Wine Pairing Recommendations For Global Street Food #SundaySupper

This week’s #SundaySupper theme is all about Global Street Food. You know – that ready-to-eat food served up at mobile street carts, food trucks, movable market stalls, and food parks.

One of the things I love about living in the San Francisco Bay Area is its diversity.  It’s a (mostly) delightful, if sometimes quirky mash-up of ethnicities, cultures, politics, religions, you name it.  The gastronomic scene reflects that diversity.  Name a cuisine and you can find it in the Bay Area.  And of course

And of course, there are a multitude of opportunities to sample street food in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Off The Grid, SOMA Street Food Park, among many others.

One of my favorites is Sanguchon, a Peruvian Food Truck that serves a killer pulled pork sandwich. I usually get it with yucca fries.

Many local wineries have gotten in on the act, none more so that Rock Wall Wine Company, which regularly hosts “Food Truck Frenzy” with 6-8 gourmet food trucks, a DJ, and plenty of their award-winning wines.

Yes…wine goes with damn near anything.

Especially street foods from around the world.

Global Street Food #SundaySupper
Rock Wall Wine Food Truck Frenzy – Image courtesy of Rock Wall Wine Company

Global street food deserves a global wine selection.  My wine pairing recommendations include wines from Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, and California

My wine pairing recommendations  and this weeks slate of scrumptious #SundaySupper street eats follow (click on the name of the wine to find):

Pair these dishes with sparkling wine.  One of my favorites is Scharffenberger Brut Excellence.  It’s a great value that’s a blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay with a full-bodied golden apple, ginger and honey character.  And remember sparkling wines are one of the most friendly wines there is!

Pair these dishes with a Pinot Blanc, a white grape variety that is a mutation of Pinot Noir. The first time I had it with food prepared with typical Indian food spices I was skeptical, but Pinot Blanc and such dishes rock! Look for the 2011 Paul Black Pinot Blanc d’Alsace from France.  It opens up with appealing apple, lemon and ginger aromas that follow on the palate with a lively mouthfeel, a kiss of tropical fruit and mineral undertone.

Pair these dishes with a wine made from the Torrontés grape variety, Argentina’s only indigenous grape.  Look for the 2011 Bodegas Colomé “Estate” Torrontés Valle Calchaquí Salta.

One of the tried, tested and mostly found true tenets of wine and food pairing is that “Riesling goes with anything”.  Arguably Riesling is the most versatile white wine at the table. That’s certainly the case this week.  Pair this diverse range of dishes with an off-dry Riesling.  I like the 2011 Von Hovel Oberemmeier Hutte Riesling Kabinett (is that a mouthful or what?).  It has a stone fruit, tropical fruit, sweet lime, and spice character and racy acidity.

Pair these dishes with a dry Rosé, a very versatile partner at the table.  Look for the 2012 Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare. This an atypical Rosé in that it’s a blend of  both red and white Rhône grape varieties.  A typical Rosé is composed of solely red grape varieties.  It has an appealing strawberry, white peach, melon, spice and mineral character.

Pair these dishes with Chianti, the classic Italian red wine. Look for the 2011 Coltibuono Cetamura Chianti.  It’s a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo with a beautiful black cherry, spice, and licorice character with a kiss of rusticity.

Pair these dishes with Malbec, or more specifically, a blend of Malbec and Tannat, a little known grape variety, that today is best known as the national red grape variety of Uruguay.  Look for the 2011 Domingo Molina Hermanos Malbec-Tannat from Argentina. It’s a dark and delicious full-bodied wine with a blackberry, plum, and chocolate character with soft texture and a mineral undertone.

Pair these sweet treats with Banyuls, a lighter style fortified wine made in France.  It’s a Port-style wine made from Grenache, and is a great match for chocolate.  Look for the 2009 Les Clos de Paulilles Banyuls Rimage.  It has rich, dense blackberry, plum, caramel, and vanilla aromas and flavors. 

