Which wine should you choose for your paella?

Have you ever thought about the perfect wine to bring out the flavours of paella, that quintessential Spanish dish? Look no further! Here’s our expert advice for pairing wine with this iconic dish we love to enjoy in summer.

Pair your paella like a chef

A paella is a traditional Valencian dish with many variations depending on the ingredients. Its main components are rice, saffron and olive oil. Depending on the region and recipe, it may also include chicken, seafood, chorizo or vegetables.

It’s a festive dish, a favourite at village celebrations and special occasions throughout the summer. It’s also much loved and full of colour. For a truly festive occasion, don’t forget to choose the right wine — one that pairs perfectly with your dish and enhances its flavours.

A wine for every paella

When pairing wine with paella, it’s important to consider the ingredients so you can choose the ideal bottle. Purists may disagree, but paella can be made with different meats or seafood. Here are a few suggestions:

• Seafood paella: opt for a dry white wine such as Chardonnay, or a fruity rosé (Tavel, Côtes de Provence). For example, you’ll find a Viognier and a Marlborough wine in our Great Wines of the World box. A unique opportunity to discover wines made on the other side of the world, with exciting exotic aromas!
• Chicken paella: choose a light red wine with fruity notes, such as a Chinon or a Beaujolais. The latter is a lovely, light wine available at very reasonable prices from wine merchants everywhere! It’s a great choice with a poultry dish.
• Mixed paella (meat and seafood): choose a full-bodied rosé wine such as a Bandol or a Languedoc. It will bring both flavour and lightness to complement this type of paella.

The art of pairing wine and paella

Pairing paella with wine also comes down to your personal tastes. Don’t hesitate to experiment with wines of different styles to find your ideal combination. It’s a great chance to develop your palate and discover new wines with Flakon, thanks to our vial format!

Here are a few tips for pairing wine with paella:

• Balance the flavours: if your paella is heavily spiced, choose a fresh, light wine to bring a touch of finesse.
• Consider the acidity: a wine with moderate acidity will be better suited to spicy dishes such as paella.

The perfect wines for paella

A successful pairing of paella and wine rests on two key elements: the wine’s structure (tannins and body) and its acidity. To bring out the flavours of the paella, choose a wine with medium structure and moderate acidity.

Red, white or rosé? Choosing the perfect wine

If you’d rather choose a wine according to your own tastes or those of your guests, here are our tips to guide you towards suitable grape varieties. The type of wine you choose will mainly depend on the ingredients in your paella:

• Red wine: opt for lighter reds such as Beaujolais, Chinon or Corbières.
• White wine: choose dry, aromatic whites such as Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc.
• Rosé: choose a fruity, generous rosé such as Tavel, Côtes de Provence or Bandol.

Our tips for serving wine at its best

Serving wine is an art in itself. You need to consider several things, including temperature, the choice of glasses and how to decant it. We can’t cover the whole art of wine tasting in a few lines, but here are some key tips to keep in mind.

The right glass for the right wine

Use suitable glasses for your chosen wine: wide, rounded glasses for reds, taller, narrower glasses for whites, and flutes for rosés. Besides helping maintain the right temperature and preserve any bubbles, they’ll let you subtly show off your knowledge of wine and its finer points.

The essentials for serving wine

For a great tasting experience, remember accessories such as a corkscrew, a wine aerator, an ice bucket (for white and rosé wines) and, of course, beautiful decanters to present your wines elegantly.

Serve wine like a pro

Make sure you serve wine at the ideal temperature (16–18°C for reds, 10–12°C for whites and 8–10°C for rosés), and don’t forget to decant young wines to bring out their aromas. If you’ve bought an unusual wine, ask the sommelier who sold it to you for advice on how to prepare it.

In short, the perfect pairing of paella and wine depends on several factors: the ingredients in the recipe, the wine’s acidity and structure, and your personal preferences.