Pork is one of those dates with food that you can dress up or down and take to nearly any dance.  It’s hard not to make her look good.  Depending upon its preparation and cut, you can pair the food group with varying whites, reds and even roses.

Lean pork (boneless chops) while not overly flavorful by itself lends itself to nearly any accent you wish whether it be dried spice, sauce or fruit.  On the other extreme is bacon, with its rich fat and very savory aromas and flavors, just begging for a hearty red. 

If you are entertaining classic pork chops, remember that on the bone usually adds a little more richness than boneless.  That being said, there are two alternatives to explore.  If you are grilling the chops and use smoky or mesquite accents, and some pepper, a Zinfandel is great way to go with its deep fruit and usually spicy and raisiny flavors.  If you’re looking for a red with a little less spice think about a Merlot.  Finally, a Pinot Noir would work well, lighter than the Zin but with a nice cherry, spice and acidity balance.  On the other side of the color spectrum, if you accent the chops with dill, lemon, and garlic along with perhaps tarragon, I would lean toward the whites.  In this category, a Gewurztraminer is often a superb match.  This variety, especially if German or Alsatian, offers up an exotic wonderland of aromas and flavors from honeyed apple and apricot, lemon-lime and grapefruit citrus elements, to classic litchi, white pepper, rose, cream and even floral notes.  Many of these wines also reveal a scent of smoke and meat.  If you’re looking for a slightly simpler flavor profile to pair, then Riesling is your baby!  You get the zesty citrus fruit with a zippy acidity, distinct floral elements and great minerality.  Finally, an Alsatian Pinot Gris with its spiciness, florality and lemon, apple and pear scents would work nicely, as well.

If you are preparing the chops with a fruit based sauce, this really steers you toward the whites.  Again, the Gewurztraminer would be my first choice, but Rielsing, Viognier with its flavorful all spice scents, peach and pear notes and florality are a close second.  If you’re looking for a more traditional path, Chardonnay would work.  Finally, if you want to take a ride on the wild side, try a Vouvray (from the namesake Loire subregion).  This wine is made from the classic Loire Valley Chenin Blanc grape and come in styles ranging from dry to dessert sweet.  The wines often exhibit characteristics of fig, apple, honey, nuts and ginger along with a pronounced spine of acidity and a scent of florality.  Is it any wonder that this wine would work so well with fruit accented pork?

If you’re garnishing the pork with mushrooms, I love a Pinot Noir or Burgundy here while mustard sauce would make me lean toward a naked (no oak) Chardonnay, a Riesling (German Kabinett such as Eymael Monchhof) or even a Sauvignon Blanc.  Just as a aside, if you use mustard, go with Dijon.  It tends to work a little better with the wines.

Pork tenderloin is a very lean cut and works wonderfully with a fruit driven Burgundy or new world Pinot Noir

A pork roast is open for either a red or white, depending upon the style of preparation.  If the accent emphasizes the more earthy dried spices such as tarragon, sage and rosemary, a Zin, Shiraz, Cab or Rhone would work as would a Chianti. But I wouldn’t discount a Riesling, Viognier or even a white Burgundy.  If the roast is supported by fruit sauces, the whites are the place to go with the suggested choices listed above.

Finally, on the wine side of the ledger, the always food friendly Beaujolais and rose wines work beautifully with many of the above pork preparations if you’re looking for a light and fruity red.

One final note here, while I’ve made frequent reference to accenting the dish with both dried spices and fruit sauces, don’t overlook the importance of any stuffing added, the composition of which may steer you toward a red or white. 

Tags: Alsatian, Beaujolais, Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Chianti, German, Gewurztraminer, Loire, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, pork, Rhone, Riesling, Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Viognier, Vouvray, Zinfandel