Petit Verdot Food Pairing: 13 Easy Dishes

When it comes to Petit Verdot food pairing, certain dishes can enhance your enjoyment of this robust wine, bringing out the best in both your meal and your wine.

Here’s a helpful Petit Verdot guide if you’re curious about this powerhouse of a grape.

13 Easy Dinner Dishes to Pair with Petit Verdot

Check out this list of dishes that pair well with Petit Verdot wines.

Helpful Note: I’ve included real dishes that real, everyday people (like me and you) make and enjoy.

1 Meatlovers Pizza – Easy

Sausage, pepperoni, and ham pizzas with a full, yeasty crust and rich, melted mozzarella cheese beg for a glass of Petit Verdot wine. Pairing your pizza with Petit Verdot will cut through the protein, salt, fat, and spice in each bite, cleaning your palate.

Tip: No one’s judging you if you get a takeout pizza or throw a frozen pizza in the oven. I’m right there with you on a Friday night. If you have good wine, all will be well good.

2 Deli Sandwiches – Easy

Deli sandwiches work well with Petit Verdot wines. Whether you make your own or grab a sandwich from your favorite take-out deli, you have options. Because Petite Verdot has robust flavors and structured tannins, you can choose sandwich options with oomph, too.

Think salami, pepper jack cheese, honey mustard, roast beef, olives, and pickles.

Helpful Tip: While you can go for a lighter sandwich, like tuna fish, this is really an opportunity to choose some of those bolder flavors. (I’d stick with a buttery Chardonnay for tunafish sandwiches).

3 Dark Green Leafy Salads – Easy Vegetarian

Are there any salad lovers out there? Petit Verdot and salad pairings can work if you go for earthy flavors, think blue cheese, spicy arugula, sunflower seeds, and green onions. This is not the time for an Italian vinaigrette. Think thick and robust.

Helpful Tip: Add tofu (if you’re vegan), hardboiled egg, or leftover chicken and steak for additional protein. Protein will help balance out the tannins in your Petit Verdot wine, creating a better synergy.

4 Taco Night – Easy Petit Verdot Pairing

Steak, carnitas, al pastor, impossible burger – whatever your favorite filler is, add those classic taco flavors with chili, garlic, onion, and cumin – and you’re all set. Petit Verdot is a big-flavor wine, so go for those flavors in your tacos, too.

Helpful Tip: Be careful with the spice! Chili spice can accentuate alcohol and bitterness in wine. Start with your mild salsa and then taste-test your way up the heat index.

5 Shepherd’s Pie

What I love about this easy Petit Verdot wine pairing is that it’s a filling dish that you can add will warm your insides. If you go homemade, good on you, but if you’re a busy professional/parent, or if you’ve spent all of your money on great wine, you can pick up a frozen shepherd’s pie and keep it in your freezer for a last-minute meal.

Red meat helps balance out the Petit Verdot, and by adding earthy herbs like oregano and basil to the dish, you’ll help bring out the wine’s fruit.

6 Meatloaf

Another protein-rich meal, meatloaf will pair well with Petit Verdot wie. The wine’s dark fruit notes and floral mid-palate will cut through the meatloaf.

Consider a side of caramelized onions, onion rings, or even french fries.

Personal Tip: Other red wines that pair well with meatloaf include Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.

7 Chili – Vegan Optional

Personal Note: Chili makes a regular appearance on my meatless Monday dinner table.

Just add a bottle of Petit Verdot and you’re ready to feast.

Pairing chili with Petit Verdot wines brings out the wine’s tannins and structure.

Personal Tip: I usually pair Petit Verdot with a white-bean chili.

8 Slowcooker Stew

Use a tomato-based broth and add mushrooms, onions, garlic, turmeric, beef or sausage, along with potatoes, barley pearls, or brown rice for a soul-pleasing meal. Similar to the other heavy dishes listed, the berry flavors and tannins in your Petit Verdot wine will elevate your stew.

9 Roasted Vegetables – Vegan

Roasted vegetables have those earthy flavors and also a slight caramelized quality from their natural sugars. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and maybe even a balsamic vinegar reduction if you have it around. Sprinkle with sea salt.

10 Spaghetti Carbonara

Who doesn’t love rich umami flavors and pasta? Whether you go for bacon and ham, or sausage for your carbonara, dust generously with parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

11 Grilled Cheese

If you have young children and need to make a quick meal, grilled cheese can be an easy go-to option. Up your adult grilled cheese by pairing it with Petit Verdot. Add a dipping sauce with chipotle flavors and enjoy!

Petit Verdot’s acid balances the richness of the cheese and complements will cut through the oil. Try with pepper jack cheese for added flavor.

Personal Note: This is actually a go-to pairing during harvest season when I don’t really have time to cook.

12 Grilled and Roasted Sausage

Pairing Petit Verdot wines with roasted sausage and red and yellow peppers, and maybe a side of onions and garlic, works every time.

Sausage and peppers are an easy match for Petit Verdot wines. What I love about this pairing is that it’s accessible for beginning cooks.

13 Hamburgers – Vegan Optional

Whether you enjoy bison burgers or vegan patties, the flavor combination of grilled or charred patty with tomato, onion, lettuce, and sauces are always a crowd-pleaser when pairing Petit Verdot wine.

Petit Verdot’s structure and acidity cut through the fat in your burger, elevating the qualities and flavors of both wine and food.

What Foods Don’t Work Well With Petit Verdot Wines?

• Avoid pairing Petit Verdot wines with sweet dishes. Think sweeter sauces. This will clash with the dry tannins of Petit Verdot wine.
• Delicate, fruity flavors, like a fruit salad, will make your Petit Verdot wine seem harsh and bitter.
• Chili spice will accentuate the alcohol burn in your Petit Verdot if you have a higher-alcohol bottle (above 13.5% ABV).

Helpful Tips for Wine and Food Pairing

Not all wines will work with all foods. You can force it and pair it however you like, but you’ll miss that magical synergy.

Helpful Tip: Check out this wine and food pairing guide if you’re just starting out. It goes over flavors and considerations with wine pairing.

Final Thoughts – Petit Verdot Food Pairing

Pairing Petit Verdot wines with rich, full-flavored dishes that have protein and fat makes all of the difference. Take some time to pair your Petit Verdot wine well, and you’ll be well-rewarded. 😀

Discover: Red Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide

Thirsty for More?

Thinking of including red wines for your next party or dinner? Check out this post on cold appetizers that will work for your next red wine tasting.

If you already know what wines you enjoy, check out this post on what to serve at a red wine tasting, and here’s the sister post: what to serve with a white wine tasting.