Best Wine With Pork Chops

Wine pairings aren’t simple, especially when it comes to pork. Pork has so many flavors in itself that the wine will have to match the cut of meat and not just the breed of animal. 

Today we will be focusing on pork chops and their tender salty flavors. Pork chops are often served by themselves because their flavor is so rich and strong, but they are also served with sauces.

Depending on how you are presenting your chops, you will need a different wine to bring out the flavors you are creating. 

For each type of pork chop, we will give you a little bit of industry knowledge on the way, along with the tastes and colors you should be aiming for.

Of course we will provide you with our top 3 wines with the suggested meal, so you can feel confident that your dinner will be a success.

Best Wine For Pork Chops on a Budget

When we say budget wine, we don’t mean the boxed variety. You will still be able to present your guests with an air of elegance, even with a wine that doesn’t break your wallet.  

In general when you are serving pork chops, you need to have a wine which can cut the fattinees of the meat. Without any sauces to help you with this desire, the wine you serve must do all the work. 

Taste

There are two avenues you can go down to reduce the fatty texture of a pork chop, and that is to cut it with a tannin wine or an acidic wine. 

Tannin wines are dry and bitter, leaving you feeling slightly thirsty. This is perfect for juicy and fatty meals, as the natural creamy nature of your pork chop will soothe this thirst from the wine, and the dry nature of the wine will soak up the oil overspill from the pork.

Your other option is to use acidic wine, which is crisp and rich almost like a sour flavor. It will have the same effect as a Tannin wine, but from a different perspective.

If you would rather choose a dry and bitter tannin wine, then you should be veering towards the red varieties. 

If you are hoping to pick a crisp and almost sour flavor, then aim for an acidic white choice.

Top 3 Budget Wines for Pork Chops

The first budget wine we would suggest for your pork chops is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Bubo. Their Cabernet Sauvignon has juicy hints of blackberry and plum with just a hint of black cherry and toasted oat to create a medium bodied wine. The bitter taste of the blackberry will go perfectly with your pork chops.

The second budget wine we suggest for your pork chops is a Sauvignon Blanc from Globerati. This wine has a sassy edge with flamboyant and fresh aromas that smell of lemon and grapefruit, balanced out with apple. This combination creates a delicate acidic and crisp taste to pair with your meal.

The third budget wine we suggest for your pork chops is another Cabernet Sauvignon, but this time from Josh Cellars. This wine also has tones of blackberry, but their juicy flavors also hold a touch of toasted hazelnut and cinnamon. 

Best Wine for Pork Chops With A Mushroom Sauce

Mushroom sauces are a favorite choice for many people who delight at the thought of a meal with pork chops. Ideally, a mushroom sauce should be paired with an earthy wine that can match the deep flavors of the fungi.

Any of the wines you choose for this sauce will also be great for pork tenderloins, whose tender and deep flavors balance well with an earthy touch. 

Taste

Usually, the earthy tones you should be aiming for can be found in the commonly drunk Pinot Noir, however, there are some unusual choices that you can use instead.

A Pinot Noir will have a complex mixture of flavors, like cherry and raspberry mixed with mushrooms and baking spice. In general, the texture will be silky and slightly dry.

But you do have more choices than it might seem. Burgundy wines also work well with a creamy mushroom sauce.

Burgundy wines tend to have a light and ruby coloring with the aroma of cherries. This creates a medium bodied palate of refreshing acidity and a touch of soft tannins.

Top 3 Wines For Pork Chops With A Mushroom Sauce

The first suggestion we would give for pork chops paired with a creamy mushroom sauce would be the classic choice of a Pinot Noir, and in particular, we suggest trying Meiomi’s rendition. Meiomi grows their grapes from the farms of California, and with the American fruits, they have combined strawberries, jammy dark fruit, mocha, and vanilla with a beautiful hint of smoky toast. 

Our second suggestion is another Pinot Noir, but this time from Decoy. The pure fruit of this luscious wine captures the vibrant charm of California. The fruit taste from Decoy will create an outstanding balance from your silky smooth sauce. 

Our third suggestion is a Chardonnay from Rombauer Vineyards. Rombauer Vineyards harvest their fruits at night and start the fermentation process as soon as possible to keep the flavors locked into the grapes.

With only a twice monthly stirring resume, they create a rich flavor with a creamy texture that will beautifully pair with your pork and mushroom sauce.

Best Wine for Pork Chops With A Sweet Sauce

Sweet sauces are hard to find, so when you create the perfect blend, you don’t want your wine to clash with the taste. There are quite a few wines that balance perfectly between the pork and sweet sauce to create almost a bridge of flavor to combine to. 

Your main aim in your search for this harmonious combination is to look for a wine with a healthy and high level of tannins. This is because the tannins can cut through the fatty nature of a pork chop and cut through the sharp zing of a sweet sauce.

This is how we create the welcome bridge between the two delicious opposites on our plate. 

Taste

The taste you should be aiming for is a fruity, delicate touch. Although you can use white fruit wines like Colombard or Semillon Chardonnay, we suggest using a full bodied red. Ideally, you should try and find a red wine that matches the sweet flavors of your sauce, so the bridge to harmony can begin from the base. 

Top 3 Wines For Pork Chops With A Sweet Sauce

Our first suggestion is another Cabernet Sauvignon, this time from Ariel. This Cabernet Sauvignon has actually been “dealcoholized,” which means that there is little to no alcohol in the wine. This is done by fermenting the flavors as one would typically do, but then using a cold filtration process to remove the alcohol that would have been created. Thereby keeping the deep flavors of a Cabernet Sauvignon but removing all but 1% of the alcohol. 

The second suggestion we are giving is from a company called 19 Crimes, they also have created a Cabernet Sauvignon, but this one has a beautifully deep and juicy red berry flavor.

The full flavor makes a luscious and rich balance of red berries and vanilla oak. The round texture has a soft appeal which is perfect for a sweet sauce. 

And lastly, another Cabernet Sauvignon suggestion, but this time for the renowned Ruffino Riserva. This Italian wine has hints of tobacco, leather, and cedar, with glints of white pepper and flint.

The cherry and red berry notes lift the smokey flavor and create that sought after bridge between the smokey depth of the pork and the light and sweet delight of your sauce.

The smoky flavors would even do well with a mushroom sauce, as we had discussed before. 

Conclusion – Overall Best Wine For Pork Chops

If this all seems a little confusing to pair wine with pork chops, then leave knowing this one fact. Pork chops pair perfectly with a Cabernet Sauvignon.

If in doubt, we would recommend finding a Ruffino Riserva bottle as the deep tobacco flavors bring a smokiness to any dish, and the vibrant cherry and red berry fruit flavors add a sweetness which most dishes lack.

No matter what you pair your pork chops with, a flavor combination like that will both stand out and stand with your dinner of choice. Once you`ve found your favorite wine make sure you store some bottles in your wine cellar.

ChristinaDay
Hi, my name is Christina Day, and I am a self-proclaimed wine connoisseur. It is my favorite alcoholic drink, and I enjoy nothing better than kicking back on the sofa after a long week of work to enjoy a glass of wine… or two!