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Depending on where you live, summer might start with the first strawberries of June and end around Labor Day, with cardboard trays full of wild blackberries. In between, blueberries and raspberries have a way of finding their way into everything to light breakfasts to savory salads and sweet shortcakes. Matching them with an appropriate wine, though, can be tricky.
“Pairing wines with something as sweet as berries requires some thought,” says Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Emily Saladino, who reviews wines from Hungary, Greece and Georgia. “You don’t want the natural sweetness of the fruit to overpower what’s in your glass and make the wine taste flat or bitter, but you also don’t want things to get unbearably cloying.”
To navigate this sticky subject, we queried our roster of Writers-at-Large for just-right pairings. Here’s how to find wines that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the summer’s berry bounty.
Strawberries
“Few things on this planet beat an Oregon Hood strawberry,” says Michael Alberty, who reviews wines from Washington, Oregon and Canada. “This is why my wife and I race to our backyard vines each July morning before the robins snag the ripest ones. In the evening, victory is often rewarded by pairing our strawberries, all by themselves, with a sip of wine.”
Alberty is adamant that the accompanying wine should be made in Oregon, just like the Hoods—after all, what grows together, goes together. More importantly, the strawberries require a wine with enough acidity to cut through its intensely sweet flavor and fleshy texture.
“I always go dry, as I find a sweet wine with a ripe, sweet strawberry to be overkill,” Alberty says. “But I want the wine to burst with fruit flavors that complement the strawberry.”
Alberty is keen on three wines for this purpose: The first is the 2022 “Un” Pinot Noir made by Portland-based Division Winemaking Co. “It features crisp, lemony acidity and tart red fruit that I enjoy when matched against the sweetness of a ripe strawberry,” he says. “The wine’s saline quality is a lovely accent, similar to the salt on the rim of a favorite cocktail or beer.”
Also great? Scenic Valley Farm’s 2023 Willamette Valley Rosé. “The pink wine’s partial carbonic maceration qualities of strawberry bubblegum, nectarines and green papayas perfectly complement the sweetness of a Hood strawberry,” Alberty says. “When you bite into a strawberry with a chilled sip of this rosé, it’s like you’ve created the ultimate slushie.”
Of course, there must be sparkling wine in the mix if strawberries are on the table. “I’m smitten with the 2022 ‘Swampwater Pet-Nat’ made by Lagniappe Wines at a super-secret Oregon location,” Alberty discloses. “The effervescent Chardonnay is packed with the kind of icy-cold lemon granita
Division 2022 “Un” Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)
Scenic Valley Farms 2023 Estate Pinot Noir Rosé (Willamette Valley)
Half of the Pinot Noir grapes used to make this fresh and friendly pink went through carbonic maceration. It smells like strawberry bubblegum mixed with sweet, earthy green papayas. Lovely stuff. Really ripe Rainier cherry and nectarine flavors are accented by bits of thyme and tonic water. There is a great value here. Best Buy. 91 Points — M.A.
$15 Scenic Valley Farms
Lagniappe Wines 2022 Fizzy Lizzy Matteri Vineyard Sparkling Chardonnay (Yamhill-Carlton)
I call this fabulously fizzy pétillant naturel “bayou bubbles” because the winemaker hails from Louisiana and she put a gator on the label. The wine’s aromas of lemon, sourdough bread and sweet hay are fresh and lively. Fizzy Lizzy tastes like an icy lemon granita, with a garnish of peach slices. Laissez les bons temps rouler, Chardonnay. 91 Points — M.A.
$27 LagniappeRaspberries
“If Cabernet Franc could be a berry, it would be a raspberry,” says Reggie Solomon, who reviews wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire Valley and Beaujolais, France. “Raspberry fruit is at the heart of the Cabernet Franc palate, so it comes as no surprise that it would be a doting pairing partner with its berry spirit-animal.”
Solomon notes that lighter-style Cabernet Franc lends notes of fresh red raspberry, while more substantial versions of the grape will give darker, structured black fruit. With that in mind, raspberries—whether served fresh or in a tart—finds a partner in earthy Loire Cabernet Franc.
