Does Vegan Sparkling Wine Pair Well With (Veggie) Spag Bol?

The nights are getting colder and it is time for more autumnal, wholesome food. I realised that it had been months (maybe longer!) since I’d made spaghetti bolognese – at home, bolognese may be meatless, it has, been made vegan and we’ve switched out to quorn mince for a number of years. Much like Indian food, it may not be what one thinks when it comes to a meal with sparkling wine. Even when preparing this meal, my default stance was to reach for a bottle of red to open.

A bottle of Jansz Tasmania Premiun Cuvee was gifted to me by a friend in the summer who is a fan and who took a punt on the fact that I may never have tried it. The first pour was fizzy and cloudy with the first sip being incredibly refreshing. Vegan friendly and probably the first Australian fizz I’ve had since I embarked on this pairing journey. My father, who always asks ‘what country?’ when I crack open a bottle, remembered a film that we both love.

Still a little nervous by the proposal, garlic (ciabatta) bread made the starter menu on recommendation from said friend. Perhaps it was the brioche notes in the wine that made this work.

Let’s face it – no two spag bols are ever the same are they? With a base of chilli and rosemary oils, and notable garlic and freshly picked basil, there was a risk that a flavour or two may overpower the wine. Perhaps I lucked out today, or this wine held its own, but the food was flavoursome without any one flavour stealing the show.

As for the wine, its creaminess was notable and the nuttiness complemented the mince. Needless to say, cheese was an optional addition to those that may have wanted it, however as a cheese lover myself, this wine paired well enough to almost act as a dairy replacement.

Conclusion – sparkling wine with vegan mince certainly works in this instance and I’d be up for doing it again with another one. The heaviness of beef/lamb is not present here so may contribute to this being a possibility. It may be tradition and conditioning – I’m still likely to default to a glass of red for little while, but let’s see!

Author: Rupa Datta – rupa@portfolio-people.com