Guilty pleasure wine and snack pairings you must try

You may have seen people pairing wines with something other than cheeses not too long ago. A trend on TikTok went viral after realizing different kinds of wine pair well with common household snacks. The trend was most commonly seen with various flavors of potato chips but later expanded into a wider variety of snack combinations.

Lets start with pairing wines and chips:

Classic potato chips with Champagne or Rosé

Champagne pairs well with classic potato chips as the salt from the chips cuts the bitterness from the wine. The bubbles in the champagne cleanse the palate in between bites. Rosé can be on the sweeter side, so the saltiness of regular potato chips helps balance the flavors.

Barbecue chips with Grenache

Grenache is a dark fruity wine with notes of herbs. It can be either dry or sweet. Barbecue chips are said to pair well with Grenache because of the meaty-like flavor. Both the wine and chips have a hint of richness that intensifies the flavors of the other.

Sour cream and onion with Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is a wine with a floral aroma. Sometimes you might taste hints of apple, depending on the type of grape used. Chenin Blanc can also be dry or sweet but is still a sparkling wine that pairs well with sour cream and onion chips. This pair works well because the chip has a tangy taste that can balance out the buttery smooth Chenin Blanc. 

Salt and vinegar with Assyrtiko

Assyrtiko is an acidic wine that is more on the savory side. It holds notes of lemon, saline, and honeysuckle. Assyrtiko goes well with salt and vinegar chips because they share the same acidic/savory quality. Assyrtiko can also be paired with oven-baked chips if the acidity is too unbearable.

Buffalo with Riesling

A sweeter Riesling with notes of peach and apricot pair best with a buffalo-flavored chip. The heat of the buffalo chip can be dulled by the sweetness of a Riesling. This is why it pairs with Hot Cheetos as well.

If you're not a big chip fan here are some alternative pairings to try:

Popcorn with Prosecco

An extra dry Prosecco can pair nicely with the salt and butteriness of popcorn. You can also pair it with a sweeter popcorn to cut the dryness of the Prosecco.

Chex Mix with Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is a little on the dry side but can still be sweet which pairs with the saltiness of Chex Mix. The snack has a wide variety of flavors that could be tested alongside Pinot Noir but the original is said to pair the best.

Rosé with Sour Patch Kids

This one is a little different from the other pairings. So far, they have been mostly sweet and salty combinations. Rosé leans towards the sweeter side and can cut the acidity and sourness of the Sour Patch Kids. 

Cheez-its with Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a rather popular white wine. It has many different notes including apple, lemon, vanilla, papaya, etc. This pairing makes a lot of sense as the Cheez-Its are the closest on this list to actual cheese. Cheez-its would be a great substitute for any of the snack pairings. 

M&Ms with Cabernet Sauvignon

This pairing is another one that differs from the list but chocolate can taste great with the right wine. Chocolate like M&Ms pair best with a fruity wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon which has a dark fruity flavor with notes of black cherry and blackberry. M&Ms can also pair with Pinot Noir.

Would you give these pairings a try? Tag us on X and let us know what combinations you crave.