When Sizzle Meets Fizz: 7 Terrific Sparkling Wine & Fried Food Pairings

Champagne—and its sparkling wine derivatives—pair well with everything, full stop. The high acidity of the wine causes you to salivate so that your mouth begs for food, while the action of its bubbles scrubs the palate clean after each bite, subtly inviting the next one.

But why are Champagne and fried foods such a match made in heaven? For one, the textures of each kind of echo each other. “When I think of having fried food I often think of bubbles,” says NYC sommelier Marcela Colonna. “It makes me feel like I’m having the same crunch in liquid form through effervescence and bright acidity.”

In addition to Champagne’s texture, sommelier and sales rep Josh Lit seconds the acidity point: “When you have a lot of freshness and vibrant acidity, it pairs very well with richer, more decadent items like fried foods because the acidity cuts right through the richness.”

Any sparkling wine you like—including those that are slightly sweet or made with a process other than the traditional champagne method—can fill in for Champagne against any fried food you like. (And with a potential looming Champagne shortage, you might need to resort to other choices anyhow.) But in the fizzy, heady spirit of sparkling wine season, here are 7 specific fried food and sparkling wine pairings worth raising a glass to.

 

Champagne and Fried Chicken

Champagne and fried chicken together is a highbrow/lowbrow pairing that people in the know go crazy for. Let it be a testament to the universal reverence of this pairing among the beverage community, that this earned the most raised hands from people who volunteered to rhapsodize about it. (One person even went so far as to say he “knew I’d be just fine in life,” for having suggested it in the first place. I’ll take it.)

NYC bar professional Nick Vendetti explains the magic of the pairing: “The acidity of the wine cuts through the fat of the chicken, and the subtle sweetness of a brut especially, while usually not so perceptible on its own, helps balance out the acidity and the salt of the food. It’s similar to how sweetness functions in ketchup or BBQ sauce, or in many types of various Southeast Asian cuisine, or even American Chinese cooking.”

 
 

Prosecco and Cannoli

Prosecco is often considered Champagne’s country cousin: a little less refined in its winemaking process and texture, but no less zesty and lively when it comes to pairing with food.

Furthermore, Italian cuisine understands the value of sparkling wine and fried food combinations better than just about other cultures. Take a glance at any Italian wine bar menu and count the instances of the word “fritti” on the food section. Little fried bites—the aforementioned fritti—with Prosecco are a staple of Italian aperitivo culture, but Prosecco absolutely has the oomph to take on a full meal, dessert, or even…breakfast cannoli?

Consider the absolute twinning of a Prosecco and cannoli pairing by Brooklyn-based chef, Albert Di Meglio, where Prosecco is used to add extra bubbles to the fried cannoli shell. Take the cannoli. Take the Prosecco along with it.

 

One to try: Cavit Prosecco

 

Lambrusco and Mozzarella Sticks

Lambrusco, with its fruity nature, light fizz, and gentle tannin, is the unsung hero of the Italian wine catalogue, in my opinion. Another “in the know” coupling is Lambrusco with pizza, which is more than just an inspired pairing; it’s a laid-back, lifestyle choice. So how about Lambrusco with pizza in fried form, i.e. mozzarella sticks? (Mozzarella stuffed arancini would also do nicely here.)

“Lambrusco with mozzarella sticks is genius,” says Althea Codamon, Beverage Director at Brooklyn’s Aita Italian restaurant.

Sommelier and sales rep Josh Lit concurs: “Lambrusco and mozzarella sticks go really well together, because you’re going to dunk the mozzarella sticks in tomato sauce, and the Lambrusco has a little sweetness and ripeness, plus a lot of texture, which goes great with the rich cheese and the salty crust.”

 
 

"Fried Oysters" by rdpeyton is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

California Sparkling and Fried Oysters

By now you’ll hopefully have accepted the salt/fat/acid/heat quadrumvirate that sparkling wine and fried food combos bring to the table. Now, I turn up the salt factor with an additional element: brine. Some of the greatest wines sparkling wines on earth grow on fossilized seashell beds, or in coastal areas where the salty sea air influences the grapes, making them a natural pairing for oysters. When the oysters and grapes come from the same area? Game over. That minerality sings, even when you decide to give them the deep-fried treatment, which you should.

Robin Kirk Wolf, sommelier and owner of Highwater, in San Luis Obispo, explains: “Oysters and bubbles are an incredible pairing that can be seen around the world, and it’s showcased perfectly here on the California Coast. The briny salinity of the oysters from our own Morro Bay fit perfectly alongside a Brut Cuvée, from Laetitia Vineyard just four miles inland. The rich texture of the oysters is balanced by the light and airy streams of bubbles, with hints of lemon chiffon and fresh bread.”

Further up the California coast, in a promotion called “Taste of the Bay,” Chandon, Food 52, and Real Oyster Cult have teamed up to deliver this exact pairing right to your door. Through Food 52 you receive a bottle of Chandon Taste of the Bay Blanc de Blanc reserve, along with a code for 50% off oysters from Real Oyster Cult, which are overnighted for freshness. The package also includes accouterments such as locally made hot sauces and shrubs, which, incidentally, also happen to be ideal condiments for fried bivalves.

 

Cava Rosé and Churros

During a recent event showcasing Spanish food and wine at Jose Andres’ Mercato Little Spain in New York, sommelier Marcela Colonna took home the pairing challenge prize with this matchup: Cava rosé and churros. Other somms were asked to pair foods such as paella, patatas bravas, and other Spanish superfoods, which just goes to show that the sparkling/fried combo always wins, even when you pit savory against sweet.

“I loved the berry and toasty, brioche notes I got from the Cava rosé, which made the churros that much more enjoyable if that’s even possible,” says Colonna, along with the bubbles, which, from my own experience tasting the pairing, emphasized and enhanced the churros’ sugary crunch.

 
 

Moscato D’Asti and Spicy Potato Chips

This, right here, is the classiest junk food pairing imaginable.

It’s natural to try to forget that potato chips are fried, often being within arms’ reach. But that just makes this pairing all the more fun, as you might not even need to leave your kitchen in order to achieve it. Any bubbly on hand turns a bag of chips into a celebration, but here’s the argument for Moscato D’Asti or Asti Spumante:

“Salt and sweet work well together. I call it the kettle corn theory” says Minneapolis-based sales rep David Curiel.

Italy’s moscato grape makes a generously fruity wine. If, in your mind, this translates to being cloying, that is a reputation it doesn’t deserve. In the right hands it is vibrant and balanced, especially with bubbles, and most especially if you introduce spice into the equation, as with barbecue or other spicy-flavored potato chips.

“It’s totally magical,” says Curiel, “Asti Spumante tastes like apricots and nectarines. The bubbles and acidity wash the chips off of your palate, and the spice from the chips shines through the fruit and bubbles.”

 
 

"Glazed" by jordanmit09 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Bugey Cerdon and Chocolate Donut Holes

This is one from my own heart, and not just because the wine is literally called “bugey.” Bugey Cerdon is an appellation tucked into the Jura mountains in Eastern France that produces lightly sweet, floral, sparkling rosés.

Bugey Cerdon and chocolate donut holes together are an even bougier version of chocolate-covered strawberries. If you intend to start in 2022 like you mean to go on, then there’s a New Year’s Day Breakfast of Champions for you.

 
Wine, PairingPamela Vachonsparkling wine, pairingsComment