How to Pair Wine With Seafood Gumbo

Learn how to pair wine with seafood gumbo.

Seafood gumbo is a bold, rich stew that usually features shrimp, crawfish, okra, hot peppers, sausage and crab or fish. Choose a wine that compliments its balance of light seafood and heavy spices.

Instructions

1. Taste the gumbo and consider the ingredients in it, especially the spices. Pair it with a viognier, a type of white wine, to offset the gumbo's spices.

2. If your gumbo contains shellfish such as shrimp or crab, avoid serving red wine; the iodine in the shellfish will make a red wine taste metallic, according to "Food and Wine" magazine.

3. Base your wine pairing on the spiciness of the gumbo, rather than exclusively on the seafood.

4. Look for a light, crisp, semisweet to less dry wine as a foil for the spicy gumbo.

5. Taste several complimentary wines and serve the one you most prefer to drink. Try a dry Rose wine from Spain or France, a pinot blanc from Oregon, a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand or a white zinfandel from California.

References

• Coastal Living: Case for Wine
• WinedIn: Gumbo
• Epicurious: Seafood Gumbo Recipe and Wine Pairings
• Food and Wine: An Expert's Pairing Advice
• Salon: How to Pair Wine With Vegetables

Resources

• Wine Intro: Wine and Spices
• Wine Intro: Viognnti