Do you have a go-to beer, but no idea of how to pick a wine? Choosing the right wine for you may feel intimidating. There are so many different kinds out there, and just like beer, wines come in a wide variety of styles. Plus, each varietal has a unique set of flavor notes.
The good news is that your favorite beer style can point you toward the kind of wine you might enjoy! Choosing a wine similar to the style of beer you enjoy is a good way to make the transition. Finding a good wine match for a beer-lover is all about pairing weight, texture, and notes — like fruit, herbs, and earth. If you’re a little vino-curious but don’t know where to start, this guide will point you in the right direction!
If you love wheat ale, Chardonnay is a great type of wine to start with because it is complex, light, and refreshing while offering creamy-smooth taste. Wheat beer drinkers will love Chardonnay’s similarities: round, cozy, golden-hued, and creamy in texture. Our Gooseneck Vineyards Chardonnay will give you refreshing notes of orchard fruits followed by a creamy mouth-feel of butter and green apples, wrapped in an elegant composition with a hint of oak.
Check out Night Swimmah from Revival for a lovely wheat ale!
If you opt for lighter lagers, try Pinot Grigio. Lagers are undoubtedly the easiest beers to drink, with a light body and a floral taste profile. Our Gooseneck Vineyards Pinot Grigio has tropical flavors of lime, nectarine, and melon, complemented by a clean acidity and a crisp lingering finish. This wine shares the lighter beers’ refreshing notes and is an excellent summertime sipper.
Visit our friends at Narragansett for their famous Gansett Lager!
If you usually order pale ale, try Pinot Noir. A beer drinker who loves a balanced pale ale likes to taste hops in their beer, but they don’t want them to dominate the flavor profile. Pinot Noir is on the lighter end of the spectrum of red wine. It tends to be balanced, fruity, and not too bitter. Pinot Noirs are earthy yet light, and like pale ales, are popular for being balanced and bright.
Whalers Rise APA is one of our favorite American pale ales!
If you prefer an IPA, try a Sauvignon Blanc. Hoppy IPAs and citrusy Sauv Blancs are both versatile, bright, bold, and herbal. The addition of hops in an IPA can fall along the spectrum from citrus to floral to spice, which means that IPAs are usually complex; fruity and sweet, yet hoppy and bitter. Get the clean and grassy flavors you crave with a Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh, zesty, juicy, and full, this fruit driven wine varietal is well balanced and finishes dry.
Matt at Tilted Barn brews Cactus, the best IPA!
If you like stouts, try Cabernet Sauvignon. Drinkers of stouts crave the comforting richness of the malty flavors. The lovers of chocolate, oatmeal, and vanilla stouts will gravitate toward Cab Sauv’s big fruits, richer texture, and roundness, due to its heavier oak influence. They are a full-bodied wine with strong and layered fruit flavors. It is the red wine version of a bold and roasted malty stout.
Check out Grey Sail and try Dave’s Coffee Stout!
If beer isn’t for you and you’d rather have cider, try Prosecco. If you like light and fizzy ciders, then sparkling Prosecco will be right up your alley. Our Gooseneck Vineyards Prosecco is quite dry, so it’s perfect for those dry cider aficionados. The graceful bubbles and refreshing flavors pair with a wide range of foods, just like dry cider.
Visit Tapped Apple in Westerly for a wide variety of local ciders!
