The Best Type Of Wine To Pair With Tomato Based Soup For A Balanced Meal

Soup season may very well be our favorite time of year thanks to the multitude of heart-warming meals that can come from this basic recipe category. When it comes to tomato-based soups, the offerings are plentiful and can encompass several ingredients. Whether you're ladling up a bowl of plain-Jane tomato soup with croutons, chunky minestrone, beef chili, or a Manhattan clam chowder, enjoying the soup with a glass of wine can take your dinner up a notch.

Choosing a wine that complements the soup without detracting from the nuances and flavors of the various components makes all the difference. Although tomatoes can taste sweet in many preparations, they also contain a high level of acidity. Of course, this can be mitigated to some extent by roasting them or including ingredients to tame the tang. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a wine pairing, you'll want to keep this rule of thumb in mind: The wine should be more acidic than the food to avoid tasting bland and washed out.

Thankfully, there are many grape varieties and wine styles that feature an element of acidity. If you're preparing a heartier tomato soup that contains meat, legumes, root vegetables, or roasted ingredients, reach for a wine with a medium body. In this case, we'd recommend an Italian red wine such as Chianti or Valpolicella, or one made with the barbera variety. All three options have a fruity component, as well as varying degrees of herb, spice, and rusticity that match a weightier tomato soup. Not to mention, if any type of cuisine is familiar with tomatoes, it's undoubtedly Italian, so it follows that these wines would make a suitable pairing.

Meanwhile, if your tomato soup features brighter ingredients, such as fresh herbs and seafood, and has a more delicate consistency, you can't go wrong with a zippy white wine. Pick a grape variety with high acidity and an herbaceous element to match the dish, such as sauvignon blanc or albariño. Both options are fresh and crisp, offering a lighter body that complements the soup. These white wines will make a seamless transition when you're back to eating gazpacho in the summer.