Caprese Salad pairs best with acidic white wines such as Falanghina, Fiano di Avellino, Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, and Gavi. Prosecco, dry Rosé, Beaujolais and Chianti are also excellent wine pairings with Caprese Salad.
Caprese Salad is a mixture of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, olive oil, and salt. Fresh, slightly sweet and delicious, Caprese Salad is packed with so much flavour that vinegar is rarely needed. However, in North America, our off-season tomatoes are imported from a lengthy distance and may require a splash of vinegar to draw the flavours out.
Oaked white wines and tannic red wines will taste harsh when consumed with anything containing lots of tomatoes, and it is best to keep these away from Caprese Salad.
Best Wine with Caprese Salad
| Type | Varietal | Food | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Wine | Fiano di Avellino, White, Dry | Caprese Salad | |
| Sparkling Wine | Prosecco | Caprese Salad | |
| White Wine | Falanghina | Caprese Salad | |
| White Wine | Chenin Blanc, Dry | Caprese Salad | |
| White Wine | Pinot Grigio | Caprese Salad | |
| White Wine | Orvieto Superiore (DOC) | Caprese Salad | |
| White Wine | Muscadet | Caprese Salad | |
| Red Wine | Garnacha | Caprese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette | |
| White Wine | Gavi di Gavi / Cortese di Gavi (DOCG) | Caprese Salad | |
| White Wine | Verdicchio | Caprese Salad | |
| Red Wine | Lambrusco | Caprese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette | |
| White Wine | Vermentino | Caprese Salad | |
| White Wine | Sauvignon Blanc | Caprese Salad | |
| White Wine | Weisser Riesling - South Africa | Caprese Salad | |
| Red Wine | Tea, Darjeeling | Caprese Salad | |
| Red Wine | Beaujolais | Caprese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette | |
| White Wine | Soave Classico | Caprese Salad |
Prosecco & Caprese Salad
Prosecco is a crisp Sparkling Italian wine that often has a touch sweet of sweetness. The crisp acidity in Prosecco turns the spotlight on the fresh flavours of Caprese Salad, highlighting the tomatoes, basil and Mozzarella as the flavours swirl and mingle in your mouth.
Flavours to expect from Prosecco are apple, almond, pear, citrus, mineral and toast.
A glass of Prosecco is an amazing pairing with Caprese Salad served as an hors d’oeuvres. In this situation, you’ll have cherry tomatoes, Mozzarella and basil served on a skewer, and a stemmed glass of bubbly prosecco further adds to the excitement.
Prosecco also makes an excellent choice to pair with Caprese Salad, where it might be served as an opening dish at a banquet, such as a bridal shower. Prosecco always puts people in a celebratory mood as it’s so much fun to taste, drink and enjoy.
Falanghina & Caprese Salad
Falanghina is an inexpensive Italian wine that hails from the Campania region of Italy, where the Isle of Capri is situated. It’s the Isle of Carpi where the Caprese Salad originated from.
Falanghina is known for its leafy notes of herbs and flowers on the nose that complements the sharp basil flavours. Falanghina is also light and crisp with pear, apple, nut and stony mineral flavours. The nutty flavours are amazing with the mozzarella cheese in your Caprese Salad. Meanwhile, the apple, pear, peach and citrus flavours serve up plenty of refreshment while supporting the delicious flavours of the tomatoes, basil and cheese.
Fiano di Avellino & Caprese Salad
Fiano di Avellino is a quiet Italian wine from the Campania region with fresh flavours of orchard fruit field flowers, lime, honey, hazelnut and chopped herbs. All of these flavours will jive with what Caprese Salad offers, making your meal even more delicious.
Heavier foods will drown out the subtle kiss of Fino di Avellino. While Caprese salad is bold with flavour, the Mozzarella does a fantastic job of absorbing what Fiano di Avellino has to offer and spreading it out, so all the heavenly flavours still reach your taste receptors.
Pinot Grigio & Caprese Salad
Pinot Grigio is a neutral white wine that is crisp with acidity but subtle in its peach, mineral, nut, citrus, smoke and apple flavours. While the flavours of Pinot Grigio are subtle, they won’t be overwhelmed by the strong basil and tomato flavours as the Mozzarella Cheese in the salad echos the wine’s delicious flavours ensuring you can taste them.
Pinot Grigio isn’t my top choice with Caprese Salad, but it is one of the most accessible wines in North America, making it easy to find on shelves and wine lists. Plus, if you are a white wine drinker, Pinot Grigio will pair up nicely with many other items of your meal besides Caprese Salad, such as chicken, fish, seafood, pork, or light pasta dishes.
Rosé & Caprese Salad
Dry Rosé has light notes of raspberry, strawberry and cranberry, along with lime and citrus, which makes it excellent with tomatoes and basil. Dry Rosé will be Tart and not sweet, meaning the tartness of the wine electrifies your taste buds, making the fresh ingredients of your Caprese salad sing even louder.
Rosé from Europe, particularly France, will feature herbal flavours making it an even better pairing with Caprese Salad. My favourite pairing with Caprese salad would have to be a sparkling Rosé as the pink colour plus the electrifying bubbles always instantly put me in a great mood.