Sparkling wine and popcorn? YES! Admit it, you’ve had carbonated beverages with salty treats before. This just ups your game! Here are some fab combos. It all begins with basic popcorn.
Blanc de Blanc Champagne with Truffled Popcorn
This classy combo is perfect for kicking off the weekend on a Friday night or closing out the year on New Year’s Eve. After all, blanc de blanc Champagne is a classic! A brut or extra brut version that is crisp and dry (in other words, not sweet) is a refreshing contrast to the saltiness of the popcorn.
To make the popcorn, substitute truffle salt for regular salt. Beware – not all truffle salt is created equal! The one we use in our house contains 10% real truffle. That’s 2% more than most others. It’s also actual black summer truffle, not truffle “flavor”. For extra flavor, add a splash of truffle oil to the butter. A shaving of orange zest created a version the hubby will not stop talking about.
Sparkling Grüner Veltliner with Ranch Popcorn
This sparkling wine and popcorn pairing is a fun combo for board game night, or your game day viewing party. If you haven’t tried sparkling Grüner Veltliner yet, here’s the perfect excuse to seek it out! An impressive bottling comes from Syncline Wine Cellars in Washington State. Note: this is not a paid endorsement, I just really like their wine!
In this take on seasoned popcorn, simply substitute ranch seasoning for salt. World Spice Merchants in Pike Place Market makes a fantastic herbaceous blend that’s quite different than packaged ranch dressings found in grocery stores. I also like to substitute some or all of the butter with good quality extra virgin olive oil.
Sparkling Rosé or Sparkling Syrah with Smoky Popcorn
The next time you’re binge watching Netfilx, serve up this sparkling wine and popcorn pairing! Crémant is a terrific alternative to Champagne, as it’s made using the same method but comes from different regions in France. As such, it is likely to also be crafted with grapes beyond the traditional Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier. For example, a Crémant de Loire I recently purchased features a blend of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.
Gourmet salts are widely available in grocery stores and specialty shops these days. Even the hubby was able to track down an alder smoked salt to tuck into my Christmas stocking. It’s a tasty alternative to regular salt on popcorn. Just remember, a little goes a long way!
Cava with Garlic Popcorn
Cava is another sparkling wine made in the Champagne method offering great value. Coming from Spain, the grapes traditionally used are Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada.
For years now, I’ve seasoned my popcorn with garlic powder and salt. It might sound simplistic, but packs a lot of flavor.
Update! Some great comments were received on Instagram resulting in some additional noteworthy pairings:
Via Nick Berube, Wine Comm Guy: I prefer a little heat on my popcorn like chili powder. Might work well with an off dry sparkling.
Per Rick of the blog Strong Coffee to Red Wine: Ah popcorn with parmesan cheese and Lambrusco.
From Nancy (yes, another Nancy!) of the blog Pull That Cork: I love California olive oil and salt on my popcorn paired with about any bubbly!
As the guys from the podcast We Like Drinking say, “You’re going to need more popcorn.”
There you have it, a basic snack just got more interesting. Go pop up the corn, unpop the cork, and share your favorite popcorn and sparkling wine combo on social media!
Additional posts on wine and food pairing: