The Best summer Gazpacho wine pairing
I’m working on my best batch of Gazpacho of all time. And, I already have my Gazpacho wine pairing in mind.
I love Gazpacho. I’m the only one in my house who will eat it, but I’m also the cook, so everyone else will have to overcome and adapt.
I drove out to a friend’s farm (something we do out here in the exurbs) and picked up some of the last farm fresh tomatoes, red peppers and cucumbers.
I use Ina Garten’s recipe for Gazpacho. Ina knows her cold veggie soups. I’ve tried a lot of Gazpacho recipes, but hers is my favorite.
Making Gazpacho is super easy. All you need is a food processor. If you have to chop all these veggies by hand, you will go insane.
The only changes I make to Ina’s recipe are to cut back a little on the red onions and red peppers. Both are really powerful ingredients that tend to overwhelm any other flavors — at least for my palate.
Be sure you pay attention to Ina’s instructions, and coarsely (not finely) chop the veggies. If you process them too much, you will end up with a Gazpacho smoothie.
Served it in Champagne coupes. Champagne coupes make the best bowls. Everyone LOVED it. In fact, my friends said it’s the best Gazpacho they’ve ever had. Stop it, I’m blushing.
This soup always reminds me of an afternoon we spent in Toledo, Spain. We must have spent hours sitting at a restaurant (because no one in Europe cares if you sit for hours), drinking vino tinto and sipping Gazpacho.
Well, I sipped Gazpacho. My husband watched me sip Gazpacho. It was my reward for watching him go sword shopping (Toledo is known for its knife and sword makers). You haven’t lived until you try to get the Sword of Gryffindor through US customs.
Gazpacho Wine Pairing
Ameztoi Txakolina
One of my favorite summer whites . . . Txakolina (Chalk-o-lina) from the Basque Region of Spain. Spritzy, briny, and COLD! Tart and refreshing with flavors of lemon and rose.
Gazpacho has its roots in Andalusia, the southernmost region of Spain. And Txakolina is from the Basque Region — one of the northernmost regions.
They may be polar opposites on the map, but this is another one of those ethnic wine goes with ethnic food pairings. This wine is absolutely lovely with the Gazpacho. Perhaps a little tart on the end, but lovely.
Now I’m kind of wishing I had a Fino or a Manzanilla sherry from Andalusia on hand. I wonder how that would have paired?
Domaine de Triennes Rosé From Provence
An extremely pale Rosé from Provence. So pale it may sparkle in the sun. Absolutely gorgeous.
Standard Rosé flavors of cherry and strawberry. Incredibly light and thirst quenching. Bonus: the bottle is pretty, and you can use it to make wine bottle tiki torches.
It’s not a Spanish Rosé, but it’s at least from the same continent. That said, I loved this pairing. Maybe even more than the Txakoli. Nah. Not that much. But it was delightful nonetheless.
The best part about Gazpacho is it’s even better the next day. And the day after that. Summer will last until the Gazpacho is gone!
Gazpacho Wine Pairing FAQ
What kind of wine goes with gazpacho?
We paired our summer gazpacho with Ameztoi Txakolina and Domaine de Triennes Rosé from Provence. The Txakolina is spritzy, briny, and COLD! Tart and refreshing with flavors of lemon and rose.
What goes well with Gazpacho?
If you’re talking wine, go for a tart, light, refreshing wine. Like a white Spanish or a Rosé from Provence. We did. If you’re talking food, serve crab cakes, pasta salad, bread or chicken skewers.
How is gazpacho traditionally served?
If served as a side dish, it’s served in a clear glass to slurp down without a spoon. If served as an entree, it’s served in a carafe for patrons to pour over a dish of chopped tomatoes, peppers and squash. Seasonal ingredients are the key to making a fabulous gazpacho.
What wine goes with seafood soup?
Chardonnay, Fumé Blanc, Viognier and Pinot Gris all pair beautifully with an oily fish soup. But a ceviche is best paired with a bright acidic white or rosé.