Our suggestion? This offering from Domaine de la Petite Roche.
Domaine de la Petite Roche 2021 Cabernet Franc (Anjou)
This is a beautiful, classically styled, Loire Cabernet Franc. A bouquet of black raspberry, pencil shavings, dried violet blossom, hay and black tea jumps out of your glass and creates first-sip anticipation. On the palate, young cedar combines with delicate black-fruit concentration and well-integrated tannins, and completes with a long finish. Best Buy. 91 Points —Reggie Solomon
$21.85 Champion Wine CellarsBlackberries
“Even the ripest, in-season blackberries have such lovely sweet-tart balance, giving them lots of versatility in sweet and savory dishes—and with all sorts of wines,” says Saladino. One could go for a parallel pairing by serving them with a rich red wine with blackberry flavors, like Cabernet Franc. But Saladino prefers to go against the grain.
“I love the way a crisp white wine with berry undertones complements their acidity,” she says. “My move? Assemble a plate of fresh goat cheese, blackberries and salty crackers, then pour a glass of Moschofilero. It’s an ideal aperitif.”
Zacharias 2021 Moschofilero (Peloponnese)
Juicy white peach aromas precede mouthwatering acidity on the palate of this easy-drinking Peloponnesian Moschofilero that seems somewhat destined for aperitif hour. It’s a bright and breezy, uncomplicated wine, with an eye-catching pale salmon color. Best Buy. 89 Points — Emily Saladino
$15 Taylor’s Wine ShopBlueberries
“Blueberries, I find, are one of the more challenging berries to pair with wine,” says Elaine Chukan Brown, who reviews wines from Napa Valley. “The tart acidity and berry flavor can present a challenge.”
A cava rosé, however, can deliver a fruity crispness and brightness, which accents the berries. “The combination is joyful, smart and so delicious,” Brown says.”
For a lusher option, a slightly chilled Lambrusco has the amplitude needed to complement blueberries, plus its effervescence lends a sense of playfulness. “Imagine a picnic with friends and the perfect refreshments,” Brown suggests.
For something more dessert-like, Brown reaches for a sweet Vignoles from the Finger Lakes. “Think apricots and crème brûlée for the wine mixing with the berry flavors,” she says.
Mont Marçal 2021 Brut Rosé Sparkling (Cava)
This light apricot-colored sparkler offers a steady column of effervescence and a bouquet of Bartlett pear, guava and blanched almond. Flavors of rose petal, nectarine, ripe summer peach and almond alight on the palate and evaporate into a vivid, almond-scented finish. 93 Points — Mike DeSimone
$17 Empire Wine
Paltrinieri 2022 Radice Sparkling (Lambrusco di Sorbara)
This lightning bolt of a wine opens with aromas of tart red berries, ruby red grapefruit and fresh rose that pour out of the glass. The zippy palate continues the energy of the nose with flavors of sour cherry, pickled watermelon, wild mint and thyme all leading to a finish that seems to never end. Delish! Editors’ Choice. 95 Points — Jeff Porter
$24 Wine Access
Keuka Spring 2022 Vignoles (Finger Lakes)
A rich, intensely honeyed nose leads to an equally concentrated, gently sweet palate of honeyed citrus and stone fruit. Acidity for the win here, as a lick of freshness keeps this from veering into syrupy territory. It ends with a tangy lemon tingle. Drink chilled with salty cheese or spicy Latin fare. Best Buy. 88 Points — Christina Pickard
$18 Keuka SpringMore Berry Coverage
- Tasting and analyzing wine is an art form. Here’s how to describe wine with fruit clusters.
- These berry liqueurs deserve your respect.
- From traditional-method blueberry bubbles to fermented apples that taste a lot like Chardonnay, a new era of fruit wines has arrived.
- How to make a Berry Revenge cocktail.
- This berry Eton mess is a simple dish that involves layering fresh berries, whipped cream and broken pieces of meringue.
Published: August 6, 2024
