68 pairings
Chardonnay
Aperitif amuse-bouches with Barmes Buecher Cremant d Alsace Extra Brut: Long-lees biscuity Cremant for canapes.
The short answer
Across 312 aperitifs and small plates pairings on 293 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Chardonnay (68), Riesling (56), Pinot Noir (47) and Macabeo (25). For example, Barmes Buecher Cremant d Alsace Extra Brut from Alsace with aperitif amuse-bouches: Long-lees biscuity Cremant for canapes.
By style: sparkling 138, white 114, red 34, fortified 12, rosé 11 of the 312 pairings.
The wines that turn up most: Rheingau Pradikatswein, DOCG Franciacorta, DO Cava, DOCa Rioja, VDP.Gutswein Rheingau, Hrvatska Istra.
The best grapes for aperitifs and small plates
56 pairings
Riesling
Aperitif before dinner with Andres und Mugler Riesling Sekt Brut Nature: Bone-dry traditional-method German sparkling cleanses the palate.
47 pairings
Pinot Noir
Aperitif with Stephane Tissot Cremant du Jura Indigene: The estate lists the aperitif first.
25 pairings
Macabeo
Aperitivo bites with Huguet de Can Feixes Brut Nature Corpinnat: Zero-dosage and aperitivo are a natural pairing.
25 pairings
Parellada
Aperitivo bites with MC Brut Nature Corpinnat: Zero-dosage and aperitivo are a natural pairing.
23 pairings
Xarel-lo
Catalan tapas array with La Ticota Gran Reserva: Crisp Gran Reserva is built for a tapas spread.
20 pairings
Tempranillo
Pintxos de autor with Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva: A glass of old Tondonia turns a Donostia pintxo crawl into an occasion.
15 pairings
Pinot Blanc
Aperitif with Festival Pinot Bianco: Producer-recommended aperitif use; 13% alcohol keeps the wine fresh as an opener.
Bottles to pour with aperitifs and small plates
The best-rated pairings, one per producer and no more than two from any one region, so the list travels.
Fried Adriatic paranza
Salinity and acidity cut the fry while the strawberry fruit stays in play.
Pintxos de autor
A glass of old Tondonia turns a Donostia pintxo crawl into an occasion.
Roasted chestnuts and nuts
The nutty richness and sweet dried fruit of the wine complement roasted winter nuts.
As an aperitif
Producer recommends Kolbenhof as an aperitif on its own; the dry finish keeps it food-friendly without a dish.
Acedías fritas (fried soles)
Small flat fish fried in the Sanlúcar style are a natural companion to saline aged Manzanilla.
Gougères
Burgundian cheese puffs and Cotat's chalky Sauvignon share a French classicism; gougères' Gruyère meets the wine's saline finish.
Aperitif
Producer suggests lightly chilled aperitif duty; the wine's elegance opens a meal.
Aperitif amuse-bouches
Long-lees biscuity Cremant for canapes.
Aperitif before dinner
Bone-dry traditional-method German sparkling cleanses the palate.
Aperitif on its own
The wine's brisk acidity and brioche notes carry an aperitif moment without food.
Berlin wine-bar aperitif
Bone-dry traditional-method German sparkling cleanses the palate before dinner.
Mixed Italian antipasti
The estate names antipasti misti, which the wine's freshness and volume handle.
Taste the pairing: food and wine in Rheingau
Food and wine tastings you can book in Rheingau, one of the regions whose bottles our editors pour with aperitifs and small plates.
Mainz: History & Wines of the Romantic Rhine inc wine tapas
Embark on a wine tour along the Riesling route of the Rheingau region in the Rhein Valley. Learn about the king of white wines, Riesling, and try unique German Pinot N...
Rüdesheim - Guided wine hikes with 4 wines and cable car ride
Winemaker Martin Störzel will guide you on this fascinating tour, which lasts around three hours and takes place on Saturdays from April to October, through the beauti...
Rüdesheim: Walk, Drink, Repeat, The Slightly Different Wine Tour
Extraordinary wine tour in Rüdesheim For young people For parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, clubs As much culture as necessary, as much wine as possible
pairings by region
- Rheingau: 39 pairings, Rheingau food and wine pairing
- Penedes: 35 pairings, Penedes food and wine pairing
- Franciacorta: 24 pairings, Franciacorta food and wine pairing
- Rioja: 19 pairings, Rioja food and wine pairing
- Veneto: 18 pairings, Veneto food and wine pairing
- Jura: 15 pairings, Jura food and wine pairing
- Alsace: 11 pairings, Alsace food and wine pairing
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia: 10 pairings, Friuli-Venezia Giulia food and wine pairing
- Istria: 9 pairings, Istria food and wine pairing
- Jerez & Sherry: 8 pairings, Jerez & Sherry food and wine pairing
- Pfalz: 8 pairings, Pfalz food and wine pairing
- Ribera del Duero: 8 pairings, Ribera del Duero food and wine pairing
Wine with aperitifs and small plates, FAQ
What wine goes with aperitifs and small plates?
Across 312 aperitifs and small plates pairings on 293 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Chardonnay (68), Riesling (56), Pinot Noir (47) and Macabeo (25). For example, Barmes Buecher Cremant d Alsace Extra Brut from Alsace with aperitif amuse-bouches: Long-lees biscuity Cremant for canapes.
Red or white wine with aperitifs and small plates?
Most often sparkling: of the 311 aperitifs and small plates pairings, the split by style is sparkling 44%, white 37%, red 11% and fortified 4%. The bottles below show which of each work and why.
Which wine regions are best with aperitifs and small plates?
The regions with the most aperitifs and small plates pairings on our bottle pages are Rheingau, Penedes and Franciacorta.