Pair sweet treats with Moscato d’ Asti. I like the 2012 Vietti Cascinetta Moscato d’Asti.  It has a lovely rose, and peach character with a soft effervescence.

Pair these sweet treats with the 2011 von Hovel Riesling noted above:

Let’s hit the pavement this Sunday in search of the best street food from around the globe!  Join us for a #SundaySupper event featuring Global Street Food that we’ve made in our own kitchens, in honor of our favorites and/or those we would love to try! We’ll also be holding our live #SundaySupper twitter chat at 7pm (ET) on Sunday evening.  We’d love to have you join us as we discuss the best and the worst of Global Street Food!

45 Comments

  1. I have to be honest, I’m digging the wine you chose for falafel! Will run out to get! Awesome job pairing wine with street foods! I agree, wine does go with everything 🙂

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks Amber! I hope you’ll enjoy the pairing!

  2. I love that you paired my Currywurst with Riesling…’specially if it’s a bit bubbly in nature (I sometimes find that Rieslings are)! I found out that one place in Berlin actually serves it with Champagne instead of the typical beer.

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thank Heather. I dig the idea of pairing the currywurst with bubbly too. I’m definitely a believer in the wine/food pairing philosophy that “what grows together goes together” And the currywurst is something I MUST try!

  3. We agree on the wine! Is scharffenberger the chocolate makers? Great suggestions as usual Martin

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks Paula!..Yes…it’s the same Scharffenberger that is also a chocolate maker

  4. juanitascocina says:

    Oh yes! Red wine for my torta…perfection!

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks Jen! Love tortas, and yours looks especially yummy!

  5. As always perfect wine pairings! Thank you – and Schnitzelwecken goes perfect with Riesling 🙂

  6. I love your wine pairings! I wish I knew how to do it. I just know how to drink it 🙂 Thank you so much for your post!!
    Bobbi *Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen*

  7. Tara says:

    Nice pairings as always!! You are right wine goes with damn near anything!!

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks for the kind words Tara!

  8. Yum, love the Pinot Blanc pairing for my dish. I’ll grab a bottle next time I made Tandoori 🙂

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks Lori. I think you’ll be pleased with the pairing. I love Pinot Blanc with Tandoori!

  9. Liz says:

    Your wine pairings all sound terrific, Martin! I need to make a list 🙂

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks so much Liz!

  10. Stacy says:

    I had no idea that Riesling goes with everything! My white of choice is usually a Sauvignon Blanc but I must start branching out, evidently. I love your choices for all the food, Martin! And I am jealous of your choices for street food in the Bay area. I spent time as a youngster in Perú so yucca fries are one of my favorite things from childhood.

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks Stacy. It’s so cool that you’ve had Yucca fries!

  11. theninjabaker says:

    San Francisco is a foodie lover’s haven so its residents are naturally well versed in food trucks to 3 star cuisine dishes. Although, I wonder how many residents are as well versed in wine as you are? Thank you for your recommendations, Martin =)

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks so much Kim. And you’re very welcome!

  12. Soni says:

    Oh I’m going to try Pinot Blanc with my Indian food next time!Apple,Lemon and Ginger aromas sound fantastic!!Thanks for a great suggestion Martin 🙂

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks Soni! I think you’ll enjoy Pinot Blanc with Indian food (though it can be a challenge to find)!

  13. Great wine pairing as always Martin!!! YUM 🙂

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks for the kind words Megan!

  14. Love the pairings Martin! And would you believe I actually had a Malbec with my empanadas? It was fabulous. Now I need to try the one you recommended.

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks so much Renee! The fact you had a Malbec means so much to me. Glad you enjoyed!

  15. I’m going to pick up some Riesling today and try it–I’m not much on white wines, but I need to correct that. Can you believe the food truck scene around here? I love Off-the-Grid, but it’s crazy!

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