The best wines to pair with Tomato Soup are light and acidic red wines such as Barbera, Dolcetto, Valpolicella Classico and Beaujolais Villages. Crisp and herbal whites such as Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo are excellent wine pairings for Tomato Soup.
You’ll want to avoid red wines that have seen a lot of oak or that have a lot of tannin. Tannin and the high acidity of tomatoes do not work as the two elements clash, making the wine and soup taste metallic. Thus, a wine with lots of acidity and low tannin is a must when pairing wine with Tomato Soup!
Best Wine with Tomato Soup
Barbera & Tomato Soup Pairing
Barbera is an Italian red wine featuring lots of acidity and low levels of tannin. Medium-bodied Barbera features velvety flavours of blackberry, cherry, plum and raspberry. While Barbera is a dry red wine, the perceived sweetness of these fruity flavours matches the sweetness of the Tomato in your soup.
With Barbera, you’ll also find notes of herbs, spice, smoke, mineral, black pepper and earth that turn a plain bowl of Tomato Soup into something a little more interesting.
Dolcetto & Tomato Soup Pairing
Dolcetto is not as acidic as Barbera, however, the medium tannin is balanced with the wine’s medium acidity levels, making Dolcetto a great match with Tomato Soup.
Dolcetto is similar to Barbera in that it features silky flavours of black and red cherry, blueberry, raspberry and strawberry. You’ll also find savoury flavours of smoke, earth, and licorice that add extra interest to a rich bowl of Tomato Soup.
Sauvignon Blanc & Tomato Soup Pairing
One of the best pairings you can make for a comforting and delicious tomato soup is none other than Sauvignon Blanc. The acidic citrus character of Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the richness of the soup, adding a great layer of complexity to the flavours and aromas.
A glass of sauvignon blanc, with its herbal and tropical fruit notes, pairs perfectly with a bowl of tomato soup that has been seasoned with fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano. The combination creates an exciting flavour profile that will tantalize your taste buds.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of the temperature contrast between icy cold white wine and hot tomato soup, as it hurts my teeth. When I do have this pairing, I let my wine warm up a little first and let my soup cool down a little.
Verdejo & Tomato Soup Pairing
Spanish Verdejo is similar to Sauvignon Blanc in that it is herbal, acidic, grassy and juicy. Terrific and inexpensive, Verdejo features amazing flavours of lemon, pear, tropical fruit, apricot, lychee, herbs, mineral and anise. The tropical notes of Verdejo also nicely contrast the salty character in some tomato soups, creating flavour depth and complexity.
The dry, crisp fruit flavours of Verdejo help to create an exciting balance between the prominent sweetness of the tomatoes and herbs of your soup. Meanwhile, the light body of a glass of Verdejo pairs nicely with tomato soup seasoned with garlic, basil, and oregano, accentuating these flavours with the herbal and grassy notes of the wine.
Valpolicella Classico & Tomato Soup Pairing
Valpolicella Classico is a light to medium-bodied red wine from Italy that is low in alcohol. Low in tannin and high in acidity, Valpolicella is right at home with Tomato soup as it won’t clash with the acidity in the Tomatoes.
Featuring flavours of black and red cherry, along with notes of herbs, spice, leather and smoke, Valpolicella will keep you refreshed with its fruitiness while charming you with its rustic bite.
The labelling of Valpolicella Classico means it is of higher quality than Valpolicella. You’ll also want to stay away from wines labelled Amarone or Valpolicella Ripasso are these two wines are sexy beasts that would destroy and clash with a simple bowl of Tomato Soup.