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Mushrooms represent a food category that needs its own pairing chart. If you focus for a second on mushrooms, you certainly realize that on one side they don’t really taste like vegetables and on the other, they are not even close to meats.
By definition, mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi.
Fungi do not have chlorophyll and therefore, like animals, are called “heterotrophs”. In fact, they either survive thanks to other living or decomposing organisms, or they establish complex symbiotic relationships that mainly consist in a mutual exchange of nourishing substances. Edible forest mushrooms are one of the best delicacies available. Think of Truffles, King Boletes, Morels, etc. Most of them have in common a very complex taste, high content of protein and minerals and low content of fat.
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Generally speaking, mushrooms pair very well with low to medium extracted red wines. Earthy Pinot Noir is possibly the best wine you can have with any mushroom dish. However, that is not a rule, and many other sparkling, white and red wines can be recommended.
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One important thing to remember is that mushrooms generally have a light bitter flavour, therefore it is often advised to stay away from very tannic reds which will create an unpleasant taste. However, if they are part of a richer dish such as Risotto, a bigger red could be a nice pairing. Simply do not overwhelm the delicate and complex flavour of mushrooms.
Let’s try to outline a set of pairings for each of the most important species of edible mushrooms:
TRUFFLES
Used infused in olive oil as a salad condiment:
Arneis
Used as a condiment for pasta and rice:
Dry wines with low to medium alcohol content, preferably Champagne or Italian sparkling (Spumante).
Used for flavouring cheeses:
Aged Nebbiolo (Barolo, Barbaresco)
Used in liver patés:
Mature Pinot Noir (Red Burgundy)
Used with heavy cream (sauces) or with eggs:
Fresh Pinot Noir, Dolcetto from Piedmont, Barbaresco
KING BOLETES also know as (Porcini, Cèps, Steinpilz)
Used raw in salads:
Crisp and young white wines – Sauvignon Blanc, Arneis, Pinot Grigio
Grilled or Sautéed:
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo. Best: Aged white Burgundy, Red Burgundy
With wine sauces, breaded and fried:
Chianti, Barolo, complex red Burgundy
MORELS
Used as a condiment for pasta and rice:
Dry wines with medium alcohol content and fairly soft such as Chardonnay or Roussanne.
Used with heavy cream (sauces) or with eggs:
Much like truffles. Fresh fruity red wines: Pinot Noir, Barbera, Dolcetto
CHANTERELLACEAE (CHANTERELLES, YELLOW FOOT, BLACK TRUMPET)
Most recipes:
Structured white wines such as Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier. Medium structured reds such as Chianti. Best: Condrieu, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Greco di Tufo, Beaume-de-Venise Rouge, Aglianico from Campania
ASIAN MUSHROOMS (MATSUTAKE, SHITAKE)
Mostly used in spicy recipes:
Gewurztraminer, Riesling
AGARICALES (PORTOBELLO, CREMINI)
Used raw in salads (Cremini):
Crisp and young white wines – Sauvignon Blanc, Arneis, Pinot Grigio
Grilled or breaded and fried:
Chianti, Pinot Noir
As an egg pasta condiment (possibly in heavy cream sauce):
Young fruity and intense red wines
OTHER SUGGESTIONS:
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