Pairing Ideas at Home to Enjoy (This Spring)

With the arrival of spring, a sense of joy begins to fill the air… Trees in bloom, pleasant temperatures, longer days, dreamy sunsets, outdoor gatherings, and so much more.

The spring and summer months invite us to gather around the table, to enjoy those homemade meals with friends and family that can easily stretch into dinner, filled with endless conversations, funny anecdotes, great music, or board games.

At Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, we are true enthusiasts of these gatherings in excellent company. That’s why we’re sharing some ideas and pairing suggestions featuring the finest wines from our winery so you can experience the full flavor of your dishes at home, perfectly complemented by the nuances of our best wines.

An All-American-Style Barbecue

The last rays of sun are setting over your terrace or garden, the fire is ready to grill the finest cuts of meat and vegetables… and the best way to wait for the food to reach perfection is with a good glass of wine in hand.

Our wine EM Finca Xaconero is a perfect companion to set the stage for memorable moments, making it the ideal choice to pair with both red and white meats. Its aromas transport us to a fresh Mediterranean landscape, with hints of rosemary, rockrose, lavender, sage, and the delightful freshness of bay leaf and pine. Its balance, elegance, and strength make it the perfect wine to elevate your barbecue with friends into a true eno-gastronomic experience. For those tending the grill, a magnum bottle of EM Finca Xaconero is often their best companion.

How About Sushi?

This Asian delight has become the go-to choice for many when it comes to enjoying a memorable lunch or dinner with a partner or friends.

To savor this fresh and healthy cuisine at your own table, there are options to suit every taste and budget: from purchasing it at a specialty store and taking it home, to ordering delivery from one of the best Japanese restaurants in your city, or even the excellent and incredibly fun option of preparing it yourself.

Whatever you choose, we suggest pairing it with our EM Chardonnay Barrel Fermented, perfect for pairing with fatty or oily fish. This will transform your evening into an intense and enriching sensory journey that transports you to the Land of the Rising Sun. Our EM Chardonnay Barrel Fermented is often available at top wine shops and gourmet stores, as well as on our online store.

A Romantic (or Not…) Italian Dinner

Italian cuisine is always an excellent choice for savoring a delicious dinner as the sun sets outside your window. Whether it’s a romantic date with exquisite homemade pasta dishes in the company of your partner (rekindling the magic of your first moments together), or unwinding from the daily grind with your group of friends over a large family pizza and some laughs.

In either case, our EM Rosado Monastrell, with its freshness, lightness, and joyful essence reminiscent of freshly cut fruit salad, is the perfect option to enhance the unparalleled flavors of one of the world’s most celebrated cuisines, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet.

For the “Health-Conscious”

With the mild spring temperatures, many evenings call for ending the day with a light and fresh dinner of salads and fish. It’s also common to start the meal with one of these delicious dishes that allow for as many combinations as you can imagine.

To accompany your most “health-conscious” dishes, we recommend our EM Chardonnay Joven. Its fresh and fruity aromas will elevate the flavors of the healthy Mediterranean garden. We assure you that if you pair your meal with this exquisite wine, you’ll savor the essence of our sun, our land, and our people—wherever you are.

Seafood, Please and Thank You

Who could say no to a delicious seafood feast at a friend’s or family member’s home? Exactly, the correct answer is: no one.

If you want to be the ultimate host of your own homemade seafood spread or the perfect guest at someone else’s, we suggest a guaranteed way to delight your taste buds alongside your excellent selection of fish and shellfish: our wine EM La Tremenda Blanco.

Pairing your seafood feast with this “coupage” wine, made with 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Merseguera, which lends it citrus notes as well as freshness, zest, and acidity, is the ideal choice for a five-star pairing.

Gourmet Snacks

And what about those laid-back snack dinners that are so tempting when the good weather arrives? Delicious platters of cured meats, pâtés, cheeses, nuts… and even more unusual products for the adventurous, like nachos with chili and meat or guacamole. It makes our mouths water!

Of course, to accompany this flavor journey, we can’t forget some crunchy bread toasts, breadsticks, or “picos.” Whether with or without tomato, don’t forget to drizzle them with a bit of our EM Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

And to pair with this delectable treat, we recommend our EM Pinot Noir, a fine, smooth red with fresh fruit aromas that intertwine with notes of minerality, red flowers, and violets, all complemented by subtle toasted, smoky, and vanilla notes acquired during its aging in French oak barrels.

Vegans, Prepare Your Palates

Any vegans in the room? Don’t panic! Your flavorful and creative dishes are also welcome in the noble art of wine pairing.
At Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, we offer a wide variety of wines that hold the European V-Level Vegan Wine Certificate, awarded by the Spanish Vegetarian Union.

So, no more excuses to enjoy your evenings with a great wine from our winery. You can choose from whites like our EM Chardonnay or EM La Tremenda Blanco, rosés like our EM Monastrell, or reds like our EM Pinot Noir, EM Petit Verdot, or our iconic EM Santa Rosa.

At Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, no one gets left out of the plan!

Gourmets, rest assured, we have highly recognized wines

If you’re planning a celebration or preparing a very special moment, you’ll need to turn to the finest cuisine and the best wines. At Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, we offer wines like EM Santa Rosa, EM Las Quebradas, and EM Estrecho, which have received the highest scores in the most prestigious wine guides.

Plan the special menu and organize everything, not forgetting that dish you excel at in the kitchen, though another option could be hiring a catering service. Set the space: decorate the table in a special way, add flowers, candles, and other decorative details to create an elegant and cozy atmosphere.

Organize or prepare the meal in advance and make sure the wines are at the right temperature for consumption (white wines at about 7-10ºC and reds at 14-16ºC). This way, you’ll have more time to socialize and enjoy the company of your guests during the celebration.

Enjoy the celebration, relax, and savor the special moment with your guests. Share your knowledge about the wines you’re serving, remind them that the best wines are those enjoyed in company, and make the celebration a memorable experience for everyone present.

Make room for dessert…

If you’re like us and, no matter how full you are, you always make room for dessert, we suggest finishing your evening with a sweet and delightful touch with two of our wines: EM Moscatel de la Marina and EM Dolç Mendoza.

These sweet wines pair excellently with your favorite homemade desserts, local bakery specialties, or even bolder options (have you tried salted chocolate yet?). No matter what your favorite dessert is, our wines will accompany you to wrap up the evening in the best way possible.

As you can see, with our wines, enjoyment and laughter are guaranteed!

Now it’s your turn to agree on what to eat tonight… We’re sure that with the wines from Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, your evening will be unforgettable and taste even better.