Soup and Wine Pairings

A perfect pairing - wine and soup. Image Credit: Slash Foods

Guest Blogger: Becky Tyner of Small Wine Lots
 

Last month, I was asked by a well known chef to make a soup, pair it with wine, and then tweet about it. At first I thought it would be a difficult feat. But after thinking about it I realized that pairing soup with wine is like pairing any other meal with wine. Let’s take a steak dinner.  On the plate are some veggies, mashed potatoes, and then the steak. When picking out the wine for that plate we mainly focus on the wine though we do take into consideration the side dishes.  Soup is similar to this. It’s basically a plate of food in liquid form. So, when pairing the most important thing is to focus on the main flavors. Chicken, spice, mushrooms, whatever it is..and figure out which wine will go with those flavors. Of course the best pairing is that you drink wine you like with food that you like!
 

Here are some of my recommendations for wine and soups:

1. Roasted Butternut Squash - Pair with Spann Vineyards Chardonnay -

A naturally sweet soup, butternut squash works well with this Spann Vineyards Chardonnay - a crisp, refreshing and food-friendly wine.

2. Beef and Barley Soup- Pair with Clark Claudon Cab
ernet -

Containing black fruit aromas such as black cherry, plum and cassis with hints of pomegranate, this Cabernet works well with the rich and hearty beef in this soup. The wine is also described as being "full on the palate" whose complex tastes include "cured meats, floral notes and shaved dark chocolate leading to a long cedar, black fruit and mocha finish."

3. Turkey and Vegetable Soup - Pair with a light D’Argenzio Tocai Fruilano 
-

A delicious addition to mix up a typical Turkey Soup, this seasonal delicacy pairs well with the fruity notes in this wine.

4. French Onion Soup - Pair with Mount Rose of Syrah -

A pungent soup generally made from beef stock, French Onion Soup and its rich gruyere cheese is a classic that pairs well with wine from New Zealand. Described as having a "deep, rich color with a concentration of flavors." This wine works well with the rich flavors of this soup.

5. Potato and Leek Soup - Pair with Spelletich Chardonnay (non ML)
 - 

A creamy and velvety soup, Potato and Leek Soup pairs well with Spelletich Chardonnay, a wine from Napa Valley. Described as containing "hints of lavender and caramelized apricots lead into a perfectly balanced mouth feel with a tantalizing soft hint of cream" this complex blend balances well with this earthy and flavorful soup.

6. Chicken Noodle Soup - Pair with Broman Sauvignon Blanc - 

A classic soup recipe that is not only a hearty meal but mom's choice as a natural cold elixir.  Broman Cellars' Savingnon Blanc is the perfect pairing with this soup that features a vibrant blend of citrus fruits (grapefruit, lemongrass and lime zest) and some white peach and apricot.


7. Manhattan Clam Chowder - Pair with Tool Box Pinot Grigio
 - 

The tomato sauce version, Manhattan Clam Chowder combines the perfect blend of fresh clams, celery, onions, pepper, and potatoes. The Tool Box Pinot is balanced with fresh green apple, bright citrus and clean mineral flavors" that provides a crisp and satisfying finish when paired with a fish-based soup.

8. Minestrone Soup - Pair with Spotted Owl Alexandria’s Cuvee
 - 

A hearty vegetable soup with red beans, macaroni pasta, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and much more is an easy and quick soup recipe that pairs well with Spotted Owl Alexandria’s cuvee, a wine that is not produced every year. This unique varietal is reminiscent of a Syrah as well as aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, mulberry, and spice.

9. Pork Wonton Soup - Pair with a Halleck Dry Gewurztraminer
 - 

A traditional Chinese dish, pork wonton soup is a delicious combination of vegetables and pork broth that pairs well with a Halleck Dry Gewurztraminer, a wine from the Russian River Valley. Containing "deep lychee, pineapple, rose petals and magnolia," this complex wine is said to leave a "long cleansing finish." 

10. Kale, White Bean and Sausage Soup - Pair with Moshin Vineyards Bowman Zin (2007
) -

A wine that contains notes of white pepper, spice, vanilla and blueberry that complements the smoky flavors of the sausage (or chirzo), hearty beans and rich flavors in the kale. 

