Pork
Wine with Pork
The most flexible meat for wine — it pairs as well with whites as it does with reds.
Short answer
Pork is wine's friend — almost everything works. For roast pork or pork chops, default to Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, or dry Riesling. For pulled-pork BBQ, Zinfandel or Côtes du Rhône. Pork belly loves Pinot Noir or sparkling rosé. For ham, off-dry Riesling and lighter Pinot Noir handle the sweet glaze beautifully.
Top wine picks
1
Pinot Noir
Pork chops, pork tenderloin, roast pork — the universal pork red.
2
Beaujolais Cru
Lightly chilled Morgon or Brouilly with grilled pork — perfect summer red.
3
Dry Riesling
Aromatic, high-acid, brings out pork's natural sweetness.
4
Zinfandel
Pulled-pork BBQ — Zin's brambly sweetness mirrors the sauce.
5
Off-dry Riesling for ham
Easter ham's sweet glaze needs a wine with matching residual sugar.
What to avoid
- Big tannic Cabernet on lean pork
- Oaked Chardonnay with BBQ