Chef Comes To Your Rescue: 4 Best Wine Pairings For Pancake Day

Wine pairings for Pancake Day? True pancake lovers know that wine pairing is never easy to handle with a combination of sweet and sour flavours. Luckily, here’s a helping hand to tackle the problem.

We’ve teamed up with Ballymaloe trained Chef Fred Hills to help you out! We asked Fred to share with us his favourite pancake recipes and match with 4 of our new favourite wine choices.

#1 Childhood Favourite Pancakes + White Spanish Wine 

You know you are a true pancake lover if you can enjoy the simple yet delicious taste of the Lemon and Sugar pancakes. This flavour brings many of my childhood memories and although I would usually go for something classic, but on this occasion, I would choose one of my personal favourites, the white Spanish wine – Bodegas Terras Gauda O Rosal. 

The white Spanish wine is super aromatic. The natural grip and chew of this variety have softened nicely leaving in its wake a slick of juicy tropical tones, pears and zesty lemon.

If you are taking extra care of your health and body and count how many calories in a bottle of wine you can get, well, the white one is a safe option for you. White wine has the lowest number of calories per bottle compared to other wines. 

Match your favourite pancakes with amazing chilled summer wines! 

#2 Healthy Buckwheat Pancakes + Floral Slovakian Wine Brands 

This recipe by Amelia Freer is one of Fred’s go-to Buckwheat recipes. For a pancake with fruity toppings, we’d always suggest going for a wine similar in style to match. When sweet springs to mind, so does The Slobodne Rebela Rosa, an incredible Slovakian wine.

Slobodne Rebela Rosa is a blend of Blaufränkisch and Cabernet Sauvignon with zero-added-sulphites. It’s a wine that is incredibly stable and incredibly delicious. It’s a complex, creamy, super fresh. Floral, citrusy, and with hints of candied fruits which would accompany Fred’s favourite buckwheat pancake to a T.

#3 The Duck Pancake + Pinot Noir Cans 

Not your average Shrove Tuesday recipe, but still a firm classic pancake which isn’t too tricky to make. Fred recommends the Jamie Oliver Crispy Peking duck pancake recipe which is very easy to construct, and never disappoints!

Continuing with the left field theme, our perfect pairing is the Alloy Wine Works Pinot Noir Cans made by winemaker Andrew Jones in the central coast of California. These Pinot Noir cans are the perfect pairing to break down the salty hoisin sauce and rich crispy duck.

#4 The Classic Nutella Chocolate Pancakes + Ciello Rosso Nero d’Avola

The classic indulgent pancake for all the family, everyone has a favourite pancake recipe they can smother in their favourite chocolate sauce. So what wine would you pair with it?

When rich chocolate springs to mind, so does the Ciello Rosso Nero d’Avola 2019. It is earthy with vibrant acidity, a pleasantly soft mouthfeel with well-integrated tannins and a long finish.

If you are worried about how much sugar in wine you get along with pancakes, you can relax as red white has the lowest amount of sugar in it.  Also if you are wondering can diabetics drink wine and eat sugar-free pancakes and be happy, well yes. Red wine is known as beneficial for health and has the lowest amount of sugar compared to other types of wine. 

For wine explorers: Check out the best Nero d’Avola food pairing for you last minute guests!

What is your favourite pancake recipe? Are you challenged to find the best pancake wine parings or food and wine combinations?

Share with us in the comments, we are happy to help you choose the best wine! (and try your recipe!)