Pairing Drinks with Tapas
Whether you’re a sherry fan (we’re working on converting as many people as we can), love a glass of wine or two, can’t get enough of our sangria or fancy one of Spain’s finest Cervezas, there’s plenty of choice on our drinks list.
When it comes to pairing, we certainly know a thing or two about this as our team have full sherry and wine training.
Our Group General Manager, Rob Scott-South, is also an official trained Sherry Educator. He imparts his sherry and wine training to our team who are ready to offer you a helping hand should you need it.
Here’s our general guide to drinks accompaniments:
Sherry
A good rule of thumb for pairing food with sherry wines: if it swims – pair it with a Fino Sherry, if it flies – pair it with an Amontillado Sherry, if it runs – pair it with an Oloroso Sherry.
White Wine
Being enclosed on three sides by the sea, Spain has a wealth of seafood. And of course, what better match than a crisp, white wine where its acidity complements the richness of the seafood perfectly. For example, a Rías Baixas wine crafted primarily from Albariño grapes gives citrus and floral notes that elevates the flavours of prawns. Whilst a Verdejo from Rueda, with its fruity profile, serves as an excellent match for mussels. Whatever dish you’ve chosen, or wine, there’s certainly a dish or two to match!
Red Wine
In Spanish gastronomy, meat and red wine is a classic and irresistible combination. A good Red Reserva wine will bring out the intense and juicy flavours of a lamb for example. While a young red wine is ideally matched with certain cuts of Ibérico pork, such as the Secreto or Presa, where the fruity and fresh notes enhance the characteristic nutty flavours of the meat. Whereas an aged wine, perhaps a Crianza or Reserva, will pair exceptionally well with beef, where it enhances the smoky notes and tastes when paired together.
We’ve got an extensive drinks menu. Whether you’re new to the world of wine (or sherry!) or already know your stuff, we’ve got plenty to choose from. And if you’re stuck, then just let our knowledgeable team know and they’d be more than happy to make some recommendations.
