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Discover perfect wine pairings for pork: A guide to flavour harmony

From refreshing Riesling with pork belly to scintillating Sangiovese with a hearty roast, we’ve updated our pairing guide to bring you fresh inspiration this festive season.

Seven wine styles to drink with pork:

White wine

  • Riesling
  • Viognier
  • Chenin Blanc

Red wine

  • Sangiovese (Chianti Classico)
  • Mencia
  • Grenache / Garnacha (red or rosé)
  • Gamay (Beaujolais)


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Is red or white wine best with pork?

Pork is quite a versatile meat that can match brilliantly with both red and white wines – not to mention orange wine – depending on what you’re cooking or eating. 

Try Riesling white wines or juicy reds with relatively high acidity to cut through the fat content of roast pork belly, or comforting Grenache-led red blends with midweek bangers and mash.  

Tuscany’s Sangiovese-fuelled reds, with their balance of structure, wild berry fruit and acidity, can be delicious with a porchetta-style roast or slow-cooked pork shoulder at the dinner table. 

‘Italian reds always have that wonderful acidity that’s perfect with pork,’ wrote Decanter food and wine expert Fiona Beckett in this festive pairings piece.

Food and wine pairing principles

Food and wine pairing has been the subject of debate among wine writers. While proponents outline certain principles, personal taste is hugely important in this arena.

Even classic wine styles may vary between individual producers, but experimenting with different combinations and trying new bottles can be part of the fun.

When it comes to choosing a wine to pair with pork dishes, Jean-Baptiste Lemoine, deputy director of food and beverage at The Goring hotel in London, previously told Decanter it’s important to consider:

  • the cut of the pork;
  • the way it’s cooked;
  • the sauce you are serving it with

Matthieu Longuère, a master sommelier and the wine development manager at Le Cordon Bleu London culinary school, told Decanter in 2024. ‘Whatever the meat is, it depends what you do with it.’

Think about matching the intensity of the wine with that of the dish, as well as any acidity and sweetness brought by ingredients in the meal.

Great wine with pork: Inspiration from our experts

The following wines have all been tasted by Decanter’s experts and include bottles at a range of prices.


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