The more refined and varied the vegetarian cuisine becomes, the harder it is to choose the right wine accompaniment. A flat-rate answer does not exist. It depends on the ingredients and spices. But also on whether the vegetables are boiled, stewed or grilled.
" The very heavy wines are very rarely suitable for vegetarian dishes, " says Ernst Büscher, spokesman for the German Wine Institute. "A wine with many tannins would often overpower the food." To the roasted aromas of grilled vegetables, zucchini-carrot-patties or about a kohlrabi schnitzel it should still be a little stronger. "Since I could imagine a nice Pinot Gris, who also liked to be in the barrique," Büscher said. As a red alternative, the expert recommends a Pinot Noir. The motto is: the stronger the food roasted, the stronger the wine.
With a vegetarian lasagna with red lentils, passed tomatoes, carrots, Italian herbs and garlic things look quite different. "To the acidity of the tomatoes you should not bring additional acid into the game." This adds up, " warns the wine connoisseur. He suggests with Dornfelder or Lemberger a fruity, but velvety food companion.
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An oven-roasted red cabbage with a chilli-orange mix and a fresh orange-mint vinaigrette demand a semi-dry Pinot Noir rosé. Büscher would also recommend this to spicy zucchini noodles or curry dishes with coconut milk. "The sharpness is pleasantly softened by the sweetness in the wine," he explains. "On the other hand, the sweetness in the food and sweetness in the wine should always be at the same level."
Beetroot dishes with thyme goat cream cheese harmonize with a beautiful, acid-forming Silvaner. "Its kräutrige, tart fruit fits perfectly with the earthy note of the vegetables and the thyme.Silvaner accompanies the slightly bitter asparagus very nice," explains the wine connoisseur. His rule of thumb: asparagus does not tolerate acid. "The barbecued vegetables also taste slightly metallic in interaction with a Riesling," says Büscher.