Spring is here, which means it's time to indulge in our favourite spring pastime: brunching. From overstuffed omelettes, fluffy waffles, and trendy avocado toasts, the best part about brunch is that it can really be any type of food. But no matter how you brunch, having the right drinks is just as important. Because let's be honest, brunch is basically society's way of making it acceptable to have sweets and booze at breakfast.😉
While mimosas are a classic choice, we could make a pretty strong argument to ditch the OJ altogether and just drink wine... So next time you're having brunch we suggest adding wine to the menu and open up a whole new brunching experience. To help you navigate we put together a guide for pairing wine with 5 classic brunch dishes.
One note before we dive in, while brunch is all about breaking rules, we do have one wine-brunching rule: The key to surviving the rest of your afternoon depends on the sugar levels in the wine. Go too sweet and you'll risk an even more brutal hangover... So all the wines we've included in this guide take that rule into account. Read more of our hangover tips in our Wine Knowledge | Hangover Myths & Tips blog post!
Brunch Food 1: Pancakes or Waffles with Fresh Fruit
Starting with the more indulgent option... who doesn't love the warm sweet goodness of pancakes or waffles?! Our sweet tooth and the inner kid in us is always pulling for this nostalgic brunch dish so when we decide to go for it, we're going all-in with decedent bubbly to match. The Crémant De Limoux Brut from Domaine La Louviere is just the partner because it's not only bubbly and fruity but has a sweet bread-like flavour that is magical - especially when paired with sweet breakfast foods.
Brunch Food 2: Avocado Toast
Safe to say we'd be kicked out of the Boozy Brunch Club if we didn’t include the beloved Avocado Toast. But it's a favourite for the very good reason that it's just mouth-wateringly good. A thick slice of crusty bread covered with smashed avocado, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, dusted with seasoning, sprinkled with fresh green herbs, and topped with a poached egg... YUM. And the perfect wine for this avocado dish follows the green theme and adds well-needed acidity – like a squeeze of lemon. Try The Lemongrass - Sauvignon Blanc from the South African Vineyard, Mooiplaas for a light and fresh combination.
Brunch Food 3: Dim Sum
There's nothing tastier than dim sum brunch and the wide variety of delicious options - siu mai, har gow, char siu bao, xiaolongbao, the list could go on but we're getting hungry just thinking about it so onto the wine! while it's traditionally had with tea dim sum is actually made even better with the right wine. Rosé is a perfect choice because it won't overwhelm delicate seafood but can still stand up to the deep-fried pockets of goodness. We'd recommend our Pinot Noir Rosé from Weingut Gabel since it has light versatile flavours that will match with several different flavours. Additionally, something bubbly such as the Riesling Sekt Extra Dry from Stein is a good match for dim sum brunch (or any brunch for that matter).
Brunch Food 4: Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is a brunch classic - with a lightly toasted English muffin, maybe some crispy bacon, a perfectly poached egg, and creamy hollandaise sauce. It might actually be the most sophisticated brunch choice and certainly one of the tastiest. For this pairing, you’ll want a wine that won't compete with the sauce so go ahead and pop that bottle of bubbly for this dish. We'd highly recommend the Sekt Brut from Mann Mit Hut that has crisp captivating acidity and remarkably good flavour that matches with this and many other brunch classics.
Brunch Food 5: English Breakfast
You can't go wrong with a classic like English Breakfast because it has a little bit of everything. Perfect for those of us that can't make a decision and just want it all. We can absolutely relate. You, my indecisive boozy brunch friend, are going to want a crisp rosé to match. A dry rosé with herb and berry notes will give you a little more body and flavour that can stand up to a hearty meal. Try the Horny Rosé from Hörner - you might find the name amusing but this is a mighty fine rosé with a glorious drinkability, hints of spice, and crisp flavour that will cut through the grease and round everything out nicely.
Shop all the wines mentioned in this post and more recommendations for wines that pair with Breakfast dishes on our Brunch Food & Wine page!Shop all the wines mentioned in this post and more recommendations for wines that pair with Breakfast dishes on our Brunch Food & Wine page!
