Halloumi fries

Halloumi fries

Assuming sticks of halloumi fried crisp and finished with pomegranate, yoghurt, za'atar or hot honey.

Halloumi fries are salty cheese fried crisp, often with sweet and sharp toppings. Bubbles and acidity cut the frying fat and answer the salt, and a touch of fruit suits the pomegranate and honey. Fresh cheese makes red wine tannin taste metallic, so leave the reds aside.

Pairs Perfectly. Riesling Sekt, Germany, off dry. Bubbles and high acidity scrub the fat, and a hint of sweetness meets hot honey and pomegranate without clashing with the salt. For a dry glass, the Douro rosé below does the job without the sweetness.

Pairs Well. Pale Douro rosé, Portugal. Light, dry and gently red fruited, easy with salty cheese and pomegranate.

Pairs Well. Assyrtiko blends from Santorini, Greece. Lemony, salty and firm with a little extra texture from the blend, for the crisp, fried cheese.

Worth Seeking Out

An orange wine, preferably a lightly macerated Georgian qvevri white from Imereti, for example a Lagvinari Tsolikouri or an Iago's Wine Chinuri. Its faint grip and dried herb notes suit za'atar and yoghurt.

Avoid

Red wine and heavily oaked whites. Tannin and fresh cheese turn metallic together, and oak makes fried food feel heavier.

Failing That

A Crémant d'Alsace, France.

If All Else Fails

Pale rosé from Provence.

Want to be able to craft answers like this? The Vinealto Wine Coach takes you from the basics to advanced.