Top pairings

5 good matches for roast pork belly

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on April 9 2016 at 08:16

Pork belly has become one of the most popular main courses on restaurant menus so what should you drink with it? It doesn't have to be wine . . .

Medium-dry cider. It may not be the flashiest choice but it’s top of my list. Pork and cider go together like - well, pork and cider. Pear cider (perry) works well too, especially sparkling perry
India Pale Ale, particularly heavily hopped American pale ales with a touch of sweetness. A brilliant match
German spätlese Riesling. Pork belly is quite fatty so the delicious sharpness of a Riesling really cuts through especially when the pork is served with apple. Alsace and Austrian Rieslings work well too
Beaujolais and other Gamay-based reds. Bright and fruity. Just the job.
Southern French Grenache-based reds such as Côtes du Rhône work well if you fancy a red.

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Tags: spätlese Côtes du Rhône Grenache Gamay Morgon Beaujolais drink:red wine spätlese Riesling Alsace Riesling German Riesling Riesling drink:white wine medium-dry cider cider American IPA IPA pork belly food:pork

Comments: 7 (Add)

Scott on July 18 2019 at 16:16

I have recently added a yummy slow cooked chinese soy/ginger marinated pork belly to my recipe list. I mostly drink whiskey or beer and was hoping you could help with a nice alternative acomlpiment my a lady friend I was hoping to impress

dan on October 20 2015 at 22:28

I'm trying to find a cocktail that will go with roasted chinese pork belly. The dish will be quite rich and I'm not sure what will be best. any advice will be greatly appreciated. thanks

Fiona Beckett on August 24 2014 at 12:18

Glad to hear, Regula! Sparkling wine, yes, absolutely, so long as there wasn't too much gravy

Andrew - I was trying to keep the list short but you're right Chenin is great with pork and I love the El Bandito Cortez

Andrew Friedhoff on August 24 2014 at 11:39

Have you tried Chenin Blanc? We tried Pork Belly with an amazing bottle of Testalonga El Bandito Cortez and it worked very well; probably due to the acidity and that appley fruit you get with some Chenin blanc.

Regula Ysewijn on August 24 2014 at 11:34

Cider is on the top of my list for pork belly too, I fancy a nice English sparkling wine too, they often have such fresh apple notes. It would make my dinner on a special occasion!

Fiona Beckett on January 13 2013 at 16:42

Good point, Ian. I've had young Bairrada with suckling pig and it was delicious

Ian Graham on January 13 2013 at 10:22

I find a lot of reds from Dao and Bairrada go well with pork, particularly the fattier cuts.

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