In the wine world, there's a common belief that wine makes pretty much everything taste better. With the exception of sugary breakfast cereals and one or two other dishes, I've found this old trope is generally true.
But soup? Does wine improve on something as light and ethereal as basic broth? I'd been meaning to answer this question with my soup-and-wine recommendations for ages. I just needed a little push to get going.
Then out of the blue Good Stock asked if I'd be interested in writing about their soups, and now here we are. Good Stock is a young company with a real human at its core, a Louisianan in New York - Ben LeBlanc. He describes them as a modern company doing things the old fashioned way, and by that, he means their fresh-frozen soups are the real deal. They're made from ingredients any home cook would have in their pantry, with no lab-generated stabilizers, flavor-enhancers, brighteners, or color-savers. Check out the ingredients on the back of their Carrot-Ginger Soup package (duplicated in the caption for those with eyesight challenges):
A quick topical detour here about Good Stocks - note in the image above how they have a completely realistic definition of serving size. On each of their soups, the entire 16 oz package is shown as a single serving, and the Nutrition Facts section reflects this.
In this sense, they are way better than, say, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, who seem to believe there is more than one serving in each of their pints (whaaa???) or than either company in Battle Creek, whose nutrition facts reflect a scant amount of cereal constitues a single serving. It's more like a large bite, really!
For example, the Nutrition Facts in the image above shows a calorie count of 140 for the entire 16-oz package, not some unrealistic (and deceptive) fraction thereof. That said, for anyone watching their sodium intake, I'd scan the sodium content on each package, as they tend to be quite high, as is common with soups. One final thought - I loved that I could tear open these containers without the need for scissors - nice package design!
OK, back to pairing wine with soups. My pairing suggestions are written for each of the six types of soup listed below, not just those from Good Stock. Also, while each of Good Stock's soups was delicious, each one was even better when enhanced by some additional ingredients from my kitchen - a bit of grated cheese, crouton, popcorn or fresh herbs (and of course, by wine).
Here are my suggested wine pairings for each of the six types of soup I tasted:
- Carrot & Ginger Soup: (140 calories, 53% DV for Sodium) The sweetness of caramelized carrots is offset by a nice pop of ginger spice that makes wine pairing a bit more difficult.
WHITE WINES: Reach for an off-dry Riesling (Kabinett - Auslese), an un-oaked Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc and other old-world white wines that lean towards the richer side of the spectrum. A Petit Chablis was also a nice match!
- Roasted Tomato Soup: (180 calories, 43% of DVfor Sodium) By roasting the tomatoes, Good Stock achieves a deeper, more caramelized richness to the bright flavor of tomatoes.
The soup is good on its own, but it enjoyed a significant boost in pleasure delivery when enhanced with a splash of grated Parmesan and some fresh basil. Crouton or a grilled cheese sammy would have been the crowning touch, had I not wanted to avoid the oven on a hot summer day.
The wine-pairing challenge here was the natural acidity of the tomatoes (wine pairing pro tip - pair acidic foods with acidic wines) argues for one element in your wine, while the sweet/caramelized elements from the roaster argue for another (wine pairing pro tip - pair sweet foods with sweet or fruity wines).
WHITE WINES: Reach for the crisp, aromatic whites of Austria and Germany as the answer here - Gewurztraminer, Riesling or Pinot Blanc will amplify the soup's tomatoey deliciousness.
- Roasted Onion Soup: (190 Calories, 61% of DV for Sodium) To me, onion soup is predominated by sweetness from the caramelized onions. So it seems oxymoronic to add sugar to the stock, and perhaps that was why this soup was sweeter than I prefer. Or maybe it was the copious amount of salt, which amplifies one's perception of sweetness. Either way, this soup was greatly enhanced by the addition of two ingredients from my kitchen that can't be added to a frozen soup - a piece of toast placed on the surface then topped with grated Gruyere and popped under the broiler until bubbled and browned!
RED WINES: This wine stands up to a fruit-forward red wine such as Barbera, Beaujolais, Lambrusco and cool-climate Zins.
ROSES: It also works well with richer versions of the ever-versatile dry Rose, one of the most flexible of food-friendly wines.
WHITE WINES: The herbal notes, the vermouth and the browned cheese pull this dish towards full-bodied whites such as a rich Chardonnay, an aged Corvina (Gavi) and most whites from Southern Italy and Spain. Other standouts will be Viognier from a warmer climate and other Southern French varietals.
SPARKLING: Sparkling wines are known for their affinity to salty foods, and the intense saltiness of this dish makes them an attractive alternative here. I'd avoid the recently popular non-dosage versions in favor of richer/fuller versions - look for those with a heavier proportion of red grapes in the blend, such as those from Montagne de Reims.
- Coconut Corn Chowder: (390 calories, 61% DV for sodium) In addition to the traditional corn chowder ingredients, this soup included a nice pop of mild heat from Poblano peppers and a hint of Jalapenos as well, nicely offset by the sweetness of the corn and coconut. It was one of my favorite soups for the season, as it uses summer ingredients and can be served cold. But I like it hot.
WHITE WINES: A lightly oaked Chardonnay works beautifully here, (Chablis, again!) as well as rich wines like Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and the white wines of Southern Italy and Spain.
What About Rose? All day! When made in the dry or slightly off-dry style, this versatile, food-friendly wine tends to be low in alcohol and flatters both the heat and sweetness of this dish.
- Roasted Mushroom Soup: (320 Calories, 50% DVfor Sodium) This soup proudly offers flavors dominated by the earthy notes of roast mushrooms. When I make this at home, I like the mushrooms roasted to a darkness that brings out the natural umami. And to me, a mushroom dish without Thyme is like Romeo without Juliet (and we alll know how THAT ended). The soup popped up a notch or two when I added some, and other candidates for enhancement include Cardamom, fresh nutmeg (trace amount), Cumin, Tarragon or Sage.
WHITE WINES: The earthy richness calls for wines offering similar flavor profiles, such as Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, an Etna Bianco or Vermentino.
ROSE: Opt for a richer version of dry Rose - one with a darker color will better pair with the richness of the soup.
RED: I'd happily pair most reds with this rich soup, though I'd be very, very partial to Pinot Noir - mushrooms being one of its greatest combinations. Sangiovese also works well, as does a Langhe Nebbiolo!
- Lentil Soup: (310 Calories, 59% DV for Sodium) This version of Lentil Soup was quite light and thin vs the mushy style made popular by split pea soup. This dish has bright flavors of lemon and herbs that make it a nice summer option. Wines that work well with this bright lentil soup include:
WHITE WINES: Lighter whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Moschofilero and Albarino/Alvarinho will enhance the wine's lemony citrus and herbaceousness. Other pairing candidates include Chenin Blanc, Chablis and the aromatic whites of Austria/Germany.
ROSES & SPARKLING: The acidity of these wines will bridge nicely to the citrus in the soup, and I'd opt for lighter-bodied versions of both of these styles of wine.
Cheers!
Dave