11. Lentil Soup - Pair with Renard Roussanne (2007) - 

One of my favorites, Lentil Soup is classic comfort food that also happens to be healthy. This Renard Roussanne, a chardonny from Santa Barbara, is a complex blend featuring "almond blossom, nectarine, apricot and honeycomb as well as accents of melon and mint. Said to have a "lasting finish," this wine can enhance the flavors in the lentils and make for a luxurious meal. 

Small Wine Lots is a boutique company that focuses on smaller lost wineries in order to connect the wine enthusiast to a winery and to make sure they have fun while doing so. Small Wine Lots hosts wine events, provides tours to wineries, hosts dinners with their Sommelier and has a wine club. To learn more about Small Wine Lots, please call (707) 501-7954, email info@smalllotsbigwines.com or visit their website: Small Wine Lots.

Bread and Soup Pairings: What are the Best Types of Bread to Pair with Soup?

Garden Vegetable Soup - Image Credit: Panera Bread

I recently had the opportunity to learn more about bread at an interactive Panera Bread workshop. Not just the sliced variety that you find at a grocery store, the true art of bread making, as instructed by Tom Gumpel - head baker of Panera, involves learning how it can enhance the flavors in food as well as the overall dining experience. A hands-on class, I learned how to make a savory asiago bread pudding and a chocolate pecan babka (see recipes below). I also learned how to pair bread with food such as how grilled meats goes well with sourdough bread and how French bread goes well with breakfast food but of course my main focus was wanting to learn how to pair soup with bread. Check out this informative list (provided by Panera's Tom Gumpel and Danielle Cook) of what type of bread goes with some common cups of soups. Your soupy experience will never be the same...

French bread - Image Credit: Panera Bread

Soup and Bread Tips Pairing from Panera Bread

Information provided by Tom Gumpel, Head Baker for Panera Bread and Danielle Cook, Bakery Development Project Manager of Panera Bread.  

Low-fat Vegetarian Black Bean Soup – Pairs well with asiago cheese bread.  The slightly spicy with flavors of cilantro, cumin and garlic blend perfectly with the nutty flavor of the asiago cheese in our sourdough-based bread.

Vegetarian Creamy Tomato Soup – Pairs well with three cheese bread. The tomato soup has a rich and creamy tomato flavor with hints of oregano. Dipping a piece of three cheese bread in this soup reminds you of sopping up mom’s homemade marinara with great piece of bread.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup – Pairs well with French bread.  The rich and cheesy soup with chunks of broccoli soaks in nicely to the open crumb of our French bread.  Save a little of the bread for the last bit of soup at the end of the bowl so that you can use it to scrape the bowl clean!

French Onion Soup – Pairs well with sourdough bread.  A classic at Panera since we began 23 years ago has been French onion soup in a Sourdough bread bowl.  The soup soaks into the sides of the tangy bread bowl, making the mix of the slightly sweet and beefy soup compliment the sourdough perfectly.

Low-fat Chicken Tortilla Soup – Pairs well with Jalapeno cheddar bagel. The flavors of cumin and lime along with ancho and chipotle chilies of the chicken tortilla soup blend nicely with the slightly spicy jalapenos and salsa spice mix in the bagel.  Roasted corn flour in the bagel dough balances the spices of the bagel and the soup.

New England Clam Chowder – Pairs well with country bread. Clams and potatoes in the rich, creamy broth goes really well with the nutty, yet slightly sour flavor of the country bread. Country bread’s soft crumb is a perfect match for the thick broth of the chowder.

Garden Vegetable Soup with Pesto – Pairs well with whole grain bread. The flavorful tomato broth of the Vegetable soup tastes great soaked into a piece of hearty, slightly sweet whole grain baguette.  With the added benefit of whole grains and fiber from the baguette and a variety of vegetables like zucchini, cauliflower and tomatoes in the soup, it tastes great and is good for you, too.

Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup – Pairs well with sesame semolina bread. The nutty flavor of the sesame seeds on the crust and the semolina crumb tastes great dipped into the creamy, chicken broth of the Wild Rice soup.

Baked Potato Soup – Pairs well with ciabatta bread. The broth of this russet potato soup is full of flavor with bacon, chives and spring onions. With that in mind, a simple bread with a nice open crumb pairs well with this soup, allowing the flavors of the soup to be the star.

Low-fat Chicken Noodle Soup – Pairs well with asiago focaccia bread.  The sharp flavor of the asiago that tops this focaccia tastes great with the lightly herbed broth of the chicken noodle soup.