses.
Parmigiano Reggiano is thought to have the highest levels of Umami, and mushrooms aren’t far behind.
Let’s explore 7 popular mushroom dishes and the wines that make magical pairings.
What Wines Pair With Stuffed Mushrooms?
If mushrooms are stuffed with herbs or pesto, it’s best to choose Grenache (Garnacha). The bright red fruit, low tannins, and pepper aspects of Grenache work to lift the natural earthy and sweet flavors of the portabella while not clashing with the basil or other herbs.
What Wines Pair With Mushroom Soup?
Mushroom soup is found either rich and creamy, or loose and mushroom driven. For creamy soup look to oak aged Chardonnay (ideally Montrachet from Burgundy).
If the soup is less creamy and more earthy try a Pinot Noir. Any Pinot will do, but Pinot from Burgundy can have a mushroom aroma making it ideal.
What Wines Pair With Mushroom Pizza?
If the pizza is a “white pizza” with no tomato, look to a Pinot Noir. If the pizza has tomato sauce, try an Italian Chianti or Brunello di Montalcino. These wines have a combination of fresh cherry, and complex earth, exhibiting leather and mushroom aroma.
What Wines Pair With A Portabella Burger?
Grilled Portabella has a steak-like texture that calls for a full bodied red wine like Zinfandel or Syrah. Both of these wines are wonderful with BBQ, and Portabella right off of the grill is no exception.
California Zinfandel has gobs of fresh fruit and is low in tannin, and Syrah can have a nice bacon or smoked meat aroma that is wonderful with this steaky mushroom.
What Wines Pair With Mushroom Risotto?
Mushroom Risotto is rich, creamy, and earthy. Any wine made from the Nebbiolo grape works wonders to bring an earthy, cherry driven, broad-shouldered mouthfeel to compliment Risotto.
The primary Nebbiolo based wines are Barolo, Barbaresco, and Langhe. This grape reigns supreme in Piedmont Italy and will come up again and again concerning all things mushroom.
What Wines Pair With Truffles?
Two classic truffle regions are Burgundy France, and Piedmont Italy. The wines of these regions are a perfect match for truffle dishes. Pinot Noir from Burgundy can bring aromas of mushroom and forest floor that match their black summer truffles.
Piedmont’s Barolo and Barbaresco have a floral and tar aroma that are mind-blowing with their white Alba truffles.
Truffles are also harvested in Australia to meet the year round demand for restaurants around the world. Australian wines are not the best match for their truffles, but their neighbor New Zealand has world class Pinot Noir to handle the job.
You can look to the weight of the truffled dish to choose between Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo as well.
If the dish is rich and heavy (truffled Gnocchi/ Risotto) reach for the broad-shouldered Barolo/Barbaresco.
If the dish is lighter (truffled fettucine or pigeon) try a Pinot Noir.
What Wines Pair With Morels In A Cream Sauce?
Morels are earthy and the cream is rich so go for either oaked Chardonnay from Burgundy (Montrachet if the budget allows), or vintage Champagne.
From the above mentioned mushroom dishes, you can extrapolate what pairing will work with other mushroom dishes.
If there’s cream involved, look to French Chardonnay or Champagne.
If you’re enjoying a pasta dish like Stroganoff, lean towards Pinot Noir.
When Portobello find there way into a taco go with Zinfandel or a bold Syrah.
If that same taco also has herbs and complex spices, taper it back to a fun and fruity Grenache.
I hope you enjoy your mushroom and wine adventures!
Cheers!
