Who needs a boring old slice of apple pie with a glass of milk? This holiday season, ditch the traditional bev and upgrade your dessert with pie and wine pairings. Prefer the brightness of a sauvignon blanc? Match it to a buttery and flaky pie. Like the deeper flavors of cabernet? Try a pie with a berry filling. From savory to sweet, we’ve got a vino for every pie craving.
To match our pies to wines with the utmost accuracy, Spoon University chatted with Warner Boin, a snob-free sommelier and founder of Confidence Uncorked. Boin, who believes that “everyone deserves to enjoy wine sans-judgment or confusion,” chatted flavor profiles, acidity levels, and sweetness balances to create a harmonious experience for all your holiday party needs. Whether you’re a wine (or pie) connoisseur or just starting to explore, this article is packed with pairings to elevate your dessert game for holiday hosting.
#SpoonTip: No matter what you’re drinking, make sure to always drink responsibly. Spoon does not promote binge or underage drinking.
Pumpkin Pie: Chenin Blanc
This delicious white wine is juicy and super aromatic and pairs well with richer foods thanks to its fruity, ginger and flower notes. Boin recommends looking for an off-dry (slightly sweet) version from Vouvray, France or South Africa.
Apple Pie: Sauternes
Sauternes is like golden nectar, made in a really unique way from Semillon grapes in Bordeaux, France. “The sweetness of the wine will balance the sweetness of the pie, as well as the acidity of the apples, especially if the pie is made from Granny Smith apples,” says Boin. “You only need a tiny glass of it but it’s a beautiful pairing!”
#SpoonTip: Can’t find Sauternes? Boin says any white dessert wine can pair well!
Blueberry Pie: Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot
Boin says that drinking these wines often reminds her of blueberry pie, thanks to dark fruit notes like blueberry and dark cherry, plus baking spice characteristics like cinnamon and nutmeg from the barrel aging. Boin recommends looking for one from Washington State, if you can find it.
Shepherd’s Pie: Syrah
Syrah has a delicious savory and peppery characteristic to it that will complement this hearty dish, and its red and black fruit notes contrast the earthiness of the pie. Boin recommends a Syrah from France or Australia for Shepherd’s Pie, and joked that she was drooling just thinking about this combo.
Pecan Pie: Sherry
“I recommend finding a sweeter, Oloroso Sherry that has rich notes of nut, raisin, fig, vanilla and burnt sugar,” says Boin. “If that doesn’t sound like pecan pie in a glass, I don’t know what will!”
Key Lime Pie: Riesling
Try looking for an off-dry (or slightly sweet) Riesling, especially one from Germany. “These wines are slightly sweet which helps to balance the sweetness of the pie, but it is also chock full of lime and bright citrusy notes which will help accentuate the tart and delicious pie,” says Boin.
Boston Cream Pie: Port
This dessert wine just loves to be paired with chocolate. Boin recommends a Ruby Port for its affordability and notes of sweet blackberry raspberry and chocolate, or a Tawny Port which has more complex notes of luscious caramel and nuttiness.
Sweet Potato Pie: Demi-Sec
“This semi-sweet sparkling wine that will pair beautifully with many pies, but phenomenally with Sweet Potato Pie,” recommends Boin. Demi-Sec’s lush fruit and floral characteristics, as well as its subtle nuttiness, perfectly complement the sweetness of the pie, and the wine’s bright acidity balances the richness of the pie.
Lemon Meringue Pie: Champagne or Prosecco
“This silky pie’s tart filling needs a wine that can stand up to it with a solid acidic backbone, and these sparkling wines were meant for the job!” according to Boin. Try looking for a Prosecco to highlight the pie’s fruity character, or a Blanc de Noir Champagne to provide more balance to the pie’s meringue and richness.
Chicken Pot Pie: Chardonnay or Viogner
Both of these full-bodied white wines (especially a creamy Chard) will complement the buttery flaky crust of a Chicken Pot Pie well, according to Boin.
Peach Pie: Moscato d’Asti
Finally, Moscato is getting the love it deserves. “This wine sometimes gets a bad rap for being “cheap,” but if you find one that’s high quality, it is absolutely delicious,” says Boin, who recommends looking for a blue bottle. It has mouthwatering notes of peach, orange, and lemon, as well as floral characteristics and just enough sweetness to be the perfect accompaniment for peach pie.
Banana Cream Pie: California Chardonnay
“I hate bananas, so I’d say nothing,” joked Boin (and I have to agree), “but, in reality, a creamy California Chardonnay would be great.” There are many great regions in California, but a barrel-aged Sonoma Chardonnay that has tropical fruit notes like banana and grilled pineapple plus crème brulee notes would be a delicious pairing for this pie…if you like bananas.