When you’re looking to have and easy, relaxing brunch with friends, the last thing you need to be stressing about is finding the right wine to bring. We’ve decided to make things simple by looking at five brunch staples for the spring and a the perfect light wine pairings to go with each.
Breakfast Tacos + Grüner Veltliner
Austria’s gift to brunch enthusiasts is Grüner Veltliner, known for its green-apple flavor and mouthwatering acidity. While it’s possible to find top-end, single-vineyard Grüners, you’ll want a one-liter bottle for your casual brunch. The brightness and slight nuttiness of the wine works with breakfast tacos featuring avocado, eggs and chorizo. And don’t be shy with the hot sauce—this wine can handle the spice.
Patatas Bravas + Orange Wine
Orange wine is a quirky but versatile style that stands up well to the spice and starch of this fried Spanish potato dish with garlicky aioli. There’s actually no citrus involved in the making this wine, which goes by many names: orange, amber, skin-contact, skin-fermented. It’s the result when the juice of white grapes macerate with the skins. Expect some tannins from the skins—almost as much as a light red wine would have—but also the mouthwatering acidity of white wine.
Panzanella + Lambrusco
This classic next-day-bread salad hails from Tuscany but looks eastward for one of the most satisfying wine pairings out there: fizzy red Lambrusco made in Emilia-Romagna. Lambrusco comes in various shades—dark-pink Lambrusco Salamino is on the light side of the spectrum, while Lambrusco di Sorbara is fuller and more robust. Buy from a knowledgeable wine retailer to ensure you’re selecting a dry style. To pair with the tomatoes and bread in this dish, you’ll want one that offers red- and dark-fruit notes, earthy accents and refreshing but mellow acidity.
Deviled Eggs + Pétillant-Naturel
Prep some down-home deviled eggs in advance and serve them with a fizzy, rustic “pét-nat.” Unlike méthode Champenoise sparklers, pét-nat becomes bubbly during primary fermentation, when the wine is bottled with some residual sugar and no yeast. It can be a little funky and cloudy, and may have some leftover sediment, but will have enough brightness to offset the mayo in the eggs. And, the bubbles provide the bonus effect of whetting the appetite at the start of a meal.
BLT + Tavel Rosé
Savory, dark-hued rosés made primarily of Grenache and Cinsault, from the Southern Rhône appellation of Tavel, warrant a place at the table. They are almost like a light-red wine, thanks to slightly longer skin maceration than pale Provençal styles. Often fruity, these wines have a strong mineral thread to balance them out, but also a savory character that heightens the richness of the bacon. Add a slice of avocado: This wine has just enough acidity to cut through the fat.
Last Updated: May 4, 2023
