How to achieve the ideal pairing with herbs and spices

Often the herbs and spices in a meal are responsible not only for the taste of the food but also for the ideal wine pairing.

The key to being able to know which spices are best combined with each wine is to be clear about the aromatic compounds that can be found in both, as they can be shared.

In these cases, as they are similar flavors, they enhance and magnify each other. This is what we call congruent pairing. An example of this is the combination of black pepper with some wine made from the red grape variety Syrah. Both have the spicy yet fruity compound called rotundone.

Categories of species and their ideal pairings

We can group the species into different categories according to their aromatic profile and their flavours and, depending on this, draw up a list of wines that could go very well with them. Below, you will find some of these combinations:

1. Fresh, green, very aromatic, citrus and mentholated herbs

Examples: Basil, mint, coriander, shiso, chervil
Best pairings: Light-bodied white wine, aromatic white wine, rosé wine, light-bodied red wine, full-bodied red wine

2. Dried flower herbs

Examples: Sage, rosemary, lavender, fir
Best pairings: Full-bodied white wine, aromatic white wine, rosé wine, medium and full-bodied red wine and sweet wines

3. Earthy and spicy green herbs

Examples: Oregano, thyme, marjoram, tarragon, bay leaf, parsley, dill
Best pairings: Full-bodied white wine, aromatic white wine, medium and full-bodied red wine

4. Spicy spices, rich in Umami

Examples: Garlic, shallot, chives, leeks, onions
Best pairings: Full-bodied white wine, aromatic white wine, light, medium and large-bodied red wine

5. Tasty, brown, umami-rich spices

Examples: Cilantro, cumin, caraway
Best pairings: Sparkling wines, aromatic white wines, medium and full-bodied red wines

6. Spicy and sharp spices

Examples: Mustard, horseradish, Szechuan pepper, wasabi
Best pairings: light white wine, aromatic white wine, light red wine

7. Baking spices, sweets and browns

Examples: Cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, cloves, fenugreek, nutmeg, mace
Best pairings: aromatic white wine, medium or full-bodied red wine, sweet wines

8. Aromatic incense spices

Examples: Anise, liquorice, star anise, black cardamom, fennel
Best pairings: aromatic white wine, full-bodied red wine, sweet wines

9. Spicy, round, umami-rich spices

Examples: Red, white, pink and black pepper
Best pairings: sparkling wines, light white wines

10. Spicy, red pepper

Examples: Red pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, allspice, Aleppo pepper
Best pairings: sparkling wines, aromatic white wines, rosé wines, medium-bodied red wines, sweet wines