Food & Occasion

Flammkuchen is part of the cuisine on both sides of the Upper Rhine and pairs well with sparkling wine from Baden. The thin crust topped with bacon, onions, and crème fraîche is rich and salty, and the acidity and bubbles of the sparkling wine cut right through it. A Brut made from Weißburgunder stays fresh alongside it, while a Blanc de Noirs holds its own against the bacon.

Spring brings asparagus. It's considered a tricky wine partner, yet a dry Weißburgunder sparkling wine with mild acidity harmonizes beautifully with butter and hollandaise sauce, as the bubbles cut through the fat. The season traditionally ends on June 24th.

In autumn, there's Zwiebelkuchen served with new wine, and Black Forest ham on farmhouse bread pairs well with a Blanc de Noirs, whose fruitiness balances the smokiness. A Black Forest trout, pan-fried à la meunière in butter, also goes well with a lean Brut made through bottle fermentation.

Sweet desserts call for sweeter sparkling wine. With Black Forest cherry cake topped with cream and kirsch, an off-dry sparkling wine suits better than a Brut Nature, which can taste harsh and thin next to the sweetness. A young Weißburgunder sparkling wine with a touch of residual sugar also pairs nicely with fruit desserts.

Along the Upper Rhine, people love celebrating outdoors in late summer, when harvest begins and villages hold their wine festivals. There are many occasions: weddings and christenings, late-summer wine festivals, a sparkling wine reception before a meal, or New Year's Eve. For those who prefer to toast without alcohol, alcohol-free alternatives are now available that offer a similarly fine sparkle. They can be served alongside any of these dishes just as well.