All cuts of pork—whether it's pork chops, pork loin or pork tenderloin—has an underlying sweetness to its flavor when cooked, and a lightness about it as well (i.e., pork tends to have a more subtle flavor when compared to other meats, if not counting bacon and ham in that equation). Generally speaking, the sweet and light flavor profile of pork is best paired with medium-bodied and light red wines with a fruity flavor and a low tannin count. In other words, these two flavors complement each other very well, rather than impeding upon or overtaking each other.
Pairing Basics
As a general concept, medium-bodied wines such as Zinfandel pair very well with pork, as well as some medium to light red wines such as Pinot Noir and Freisa.
But now that you know that certain types of medium-bodied and light red wines go well with pork, what about the specifics of the dish itself? Let's think about what types of flavorings are in each dish.
Spicy Pork
Spicy pork tends to go well with the light spiciness and somewhat sweet flavor of Gewürztraminer wine. It will flatter the dish because there are similar flavors in the spicy pork.
Herb-Spiced Pork
Pork cooked with a lot of herbal spices added to it will pair best with a Pinot Noir as well as with Chardonnay. Pork cooked in cream-based herbal sauces work especially well with these types of wines.
Asian-Spiced Pork
A New World Pinot Noir works well with pork dishes that have Asian spices in it because of the deep fruitiness and low tannin count of the wine.
Boldly-Flavored Pork
Pork with a bold flavor and taste such as BBQ ribs or pork/ham roast (or any pork with a lot of fat) will require an equally-bold medium-bodied red wine or even a full-bodied red wine with a spicy, acidic touch to it, such as a medium-bodied Grenache or Zinfandel.
Other Pork (Ham, Bacon, Etc.)
Ham and bacon dishes tend to have a broad mix of flavors and can be harder to pair with; the flavors can range from sweet, savory, salty and smoky. The broad tastes tend to go with highly-acidic but light-bodied German Rieslings to balance the smoke, salt and sweet.
Pairing Specifics
Below are the specifics of what exact wines to pair with your pork dishes. They include:
- Gewürztraminer and spicy pork dishes: pair with Francis Tannahill Dragonfly (2009), Chateau Ste. Michelle (2013) or Trimbach Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre (1999).
- New world Pinot Noir and Asian-spiced dishes: pair with Brick House Les Dijonnais (2002) or Antica Terra Botanica Willamette Valley (2012).
- Chardonnay and herb-spiced pork dishes: pair with Beringer Private Reserve (2002).
- Bold pork such as BBQ ribs or pork/ham roast: pair with Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine (2001) or Limerick Lane Russian River Valley (2011).
Just remember, when you're pairing pork with wine, think of the boldness of the flavor of the spices and sauce, as well as the full flavor profile in the dish.
