Roast Pork / Pork Belly

Roast Pork / Pork Belly

Roast pork is a study in richness: under the crackling sits a deep layer of fat that needs cutting, while the customary apple sauce brings a sweet-tart note the wine must meet rather than fight. The decisive move is high acidity, with a touch of fruit or gentle sweetness for the apple. Avoid heavy oak and aggressive young tannin.

Pairs Perfectly

A dry Pinot Gris from Alsace, France. Its fuller body and spiced stone-fruit weight stand up to the fat, and the orchard-fruit character falls in beside the apple sauce.

Pairs Well

A Riesling Kabinett, off-dry, Mosel, Germany. The racing acidity slices through the fat while a whisper of sweetness mirrors the apple, and it is easy to find and easy on the wallet.

A Barbera, Piedmont, Italy. For those who want red, Barbera's high acid and low tannin cut the richness without clashing with the crackling.

Avoid

Heavily oaked whites and young, tannic reds, which both turn hard against the sweet apple.

Failing That

A Vinho Verde, Portugal.

If All Else Fails

Cotes du Rhone blanc, France.

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